LeBron James says 2011 Finals led him to focus on mental fitness

LeBron James told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin that he started focusing on his “mental fitness” after losing the 2011 Finals to the Dallas Mavericks.

LeBron James is opening up about his journey on the way to “mental fitness” now that he’s partnering with the Calm app for a new series of content entitled “Train Your Mind.”

As part of this new partnership, LeBron James opened up about his own journey with ESPN’s Dave McMenamin to what he refers to as “mental fitness.” According to James, he started taking mental training more seriously after losing to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals. The Heat was seen as big favorites and a loss in his first NBA Finals with them following his momentous arrival was widely seen as a career-low point for him. But James felt his issues were more mental than physical.

After Dallas, I knew that the physical side wasn’t going to be enough. And how I got out of my comfort zone, I lost the love of fun for the game. And I knew that was the mental side.

James says he’s found ways to meditate in a hostile environment because of his mental training.

When you’re on the road, 20-thousand screaming fans going crazy, to be able to find a moment, two minutes,a minute, 30 seconds, to close my eyes and calm myself. It’s meditation basically. It’s worked tremendously for me in my career.

James announced his partnership with the Calm app last night in Los Angeles.

NBA MVP Race: Jimmy Butler surges into Top 6

Each week, HoopsHype’s staff gives our Top 10 candidates for this year’s Most Valuable Player award. Which stars have stood out thus far?

Each week, HoopsHype’s staff gives our Top 10 candidates for this year’s Most Valuable Player award. This list highlights stars who are in the mix for the 2019-20 MVP award due to their impressive play.

Which stars have stood out? Here are our latest MVP rankings:

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

10. KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS, MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES

STATS: 25.8 PPG, 11.6 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.4 BPG, 42.2 3PT%

One of the most productive players in basketball, Karl-Anthony Towns is putting up insane numbers for the Minnesota Timberwolves this season, ranking 10th in points per game, ninth in rebounds per game and ninth in three-point percentage (minimum: 100 attempts) on the year. The advanced stats love Towns’ prowess as a scorer, as evidenced by Synergy Sports ranking the Wolves big as an excellent producer in five separate play-types: as a spot-up shooter, on put-backs, in isolation, coming off screens and as a cutter. Towns would rank higher on this list if his team hadn’t just lost four games in a row by a combined 44 points. Minnesota needs to get their star center some help.

Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports

9. DAMIAN LILLARD, PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

STATS: 26.7 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 7.4 APG, 1.0 SPG, 44.3 FG%

Another star player putting up big numbers for a losing team, Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers have had a tough time getting on track this season, sitting at 9-15 through 24 games. It’s impossible to fault Lillard for that, however, considering how productive he’s been on the year. This season, the Blazers are 12.9 points per 100 possessions better with Lillard on the floor, proving how valuable he’s been to the team. The problem is, Portland completely falls apart during stints with Lillard on the pine, and that’s something that could cost the Blazers a shot at the playoffs. We’ll see if that affects the star floor general’s future with the team, though Lillard has stated multiple times how much he loves it in Portland.

Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

8. KEMBA WALKER, BOSTON CELTICS

STATS: 21.8 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 5.0 APG, 1.0 SPG, 39.5 3PT%

The Boston Celtics are excelling as a team, so it’s tough to pick just one of their players to honor in these rankings, but when forced to choose, Kemba Walker was the clear choice. Walker has acclimated wonderfully to life on a winning team, putting up impressive numbers for Boston while proving to be a fantastic teammate, which could not be said about the All-Star point guard he replaced over the offseason. The Celtics only played twice last week, but they were both matchups against top playoff teams in their respective conferences, the Miami Heat and the Denver Nuggets. Boston battered both opponents by a combined 32 points with Walker leading the way, averaging 23.5 points and 5.0 assists on fiery 51.5/47.4/100.0 shooting splits.

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

7. PASCAL SIAKAM, TORONTO RAPTORS

STATS: 24.6 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 3.7 APG, 2.3 3PG, 46.0 FG%

Prior to last week, the Toronto Raptors hadn’t lost back-to-back games all season long. Now, they’re sitting on a three-game losing streak, and it happens to coincide with a slump from Pascal Siakam. Toronto’s burgeoning star swingman averaged 18.3 points over three games last week, shooting 38.9 percent from the floor and a paltry 14.3 percent from three-point range. Regardless, after losing Kawhi Leonard, the Raptors are still exceeding expectations this year with a 15-7 record and a Top-5 league-wide ranking in net rating, and Siakam has been unquestionably the reason why, which explains why we still rank him favorably for MVP.

Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

6. JIMMY BUTLER, MIAMI HEAT

STATS: 20.6 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 6.8 APG, 2.2 SPG, 43.2 FG%

After not making the Top 10 of our rankings last week, Heat forward Jimmy Butler surges into the Top 6 this time around thanks to an insane four-game stretch in which Miami went 3-1 and Butler averaged 27.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 1.3 steals on 48.4/41.7/77.6 shooting splits. Butler earned Player of the Week honors in the East on Monday thanks to that impressive run. Despite shooting poorly on the season as a whole (43.2 FG%, 30.3 3PT%), Butler still ranks Top 7 in advanced metrics Value Over Replacement Player, Box Plus/Minus, Win Shares and Win Shares Per 48, which speaks to how incredibly valuable he’s been on both ends of the floor. Butler is one of just five players putting up a 20/6/6 stat line this season, and has Miami sitting preetty with a 17-6 and third in the Eastern Conference.

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

5. ANTHONY DAVIS, LOS ANGELES LAKERS

STATS: 27.7 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 3.3 APG, 2.7 BPG, 50.7 FG%

The reigning Player of the Week out of the West, Anthony Davis capped an impressive four-game week with a 50-point (20-of-29 shooting), 4-steal performance for the Los Angeles Lakers against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Davis has been spectacular all season long, making a strong case for Defensive Player of the Year while still ranking seventh in the league in scoring. In years past, there’s been a lot of preseason buzz about Davis turning the corner and becoming the best player in the league, and though that hasn’t happened quite yet, the 2019-20 version of Davis is the closest we’ve come to seeing it, with the Kentucky product playing the role of a legitimate two-way monster who is among the best scorers and fiercest rim-protectors in the league

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

4. LEBRON JAMES, LOS ANGELES LAKERS

STATS: 25.9 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 10.8 RPG, 1.3 SPG, 50.1 FG%

Davis’ super teammate, LeBron James is also performing at an MVP level, which would explain why the Lakers are widely considered either the best, or second best, team in the league right now. The most impressive part of LeBron’s game is that although he looks like he’s playing in cruise control for the most part, he’s still producing at a ridiculous pace; James’ nonchalant nature of dominance has been downright scary in 2019-20. Per Synergy, the four-time MVP ranks as an excellent scorer out of the post, in spot-up situations, coming off screens and on put-backs. James turns 35 in a few weeks, and he’s still this good. Crazy.

Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports

3. JAMES HARDEN, HOUSTON ROCKETS

STATS: 38.5 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 7.4 APG, 2.0 SPG, 43.1 FG%

Leading the league in scoring and nightly minutes played, James Harden is having yet another spectacular season for the Houston Rockets. While dropping a 50-spot against the San Antonio Spurs last Tuesday, Harden had a dunk called no-good by officials despite clearly going in, which you could argue cost Houston the game since the contest wound up going to double-overtime before San Antonio prevailed by two points. At the same time, you could also make the case that Harden’s (and Russell Westbrook’s) porous shooting that night were what ended up costing the Rockets the game. In fact, one troubling recent trend regarding the bearded superstar has been his shooting in general. Harden has made just 10 of his last 42 three-point attempts, good for a 23.8 three-point percentage, although he’s making up for it by averaging 16 free throws over his last three games while converting 93.8 percent.

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

2. LUKA DONCIC, DALLAS MAVERICKS

STATS: 30.0 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 9.2 APG, 1.3 SPG, 47.6 FG%

At all of 20 years old, Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic has been one of the very best players in all of basketball this season, putting up otherworldly numbers on a nightly basis while leading Dallas to a 16-7 record and the league’s third-best net rating (+9.4). In Doncic’s rookie season, the Mavs’ net rating was No. 21 league-wide (-1.5) and the year prior to the Slovenian star’s arrival, it was No. 22 in the NBA (-2.9), which goes to show the absurd trajectory both Doncic and Dallas as a whole are on. The one slight criticism that can be made about Doncic recently is that he’s getting too emphatic with his in-game officiating complaints. That’s not to say referees can’t be criticized, but we don’t need another Chris Paul-type of star who becomes hard to watch due to constant complaining. Thankfully, Doncic admitted he’s been too animated with the officials, and that he’s going to try and tone it down moving forward. Good. We would also be remiss not to mention that Doncic recently broke Michael Jordan’s record of most consecutive 20/5/5 games with 19 straight such games.

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

1. GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO, MILWAUKEE BUCKS

STATS: 30.8 PPG, 13.1 PPG, 5.4 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.3 BPG, 56.4 FG%

All you need to do is read the above stats recap to understand why we ranked Giannis Antetokounmpo at No. 1 of our MVP rankings for the second week running. If Antetokounmpo maintains the pace he’s on, he’ll become just the third player in league history to post a 30/13/5 stat line for an entire season, joining Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor on the illustrious list. Giannis’ impact is far from empty, too, as the Milwaukee Bucks are 20-3 and have the NBA’s No. 1 net rating at +12.9. The league’s second-best team in net rating, the Lakers, are just at a +9.4. As far as Antetokounmpo’s recent form is concerned, the Greek Freak had a marquee matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers and their super wing duo of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George on Friday. Antetokounmpo responded by scoring 27 points, securing 11 rebounds and holding Leonard to 17 points on 5-of-14 shooting. Outrageous averages and elite team success give Giannis the nod for No. 1 in our rankings.

You can follow Frank Urbina on Twitter: @FrankUrbina_.

Pelicans vs. Mavericks Recap: The good, the bad and the Ball

A stellar third quarter from the Dallas Mavericks blew open Saturday’s matinee match-up against the Pelicans as New Orleans dropped its eighth straight game, 130-84.

A stellar third quarter from the Dallas Mavericks blew open Saturday’s matinee match-up against the Pelicans as New Orleans dropped its eighth straight game, 130-84. The 46-point loss is the worst regular season loss in franchise history.

The good: Luka Doncic

It should go without saying that one of the leading MVP candidates was a highlight on the day but he went nuclear in the third period. He finished the night overall with 26 points, nine assists and six rebounds and took a 12-point halftime lead and blew it up to 38 points by the end of the third.

Doncic controlled the game on the offensive end unlike many sophomores ever have in the NBA. He’s a certified superstar who can take over a game and end it in a snap of a finger. Few players can do that in the league. New Orleans learned Doncic was one of those today.

Honorable mentions: Brandon Ingram, the start time of the game

The bad: Errr….everything?

It’s hard to pick one thing that was standout bad on the day. The Pelicans self-combusted in the third period, shot an impossible-to-believe 3-of-32 from three-point territory and shot 36 percent overall from the field.

Dallas, meanwhile, had no struggles. The Mavericks bench outscored the Pelicans 65-28 and had a lead as big as 50 points on the day. There was nothing not negative from the Pelicans on the day.

The Ball: Another disappointing shooting performance

After having arguably his best game as a Pelican, Lonzo Ball had one of his worst games, going 1-for-9 from the field and 0-for-7 from three. He finished with four points, four rebounds and two assists and had a plus-minus of -21, which, if you’re looking for small positives, was the best mark of anyone in the Pelicans starting lineup.

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Minnesota Timberwolves at Dallas Mavericks odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Wednesday’s Minnesota Timberwolves at Dallas Mavericks sports betting odds and lines, with NBA betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Dallas Mavericks (14-6) host the Minnesota Timberwolves (10-9) at American Airlines Center Wednesday with tip-off scheduled for shortly after 8:30 p.m. ET. We analyze the Timberwolves-Mavericks odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.


Place a legal sports bet on this NBA action or other games at BetMGM.


Timberwolves at Mavericks: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips

NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 8:25 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Mavericks 128, Timberwolves 119

Moneyline (ML)

The MAVERICKS (-182) return home from a 118-97 win over the New Orleans Pelicans Tuesday for the second half of their back-to-back. They extended their win streak to three straight games and enter Wednesday 8-2 over their last 10 outings, and with a 6-4 home record. The Timberwolves (+150) are 7-2 on the road to contrast their 3-7 home record. They’ve gone 5-5 over their last 10 games and are coming off a 115-107 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies Sunday.

Side with the hosts despite the odd home/road splits for both clubs. Dallas outscores its opponents by an average of 8.6 points per game while Minnesota is outscored by 0.7 PPG.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Mavericks to win outright returns a profit of $5.49.

Against the Spread (ATS)

Each of the Mavericks’ last nine wins came by a margin of at least seven points. Back DALLAS (-4.5, -106) to win by a minimum of 5 points Wednesday and increase your potential profit to $9.43 with the same $10 wager.

The Mavs are 12-8 against the spread overall but oddly just 4-6 on home court. The Timberwolves are 9-9 ATS overall and 7-2 on the road, but four of their last five losses were decided by eight or more points.

Over/Under (O/U)

As the Mavericks have gone 8-2 straight up across their last 10 games, they’ve also gone 8-2 against the Over/Under. The ‘Wolves are just 5-5 against the projected totals across their last 10 games, but they’re 10-9 for the season and top the projections by an average of 0.4 PPG. The Mavericks are a league-best 13-7 against the O/U and top the number by an average of 6.2 PPG.

Take the OVER 231.5 (-106) and don’t fret the back-to-back for the young Mavs. They scored 138 points in a 16-point win over the Memphis Grizzlies in the second half of their first back-to-back this season.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Esten’s NBA betting record: 60-53

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Pelicans vs. Mavericks Recap: The Good, the Bad and the Ball

The New Orleans Pelicans didn’t have an answer for Luka Doncic and dropped their sixth traight/

The New Orleans Pelicans are still looking for the first win of the month after losing to the Dallas Mavericks 118-97 at the Smoothie King Center on Tuesday. The Pelicans are now 6-15 on the season.

Here was the good, the bad and the Ball from Tuesday’s game.

The Good: Luka Doncic

The Pelicans were the latest team to fail in their pursuit of slowing down second-year forward Luka Doncic. In just 28:29, Doncic scored a game-high 33 points on 9-18 shooting from the field, including 5-12 shooting from behind the arc. He also killed the Pelicans on the boards, grabbing 18 rebounds, more than the Pelicans’ two rebound leaders combined.

Saying he was “good” feels like a gross understatement.

The Bad: The Pelicans’ shooting

What’s been a strength of the Pelicans’ season failed them tonight, as they shot a lowly 26.8% from 3-point range on 41 attempts. Josh Hart led New Orleans in 3-point makes with three makes in six attempts. Jrue Holiday went 0-3 from behind the arc.

The Ball

Lonzo Ball ended his night with six points on 2-12 shooting from the field, including an abysmal 2-10 shooting from 3-point territory. The Pelicans allowed just 100 points per 100 possessions with Ball on the floor, but their offense was at its worst when he played. As a result, he ended the game with a -13.6 net rating.

The Pelicans will return to action on Thursday to take on the Phoenix Suns.

Pelicans vs. Mavericks Preview: Nearing full health, can New Orleans finally make a run?

With the team nearing full health, the Pelicans will be on the national stage on Tuesday against one of the early MVP favorites.

Who: New Orleans Pelicans vs. Dallas Mavericks

When: Tuesday, Dec. 3, 7:30 p.m ET

Where: Smoothie King Center

How to watch: TNT

While the New Orleans Pelicans obviously still aren’t at full strength (come back soon Zion), they are nearing something close to full strength, While Derrick Favors (personal reasons) and Kenrich Williams (ankle) both remain out, the team has welcomed back the former Lakers into the fold and appear to be closing in on full strength once again.

However, this comes at a point when New Orleans is stuck in its worst rut of the season. Sunday’s loss to the Thunder was the fifth straight loss and second-in-a-row against Oklahoma City.

The struggles continue to come in close games against New Orleans. The Pelicans have played in 45 minutes that the NBA deems as “clutch” minutes, tied for sixth-most in the league. In clutch situations, New Orleans’ net rating of -35.2 ranks 28th with only the Spurs and Warriors worse this season, both in fewer minutes.

They’re also shooting 28.8 percent from the field in those minutes, ranking them 29th in the league. Going hand-in-hand with that, the Pelicans rank 30th in offensive rating in the clutch.

All those struggles heading into Tuesday’s game don’t even address the fact they’ll be going up against one of the best players in the game currently in Luka Doncic. In his sophomore campaign, Doncic is putting up MVP-caliber averages at 30.6 points, 9.9 rebounds and 9.6 assists and has the Mavericks at 13-6 and in the top four in the Western Conference.

It all sets up for a particularly interesting night on national television for the Pelicans that could either be the start of a winning streak with a healthier roster or the continuing of recent struggles.

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Dirk Nowitzki says LeBron and Kobe were two of his favorite NBA counterparts

The Dallas Mavericks legend discussed the Los Angeles Lakers and their stars with USA TODAY’s Mark Medina.

Even though it looked like he was fighting it at times, Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki finally retired from the game of basketball last season and left as one of the most well-liked stars of his generation. On Sunday, he was courtside for his former team’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center.

Our own Mark Medina of USA TODAY caught up with Nowitzki on Sunday afternoon, where Nowitzki credited the Lakers for keeping their basketball culture and reflected on his time in the NBA with two Lakers legends: Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.

“It’s amazing the basketball culture this club has had for such a long time,” Nowitzki said of the Lakers. “Kobe and LeBron were always two of my favorites to watch and compete against. They know how to prepare with how they’re ready, how they compete every game and their skill level. Definitely two of the best to ever do it.”

It should be said that Dirk’s crowning achievement–the 2011 NBA Championship –only happened because he beat Kobe’s Lakers and LeBron’s Miami Heat in the same season.

As for the Lakers of the present day, they are on the road now where they will play eight of their next nine games, starting tonight in Denver against a strong Nuggets squad.

NBA MVP Race: Giannis going for the repeat

Each week, HoopsHype’s staff gives our Top 10 candidates for this year’s Most Valuable Player award. Which stars have stood out thus far?

Each week, HoopsHype’s staff gives our Top 10 candidates for this year’s Most Valuable Player award. This list highlights stars who are in the mix for the 2019-20 MVP award due to their impressive play.

Which stars have stood out? Here are our latest MVP rankings:

James Lang-USA TODAY Sports

10. JOEL EMBIID, PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

STATS: 22.4 PPG, 12.2 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.4 BPG, 1.2 3PG, 45.4 FG%

Joel Embiid creeps into our MVP rankings for the first time, as he has led the Philadelphia 76ers to a 15-6 record, and four straight victories. It’s interesting that this is finally the week Embiid has broken into our weekly ranking series, considering the fact that last Monday, he started the week off with the worst game of his career, going scoreless against the Toronto Raptors on 0-for-11 shooting. However, in the three games after that horrific performance, Embiid has averaged 30.7 points, 14.7 rebounds and 2.0 blocks while attempting nearly 15 free throws per contest. Perhaps his horrid showing against Toronto was the best thing that could have happened for Embiid/Philadelphia, since it has unlocked a new level of aggression from the supremely talented center. If he can maintain that level of play, he’ll continue to creep up our rankings as the season progresses, as well as help the Sixers win a whole lot of games.

Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

9. KEMBA WALKER, BOSTON CELTICS

STATS: 21.6 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 5.0 APG, 3.4 3PG, 38.6 3PT%

After suffering a scary next injury last weekend, Kemba Walker bounced back wonderfully this week, dropping 39 points against the Brooklyn Nets in his first game back on Wednesday, and averaging 24.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 6.7 assists in the three outings since his return. Walker has helped push Boston to a 14-5 record this season not just with his All-Star-level play, but by being such a positive locker-room presence in the stead of the now-departed Kyrie Irving. Walker’s leadership has been huge for the Celtics, and head coach Brad Stevens has taken notice:

Boston has two big games coming up this week, facing the Miami Heat and Denver Nuggets, two teams near the top of their respective conferences, and with a couple of big performances, Walker could shoot his way up this ranking ahead of next week.

Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

8. DAMIAN LILLARD, PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

STATS: 27.3 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 7.3 APG, 1.1 SPG, 3.3 3PG, 44.7 FG%

It appears that after a worryingly slow start, the Portland Trail Blazers have finally turned things around, and a lot of that has to do with the consistently awesome level of play they’re getting out of Damian Lillard. The 29-year-old is averaging career-highs in points, assists and free-throw percentage this season, and with the addition of a motivated Carmelo Anthony (who just won Player of the Week in the Western Conference, by the way), Lillard should be able to help lead Portland right back into the thick of the cutthroat playoff race out west. Lillard ranks seventh in Value Over Replacement Player, sixth in Win Shares and 10th in Player Efficiency Rating in 2019-20.

Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports

7. KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS, MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES

STATS: 25.9 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.4 BPG, 3.8 3PG, 50.2 FG%

According to most advanced metrics, Karl-Anthony Towns has hovered around Top-5 player status this season, and just by looking at his raw averages, it’s easy to see why. Towns is distributing the basketball better than ever before this year (career-high 22.1 percent assist rate) while continuing to protect the rim and knock down threes at ridiculous paces (he’s launching nearly nine threes nightly and making them at a 42.1 percent clip, the ninth-most accurate mark in the league). Most importantly, Towns’ play has pushed the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 10-9 record, placing them 7th in the Western Conference playoff race. The Wolves will need Towns to maintain his level of form in order to reach the postseason with how loaded the West is, but considering how easy Towns is making it look, that shouldn’t be a problem for the big man.

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

6. PASCAL SIAKAM, TORONTO RAPTORS

STATS: 25.6 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 4.0 APG, 2.5 3PG, 47.0 FG%

Raptors swingman Pascal Siakam is playing at such an insane level that there’s actual talk out there that he might deserve to take home Most Improved Player honors for the second year in a row. Siakam is shooting 6.5 threes per game (up from his previous career-best of 2.7) and knocking them down at the most accurate rate of his career, a healthy 39 percent. The 25-year-old is one of the most impactful two-way wings in basketball, capable of doing a multitude of things, including make plays for others, throw it down in transition and knock down open threes, all while being a multi-positional defender on the other end of the floor. Siakam has been so good that even without team leader Kyle Lowry around due to injury for the last few weeks, he still has Toronto, who have won seven games in a row, absolutely humming. The trajectory Siakam is presently on is downright scary.

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

5. ANTHONY DAVIS, LOS ANGELES LAKERS

STATS: 26.1 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.5 SPG, 2.8 BPG, 47.9 FG%

The No. 2 option on the best team in the league (by record, at least), Anthony Davis is performing at a ridiculous level considering it’s his first time suiting up for a team with championship expectations. Davis ranks eighth league-wide in nightly scoring and is tied in first in blocks per game, which just goes to show how much of an impact he makes on both ends of the floor on a nightly basis. The Los Angeles Lakers will want him to improve his three-point shooting a bit (34.4 percent for the year), but other than that, it’s been smooth sailing for Davis, who set the record last week for highest scoring performance in a player’s first game against their former team, when he dropped 41 on the New Orleans Pelicans.

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

4. LEBRON JAMES, LOS ANGELES LAKERS

STATS: 25.7 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 10.9 APG, 1.5 SPG, 50.1 FG%

Davis’ super teammate, LeBron James, also had a great week, averaging 27.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 11.0 assists over four games. James currently leads the league in nightly assists while ranking 11th in points per game. It’s crazy to see how productive he remains despite being in Year-16, not just statistically, but with his ability to much such a strong impact on winning. This upcoming week will be a big one for LeBron and Co., as, after a relatively soft schedule in November, they’re set to face the Nuggets, Jazz, Blazers and Timberwolves, giving them the chance to silence those who believe their 17-3 record is mostly a byproduct of a weak strength of schedule.

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

3. LUKA DONCIC, DALLAS MAVERICKS

STATS: 30.6 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 9.6 APG, 1.5 SPG, 48.3 FG%

Posting one of the greatest statistical second-year campaigns of all time, Luka Doncic has absolutely exploded as a sophomore. Even Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki admitted to being surprised by how quickly Doncic has acclimated to the NBA game, and with good reason; 20-year-olds shouldn’t be as productive as Doncic has been. Doncic currently ranks third in the league in scoring, 17th in rebounds and second in assists while guiding (carrying, really), the Mavericks to a 13-6 record, including a huge road win against the Lakers on Sunday. The contest featured a near Doncic triple-double and a step-back three over LeBron that will be featured in Doncic’s 2019-20 highlight tape for eternity.

If Doncic keeps up this level of play, he’ll become the fifth-youngest player in league history to receive MVP votes. Not bad.

Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports

2. JAMES HARDEN, HOUSTON ROCKETS

STATS: 38.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 7.8 APG, 1.7 SPG, 44.6 FG%

James Harden’s scoring has been so otherworldly that he dropped 60 points on Saturday and didn’t even win Player of the Week for the Western Conference. His game may not be the prettiest (he currently has the second-highest nightly free-throw attempt average… ever), but there’s no doubt he’s a maestro when it comes to putting the ball in the hoop. The only thing preventing Harden from ranking higher on this list is the fact that the Houston Rockets have a worse record and a lower net rating than those of the No. 1 ranked player’s team. Even so, barring injury or an unpredictable drop in form, Harden will be one of the top finalists for MVP come the end of the season.

Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

1. GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO, MILWAUKEE BUCKS

STATS: 30.9 PPG, 13.4 RPG, 5.9 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1.4 BPG, 56.0 FG%

A destructive force on both ends of the floor, Giannis Antetokounmpo is an early frontrunner to win his second MVP trophy in a row. Over four games last week, the Greek Freak averaged 34.8 points, 11.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.5 blocks per game. The Milwaukee Bucks won all four games by a total of 63 points. And that’s why we rank Giannis No. 1 in this week’s ranking: Not only is he putting up insane numbers while defending at an extremely high level – he’s also the best player on the best team in the league. Milwaukee is tied with L.A. in record at 17-3, but is first in net rating by a long shot at +10.3. The next closest team in net rating are the Raptors, who are at +8.8. What’s more, the Bucks are 10.7 points per 100 possessions better with Antetokounmpo on the floor, proving his importance to the squad. Giannis is a force of nature, and if he keeps this up, he’ll be adding a second MVP trophy to his mantle.

You can follow Frank Urbina on Twitter: @FrankUrbina_.

Dallas Mavericks at New Orleans Pelicans odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Tuesday’s Dallas Mavericks at New Orleans Pelicans sports betting odds and lines, with NBA betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Dallas Mavericks (13-6) visit the New Orleans Pelicans (6-14) Tuesday at Smoothie King Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. We analyze the Mavericks-Pelicans odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.


Place a legal sports bet on this NBA action or other games at BetMGM.


Mavericks at Pelicans: Key injuries

Pelicans

  • PF Derrick Favors (personal) out
  • PF Zion Williamson (knee) out

Mavericks at Pelicans: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips

NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 8 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Mavericks 124, Pelicans 105

Moneyline (ML)

The MAVERICKS (-167) roll into New Orleans having won two straight games and seven of their past 10. They’re 7-2 on the road this season and 8-3 against the Western Conference as they hold down fourth place. The Pelicans (+140) enter Tuesday with five straight losses and a home record of just 4-6.

Each of the Pelicans’ last three losses were decided by five or fewer points, while the Mavericks’ last five victories each came by at least 10 points. Dallas is outscoring the opposition by an average of 8.0 points per game (117.8-109.8) while New Orleans is outscored by 4.4 PPG (114.5-118.9). Back the road favorites with a high degree of confidence.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Mavericks to win outright returns a profit of $6.

Against the Spread (ATS)

As noted above, the MAVERICKS (-3.5, -115) have been winning by convincing scores of late, including Sunday’s 14-point win over the top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers and two wins by 40-plus points two weeks ago. They’re 11-8 against the spread overall but 7-2 on the road. The Pelicans are 9-11 ATS overall and 6-4 at home, but they stayed within four points in a loss just twice this year.

Increase your profit margin by backing Dallas to win by at least four points. The same $10 wager fetches a profit of $8.70.

Over/Under (O/U)

The two teams combine to average 232.3 points per game while the Pelicans surrender 118.9 on the defensive end to the Mavericks’ 109.8 points allowed per game. Take the UNDER 231.5 (+105), as the Mavericks’ team defense will limit the output for the hosts en route to a convincing victory.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Esten’s NBA betting record: 56-51

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Danny Green talks Lakers ‘special’ start, China bringing team closer and LeBron taking criticism

Los Angeles Lakers guard Danny Green sat down with USA TODAY’s LeBron Wire to discuss an amazing start to the season for their team.

Few understand the ins and outs of the NBA better than Los Angeles Lakers guard Danny Green.

He started on the fringes of the league and saw a glimpse of LeBron James’ first run in Cleveland, before winning championships with San Antonio and Toronto in his career, on his way to becoming one of the league’s most dependable two-way wings. But he’s currently on a run he’s never experienced before as his Los Angeles Lakers have jumped out to a 17-3 start, one that he called ‘special’ on and off the court.

Green sat down with USA TODAY’s LeBron Wire on Monday morning to discuss a promotion with the Lakers and Delta Airlines, but we managed to touch on some other topics such as how the China trip brought the team together and how LeBron’s ability to take criticism has set the tone for the entire Lakers team.

LeBron Wire: 20 games in, 17-3, where would you say you are at? Your goals are bigger than a good record, are you in good position for your bigger goals?

Danny Green, Los Angeles Lakers: I think we are. We recognize obviously we’re ahead of where we expected to be. But we know we can potentially do so much more. Not so much more, but we have a ways to go. That’s what’s so exciting about it. Our best games, we still haven’t played our best basketball. We still have a good amount of room to grow and get better. We also still haven’t been focused for a full 48 minutes this season.

LW: Going back to Cleveland with LeBron, is there anything with his leadership that you notice is different? Is he more vocal than he used to be?

DG: He’s always been vocal. He’s just got that championship DNA right now. He’s matured over the years not only as a player but as a person. He does more things off the court with teammates. We bond, we have a group that’s in-tune and he knows how important that is for us to be clicking on the court. And it’s the most surprising thing to me at this point in his career is he’s a guy that’s accepting criticism to learn and will actually listen to his teammates to let them push him. You don’t see guys who are superstars, or even guys that are the greatest player to ever play or the greatest of his era, willing to openly be accepting of criticism. Actually listening to teammates. Not just giving orders but taking orders. Yes, he’s been a great leader not just to win but he cares about the group and the bigger picture.

LW: Any stories of LeBron taking criticism recently? Any examples of him taking criticism for the betterment of the team?

DG: There’s so many, there’s not just one. He’ll take ownership when he does mess up. In a film session he will say that’s my box-out, that’s my x-out, that guy there was a miss. And we will tell him, ‘Bron you need to do this, we need to you be more aggressive, we need you to pass more, he’ll listen. He’ll actually take that with a positive attitude and actually apply it to the game to help our team.

LW: So you’re taking to me because of this Delta collaboration with the Lakers for the Showtime Seat Exchange, what’s the deal?

DG: It’s an amazing, amazing collaboration. I was very excited for this one. It’s no shock as to why, it’s an exceptional collaboration with a great airline like Delta. I think it’s amazing to give people an opportunity to exchange tickets for seats and how quickly it happens. The first few days it filled out and they will give people another opportunity to do it again in the New Year. It’s pretty cool for people to donate their game tickets and then you get the opportunity to fly anywhere. It’s great that they give people a chance to see the game and if you have tickets leftover, you have a chance to fly anywhere in the world.

LW: Cool. How big of a factor is Anthony Davis in instilling the attitude on defense?

DG: He’s been the Defensive Player of the Year. Hands down. He’s led by his actions, by his vocal, by his communication. His standards for everybody and for ‘Bron. He’s the reason why you see ‘Bron out there scrambling and hustling, doing all the things that he’s been doing. He’s been pushing him on that end of the floor. We all have, but those two have a special relationship. AD has been leading by example and with his words and what he’s done vocally. That’s why our defense has been so great thus far. We want to try and be better for the full 48, but he’s the foundation of our defense.

LW: Big road trip but you have the Christmas game against the Clippers, can you look at it as a chance for redemption for opening night?

DG: We look forward to every chance to play against everybody. Not just the Clippers but we lost to Toronto and we lost to Dallas. We’ve played Dallas twice, we beat them in a close one before, those are teams that will be marked on our calendar. There’s a lot of great teams in the West and the East, above-.500 teams. We have a helluva road trip coming up with Denver, Utah and Portland. It’s going to be interesting and fun at the same time. But of course the Clippers, how good of a team they are and how good they are playing, it’s a real good challenge for us to take head on.

LW: How special has this start to the season been compared to some of the other experiences in your career?

DG: I mean, I don’t think I’ve ever started this well record-wise. I’ve been on some pretty special teams but more so than anything, which is more important than record, it’s the bonding, the chemistry. I’ve been a part of some real good teams where the chemistry on the court was unbelievable but I’ve never been a part of a team where the chemistry has been…I think the China trip really helped us. It’s been unbelievable off the court. We talk to each other, we talk to each other in our group chat, we hang out off the court, we plan things together. I think the China trip is what really helped us. I’ve never been part of a group that clicked this early, everybody hanging out with everybody, this early in the season. Yeah, that’s what makes it special for me. We’re having a lot of fun off the court together, that’s something I’ll never forget. I think these are memories that guys will keep close to them and hold them because of the group we have and how special it’s been off the court.