LeBron James and Luka Doncic are set to do battle again after playing one of the league’s best games earlier this season.
LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are back on the court for a Sunday matinee at the Staples Center when they host Luka Doncic and a strong Dallas Mavericks squad in just a few hours.
The Nov. 1 meeting between these two teams was a 119-110 overtime thriller with James and Doncic exchanging massive triple-double while each scoring over 30 points on the night. The biggest difference down the stretch was that LeBron had considerably more help from his co-star Anthony Davis, who scored 31 points while Kristaps Portzingis only had 16 points on 6 for 16 shooting.
Dwight Howard also played a major role for the Lakers in the Nov. 1 win, playing 27 minutes and anchoring the defense several times down the stretch and even taking Doncic in space on switches. Taking on Doncic will once again be the focal point for the Lakers defense, but it’s a job that is much easier said than done.
It will be interesting to see what kind of defensive coverages the Lakers throw at Doncic, especially with how he’s carried the team offensively. But given how great the last game was, expect LeBron and Doncic to have answers for everything thrown their way.
UGA football safety Richard LeCounte posted an epic troll a after the Georgia Bulldogs win over Georgia Tech.
Georgia safety Richard LeCounte played incredible football in the month of November, from breaking up a fourth and short for Florida to recovering a fumble after a great play vs Texas A&M to aiding in holding Georgia Tech to 139 total yards on Saturday.
Following the game, LeCounte posted one of the greatest photos of the 2019 season to Twitter, a picture of him posing in front of Georgia Tech students following the game.
The Philadelphia 76ers have been happy with Joel Embiid’s recent offensive production.
Every once in a while, a superstar must be humbled a bit to regain his aggressiveness. For Philadelphia 76ers star big man Joel Embiid, it was a November night in Toronto that got him back to normal a bit.
Embiid went scoreless that night for the first time in his career in a close loss to the Toronto Raptors and ever since then, Embiid has responded in a big way.
He has averaged 30.6 points and he has taken 14.6 free-throw attempts in the three games since. That is the type of production the Sixers expect out of who they consider to be their “crown jewel”. He is the team’s clear best player and that night against the Raptors was unacceptable and he knew it.
Coach Brett Brown has been happy with Embiid as he stated:
It’s a mentality. That is a disposition and a mentality, and it is more than a stat. To me, we shot 40 free throws last night and had 36 tonight. I like both of those things and you sure like them a lot more when you make them, but Embiid made a statement. Nobody can underestimate the hurt that he felt after the Toronto game where he felt like he let us down. We have seen him respond.
The Sixers know once the ball is dumped down to Embiid down low, there is no stopping him. He either gets fouled or he scores, there’s no in-between. His play down low forced Pacers big man Domantas Sabonis to foul out as he romped his way to a big game.
Teammate Tobias Harris added on Embiid:
I think we’re at our best when Joel’s that aggressive, he summons attention, double teams, and he’s been a willing passer to make plays out of that. It overall helps everybody just because he’s such a focal point, so if you’re coming off pick-and-rolls they’re going back to him and whatnot. I mean he’s a beast, you can’t guard him down there. You either foul or hope he misses.
The Sixers leading man will get another test on Monday when defending Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert and the Utah Jazz invade the Wells Fargo Center on Monday. [lawrence-related id=20365,20357,20347]
With a key contract date looming, swingman Ben McLemore made a strong case in Saturday’s win about his value to the Houston Rockets.
Ben McLemore went into this past week knowing it was a potentially critical one for his longer-term future with the Houston Rockets.
Based on his contract, Sunday, Dec. 1 is the date in which he begins earning more money than the partial guarantee ($500,000) on his contract. In other words, since he can now theoretically be replaced by a veteran free agent without an additional financial penalty to the team, he must prove worthy of his roster spot solely on basketball merit.
In Saturday’s blowout win over the Hawks, the 26-year-old made quite a convincing case. In 34 minutes as the starting small forward, McLemore set season-highs across the board with 24 points (64.3% shooting, 54.5% on three-pointers), 13 rebounds, and six makes from three-point range.
For the season, McLemore’s three-point shooting percentage improved from 29.1% before Saturday’s game to a more respectable 31.6% after it.
It could be randomness due to a small sample size, but one fascinating aspect of McLemore’s 2019-20 season to date is how much more effective he’s been as a starter. In five games filling in for Danuel House Jr., McLemore is averaging 17.4 points (47.5% shooting, 40.0% on three-pointers) and 5.4 rebounds in 31.6 minutes per game.
By contrast, the 6-foot-3 guard is averaging just 4.9 points and 1.4 rebounds in 17.0 minutes per game as a reserve, with shooting percentages of 27.4% overall and 25.0% from behind the free-point arc.
The University of Kansas product, who was drafted No. 7 overall in the 2013 NBA Draft, told Houston Chronicle beat writer Jonathan Feigen that he wasn’t putting much stock in his starter versus reserve splits.
I’m not reading into it … at all. I just try to play my game, keep it simple, do everything I need to do at a high level to help my team win games. It’s just staying ready, staying the course. Any time my name is getting called, I do the best I can.
For the season as a whole, McLemore has seemingly found ways to help the Rockets — even when his shots aren’t falling. His defensive rating of 104.4 and overall net rating of 14.5 are both the team’s best among regular rotation players to have averaged over 10 minutes per game.
Head coach Mike D’Antoni said Saturday that House and starting center Clint Capela, who each missed the Hawks game with illnesses, were trending well for potential returns in Houston’s next game on Tuesday in San Antonio. If that happens, McLemore would return to a bench role.
It remains to be seen if McLemore’s shooting numbers will bounce back as a reserve. But even if for some odd reason they don’t, he may still have value to the team as a fill-in starter for House, who has already missed five games with an assortment of injuries and ailments.
Assistant coach Elston Turner told The Athletic‘s Kelly Iko last week that he believed House’s aggressive and physical style as a defender contributed to his propensity for injury. Turner told Iko:
House is just a young guy with energy. He’s still trying to make his name in this league. He’s really good at blowing up situations, which we try to encourage, like dribble handoffs and pin-downs. He’ll run through it and not even let them hand the ball off.
“He’s good at it; that’s why he stays hurt all the time,” Turner said, chuckling to himself.
Analysis/Film Study: It’s been difficult to get a read on Houston’s defense, so I talked with the man in charge to see it through his eyes, checked out some underlying numbers, and dove into the film. Here’s what we found out:https://t.co/BnIip4emMX
Besides his current illness, House has suffered minor injuries to his back, shoulder, and ankle over the season’s first 19 games.
There’s probably a small-sample-size component to both House’s absences and McLemore’s subpar splits as a reserve. But even if for some reason there isn’t, then McLemore has still presented the Rockets with legitimate reasons to keep him around as an insurance policy at small forward. That’s especially significant with guard Eric Gordon still expected to miss several more weeks due to knee surgery.
Entering the week, the Rockets had lost three straight games — and McLemore’s 0-for-6 showing on three-pointers in the final game versus Dallas had many questioning the stability of his roster spot, given the looming Dec. 1 date in which his salary surpasses his partial guarantee.
But the Rockets (13-6) finished the week with back-to-back wins, and in House’s absence, McLemore was an huge part of the second victory with season-high numbers across the board. It came at just the right time for the team as a whole, and perhaps for McLemore individually, as well.
So, where does this leave us in the College Football race? We have five potentially meaningful games next week, though depending on how the other games go, the ACC Championship Game might not mean much. Let’s break down the stakes in each of the conference championship games. But first, let’s talk about what makes life simple for the committee.
The chalk scenario
There is only one real case of chalk this upcoming week. That would be championship game wins by Ohio State, LSU, and Clemson. As long as that happens, three Playoff spots are locked up. If Oregon wins, then the Big 12 champion is the fourth team. If Utah beats Oregon (especially if it’s by a wide margin), then we’ll have a two-team bubble of Utah and the Big 12 champion. The second case might be a tough choice for the committee, but at least it’s simple, clear-cut, and involves picking only one out of two teams. Any other scenario, and the committee is stuck sifting out three or more teams for at least the final two spots. That could be messy in a lot of ways, though considering Ohio State and LSU as virtual locks might make things easier. We can’t say any of that for sure until we see the games, though.
La Liga resumes this weekend with a mouthwatering matchup between two top four clubs. League leaders Barcelona face one of its biggest tests of the season when it goes on the road to take on Atletico Madrid. With the defending champions struggling to recapture their usual dominance and flair, Diego Simeone’s side will be desperate for the three points to catch up in the title race.
Something’s just not right for Barcelona this season. After several months of transfer sagas and failed negotiations involving Neymar over the summer, the atmosphere and performances surrounding the Catalonia giants have been weird. Despite all the negativity regarding its pedestrian showing this season, Barcelona still finds itself atop just narrowly. This just goes to show how high the bar has been set for this prestigious club.
Antoine Griezmann was their huge offseason signing, while the club’s top players all wanted to see Neymar return. The Frenchman’s introduction into the lineup hasn’t gone smoothly, but he did score a goal in Wednesday’s 3-1 Champions League win over Dortmund, along with Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi.
Disappointing signings are something Atletico Madrid can relate to. After selling both Griezmann and Rodri for huge fees this summer, the team spent quite a bit on Portuguese youngster Joao Felix. Everything went so well for Atleti in the preseason with Felix and the entire squad immediately clicking. Unfortunately, that early success didn’t translate to competitive matches. Felix has struggled with ineffectiveness and injuries, while the overall results leave them on the outside of the title race looking in. A huge win over Barca at home is just what the team needs to get back on track.
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A deadly fire destroyed most of its town, but the Paradise football team was still able to make the Northern Section Division III championship game.
YUBA CITY, Calif. (AP) — A Northern California high school football team has lost in a championship game one year after a deadly fire destroyed most of their town, including the homes of most players and coaches.
Paradise High School lost to Sutter Union High School 20-7 on Saturday night in the Northern Section Division III championship game. The game comes just over one year the fire in Paradise burned roughly 19,000 buildings and killed 85 people.
In the endzone after the game, senior running back Lukas Hartley cried with his teammates, telling reporters “I didn’t cry this bad when my house burned down.” He said he plans to be a firefighter after he finishes high school.
“I’m just proud of all my brothers and thankful to God for putting me on this path,” he said.
Paradise coach Rick Prinz told the team after the game he was proud of his players.
“No one really knows how much they truly battled just to be at practice and to do what they did,” Prinz said. “They lost everything they owned a year ago. They are all living in different places. And to pull it together like this and help our community come together is truly amazing.”
Most of the people who lived in Paradise have moved away. But many have returned on Friday nights to watch the football team’s remarkable season.
The high school has a football tradition, consistently fielding competitive teams. The school produced Jeff Maehl, a wide receiver who played for the University of Oregon in the 2011 BCS national championship game and later played for two NFL teams.
Last year, the school was 8-2 and preparing to host a home playoff game when the wildfire swept through the town. The school survived, but nearly every player and coach on the team lost their homes. The team forfeited the playoff game, ending their season.
The team almost didn’t have a 2019 season. In January, Prinz had just 22 players left from what had been a 56-man roster. The school had relocated to an office building by an airport, and without a field to practice on the team ran plays on a gravel lot.
But the players were determined to play.
Erica Browe, 38, lost her home in the fire. She now lives in Redding. At first, her two teenage sons went to a new school. But she said they were miserable and their grades suffered. They now live in Paradise with some friends so they can attend their old high school and play football.
Returning to Paradise made a big difference in her sons’ lives, she said, and the team’s success encouraged the community nestled along a ridge in the Sierra Nevada foothills.
“It gives hope back to the ridge that we can still be strong and stick together,” she said.
Paradise High School finished the regular season undefeated, outscoring their opponents by a combined score of 469-73. But their magical season ended Saturday on a rainy, cold night.
Keys to victory for the Seattle Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings as the two teams square off Week 13, Monday night at CenturyLink Field.
The Seattle Seahawks are set to host the Minnesota Vikings in a prime-time affair Monday night at CenturyLink Field. The game is crucial to both NFC contenders, who are still eyeing their division titles but currently fighting for the top seed of the wild-card spots.
Here are the Week 13 keys to victory for both the Seahawks and the Vikings.
Vikings’ keys to victory: The Vikings are coming off their bye week well-rested and ready to face the Seahawks in primetime. Minnesota, like Seattle, is second in their divisional standings and can’t afford an NFC loss in the final stretch of the season.
The Vikings will need to rely heavily on their quarterback Kirk Cousins, one of the better signal-callers in the league with 21 touchdowns to only three interceptions. Cousins, whose record in primetime is less than sub-par, is actually in the midst of the best campaign of his career.
Minnesota’s defense, however, will have to find a way to stop Seattle’s own QB, Russell Wilson, who is enjoying an MVP-caliber year.
Seahawks’ keys to victory:Seattle has been a better road team this season and desperately needs a win in front of the home crowd. Hard to beat on the national stage, Wilson and Co. will need to stick to basics, relying on running backs Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny to pound the ground and set the tempo for a Week-13 win.
The Seahawks have finally found a way to rush the passer, which is exactly what they will need to do to stop Cousins and the Vikings’ offensive attack. That being said. . .
Matchup to watch: Vikings QB Kirk Cousins vs. Seahawks defensive ends Late in the season, Jadeveon Clowney has truly emerged as one of Seattle’s most formidable defensive weapons. Recently battling a hip/groin injury, his health could be a question mark heading into Monday night. Fortunately for Seattle, Ziggy Ansah has stepped up and will likely factor heavily into the game plan.
Who wins? The Seahawks will find a way to seal the deal with a statement win on Monday night but it might require some last-minute Wilson heroics to get the job done.
Georgia football players talk George Pickens ejection after fight with Tech player,.
On Saturday, Georgia freshman wide receiver George Pickens sat out the first half of the Georgia Tech game for what Kirby Smart described as a ‘team matter.’
When he returned in the second half, he made a splash, catching a 41 yard touchdown pass from Jake Fromm.
But that was the only good thing that came from Pickens playing in the rivalry game on Saturday. He and Georgia Tech defensive back Tre Swilling got into it in the end zone and eventually end up exchanging punches with each other. Swilling hit first, twice, including one to Pickens’ throat.
Following the Tech game, Georgia players discussed the Pickens incident.
“That’s a huge lesson for him to not have him do something dumb like that,” linebacker Monty Rice said. “He’s a vital part of the team, vital part of the offense. You see how productive he is. He’s just gotta be smarter.
Ain’t no way around it. Ain’t no woulda’, coulda’ shoulda’. All you have to do is not throw a punch or slap or whatever it was. You just have to be smart.”
Pickens will be suspended for the first half of Georgia’s SEC Championship Game vs LSU. Additionally, the Bulldogs’ top receiver Lawrence Cager underwent ankle surgery this past week will not play. That is huge news seeing as how Jake Fromm has struggled this season without his top receivers out there. Dominick Blaylock and Tyler Simmons, who commented below, will be the go to guys.
“There’s always going to be some chippy talk and a chippy game like this between two rivals,” Simmons said. “But you can’t let that get to you.”
The Tennesee Titans will travel to Indianapolis to take on the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium today. With both teams running the ball as of late expect a lot of ground and pound today with great defensive lines expect a low scoring affair.
NFL Football: Tennessee Titans (-1) at Indianapolis Colts
Tennessee will look to establish the run game early against the Colts, they have been on absolute fire the last month where they have gone over the 200-yard mark twice. While Indianapolis struggled against the run early in the season they have held their opponents to under 100 yards over the last four games and will continue to put pressure on the offense upfront. This is looking to be a defensive battle and should a low scoring affair.
The Titans made the change at quarterback and haven’t looked back since. Benching Mariota in favor of Tannehill has been their key to success as of late. The Titans are number one in the red zone this year by cashing in on 72.41 percent of all drives. Look for both teams to run the ball and try to open up the pass today, the last time they played came down to one drive.
Prediction: I’d take the Titans (-1) in this one as they have been cruising along with their newfound quarterback, who’s putting up big numbers and establishing the RPO. I also expect this to be a low scoring game with how both teams are running the ball lately. Take the under (u42)
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