NBA Best Bets, Props, Jan. 30: LeBron, Lakers vs Hawks, and Schroder, Raptors vs Bulls

Vaughn Dalzell drops his favorite NBA player prop bets for the Tuesday slate, Unders on LeBron James and Dennis Schroder.

LeBron James O/U 45.5 PRA vs. Hawks

LeBron is winning the war against Father Time, but this is a battle I think Father Time would be favored.

Atlanta is a -6-point favorite without Anthony Davis tonight, so LeBron's PRA prop has gone from 41.5 to 45.5, which is appropriate, but asking for a lot. The King will be playing his third game in four nights, so the 39-year-old will have his work cut out for him.

With no days of rest, which Los Angeles enters on, LeBron averages 25.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 7.4 assists for 40.8 PRA over 35.2 minutes per game (five games). I expect guys like Austin Reaves, D'Angelo Russell, and other role players to step up to fill Davis' production.

In LeBron's last meeting, he went for 47 points versus Atlanta without Davis, but that was also LeBron's birthday, so don't bet his Overs based on that. Give me Under 45.5 PRA at -115 odds on DraftKings down to 44.5.

Pick: LeBron James Under 45.5 PRA (1u)

Dennis Schroder O/U 24.5 PRA vs. Bulls

Dennis Schroder has averaged 12.6 points, 4.6 assists, and 3.0 rebounds over his past three games (20.2 PRA) on 30% from three (3/10) and 40% from the field (12/40).

The Raptors' guard hasn't played more than 30 minutes in six-straight games and stayed Under 23.5 and 24.5 PRA in all six games. Chicago and Toronto met earlier this month and Schroder posted 7 points and 5 assists over 26 minutes (7 field goal attempts).

Chicago has above-average perimeter defense with Alex Caruso and young guards Coby White and Ayo Dosumnu who are playing well, so I like Schroder's Unders.

I played Schroder Under 24.5 PRA at -140 odds on DraftKings and would go down to 23.5 at -115 odds on FanDuel. This has been juiced and hasn't moved much on DraftKings or BetMGM.

Pick: Dennis Schroder Under 24.5 PRA (Risk 1u)

Season Record: 15-11 (57.6%) +3.12u

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Lakers’ late comeback falls short in blowout loss to Rockets

Lakers forward Anthony Davis, right, has his shot attempt knocked away by Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun during the first half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Lakers forward Rui Hachimura knocks down Houston Rockets forward Jae'Sean Tate on a drive to the basket during the first half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell, center, puts up a shot between Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun, left, and guard Jalen Green during the first half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun, left, looks to drive around Lakers forward Anthony Davis during the first half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell shoots during the first half of their game against the Houston Rockets on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun, right, dunks in front of Lakers forward LeBron James during the second half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Lakers forward LeBron James handles the ball as Houston Rockets forward Cam Whitmore defends during the second half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

The Houston Rockets' Cam Whitmore celebrates after a 3-point shot during the first half of their game against the Lakers on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Lakers forward Anthony Davis drives to the basket around Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun during the first half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Lakers forward Rui Hachimura handles the ball during the first half of their game against the Houston Rockets on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks, left, spins to the basket in front of Lakers forward Taurean Prince during the first half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt dunks during the first half of their game against the Houston Rockets on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt, right, is ejected after a pair of technical fouls as Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks, far left, looks on during the first half on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Lakers star LeBron James looks on during the first half of their game against the Houston Rockets on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell drives as Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green defends during the first half on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Lakers star LeBron James drives to the basket as Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks defends during the first half on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Lakers star LeBron James (23) loses his balance as he is fouled by Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) while lookiing to shoot during the first half on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green celebrates after a basket during the first half of their game against the Lakers on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Lakers guard Austin Reaves shoots as the Houston Rockets' Jae'Sean Tate defends during the first half on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Lakers star LeBron James looks to drive as Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green defends during the first half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green, left, passes the ball as Lakers forward Taurean Prince defends during the first half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Laker star LeBron James drives to the basket during the first half of their game against the Houston Rockets on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Lakers star Anthony Davis looks to shoot as Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun defends during the first half on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Lakers star LeBron James drives to the basket as Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks defends during the first half on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green gets to the basket for a layup past Lakers guard Austin Reaves, back, and forward Rui Hachimura, left, during the second half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka yells instructions from the sideline during the second half of their game against the Lakers on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Lakers forward LeBron James, left, reaches around to knock the ball away as Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. drives during the second half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green, left, tries to keep control of the ball as he loses his footing in front of Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell during the second half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Lakers head coach Darvin Ham yells from the bench during the second half of their game against the Houston Rockets on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Lakers star LeBron James passes the ball as Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks lays on the court during the second half on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (5) passes the ball to center Alperen Sengun (28) as Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell, left, and forward Anthony Davis, right, defend during the second half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Lakers forward Rui Hachimura looks to score as Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun defends during the second half on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun dunks during the second half of their game against the Lakers on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green battles for control of the ball against Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell, top, during the second half on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Lakers star LeBron James holds his face after he was fouled by Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks during the second half on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Lakers star LeBron James stays down on the court after he was fouled by Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks during the second half on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Lakers forward LeBron James lays on the court holding his nose after a flagrant foul by Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks during the second half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Lakers coach Darvin Ham, top center, and others check on LeBron James as he lays on the court after he was fouled by Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks during the second half on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks smiles Lakers star LeBron James holds his face after he was fouled by Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks during the second half of their game against the Lakers on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Lakers star LeBron James holds a towel to his face after he was fouled by Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks during the second half on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Lakers star LeBron James looks on from the bench during the second half of their loss to the Houston Rockets on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) tries to shoot as he is defended by Lakers center Jaxson Hayes, right, while forward LeBron James, left, looks on during the second half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Houston Rockets forward Cam Whitmore, right, lays up a shot in front of Lakers forward Christian Wood during the second half on Monday night in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Olympic gymnastics champion Simone Biles and her husband, Green Bay Packers safety Jonathan Owens, attend the game between the Houston Rockets and the Lakers on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Olympic gymnastics champion Simone Biles and her husband, Green Bay Packers safety Jonathan Owens, attend the game between the Houston Rockets and the Lakers on Monday night in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

HOUSTON — The Lakers' 135-119 road loss to the Houston Rockets was the latest example of an issue that's plagued them for the last 1½ months: whenever it seems like they're about to have a breakthrough in their season, they have a game that leaves them back at .500.

Saturday's double-overtime victory over the Golden State Warriors, the Lakers' fifth win in seven games and one that put them over .500 for the first time since late December, looked like it could have been the start of that breakout.

And it still could, with four games remaining on this six-game trip and 34 left in the regular season after Monday.

But the Lakers (24-24) turned in a mostly abysmal defensive performance against the young, athletic Rockets (22-24) at the Toyota Center, continuing their trend of being between two games below .500 and a game above .500 for the last month.

The Lakers struggled in nearly every area defensively: they allowed 68 points in the paint (54 in the first three quarters), 19 second-chance points (13 in the opening three quarters) and 29 fast-break points (25).

The result was a 94-64 deficit with 7:34 left in the third and 108-84 at the end of the quarter.

"We just gave them too much early. We talk about shifting, showing bodies, coming into the game," Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. "The last 10 games, they're [No. 2] in points in the paint. They're also 26th in assists. The biggest thing for us was trying to be great on the ball and have a ton of support behind that initial on-ball defender. And we gave them too much early: transition, easy drives, drop-offs. When a team gets a rhythm like that, gets their confidence, the next thing you know everything starts going in for them. They threw in some 3s early. They had too much access to our paint."

LeBron James (23 points, 10 assists), D'Angelo Russell (23 points, five assists) and Rui Hachimura (16 points) led a comeback attempt, cutting a 30-point third-quarter deficit to 10 late in the fourth, but it wasn't enough to make up for their early struggles.

"A lot of miscommunication on our end that kind led them getting some easy ones," Russell said. "You look up, that's all a team needs to get some momentum and some of the best players get some rhythm."

James was disappointed in how they performed to end the first quarter, after which they trailed 42-31.

"We just didn't get back," he said. "We didn't have a sense of care factor. We didn't have no care factor in those last two minutes."

Already missing defensive ace Cam Reddish (sprained ankle), the Lakers played most of the game without the defensive-minded Jarred Vanderbilt after he was ejected early in the second quarter. He received two technical fouls after making contact with Rockets wing Dillon Brooks (17 points).

"He's one of the best Swiss Army knives in the NBA," Ham said of Vanderbilt. "The amount of things he can do, from initiating the break, catching and finishing in the paint, playing in the half-roll, playing DHO (dribble handoff) basketball, offensive rebounding, getting deflections, steals, making all the hustle plays you can possibly ask for. A bunch that don't show up in the stat sheet. But he just gives us a lot of versatility doing the small intangibles that you need to win."

The lineup of James, Russell, Hachimura, Max Christie and Jaxson Hayes cut the deficit to 116-96 with 7:37 left in the fourth, with Austin Reaves (six points, five assists) subbing in for Christie at that point, before the Lakers cut the deficit to 10 (121-111) on James' pull-up 3-pointer with 3:54 remaining.

But their shotmaking fell off from there, missing their next three field-goal attempts, and they didn't get any closer. Ham subbed James, Russell and Reaves out with the Lakers trailing 126-111 with 2:13 remaining.

"I've been in games when I've been up 30 and maybe I've lost that game," James said. "I've been in games where I've been down 30 and won games. So, the game is never won or lost when you're up a certain amount of points until there's zeros on the clock."

Anthony Davis (23 points, seven rebounds in 29 minutes) didn't play after subbing out late in the third quarter. Ham mentioned the Lakers making their comeback with Hayes at center and Davis having aggravated his groin/hip injury on Saturday for reasons that Davis didn't go back in.

Davis said postgame that his groin was "a little sore" and that he "just couldn't move how I usually move, both ends of the floor."

The Lakers were also playing on the first night of a back-to-back, with a matchup against the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday at State Farm Arena awaiting them.

Davis said he didn't know whether he'd play against the Hawks.

James, who played 37 minutes against the Rockets, said he plans to play on Tuesday. The 39-year-old has played in both games in five of the Lakers' eight sets of back-to-backs so far this season.

The Rockets were led by Jalen Green's 34 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists and Alperen Şengün's 31 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists.

Cam Whitmore, the No. 20 pick in last June's NBA draft, added 20 points and six rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench.

LeBron James Calls Out Lakers for Loss to Dillon Brooks, Rockets: 'No Care Factor'

Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James cited a lack of "care factor" from his team in a pivotal stretch of the first quarter that allowed the Rockets to take control in a 135-119 Houston victory Monday night.

The Lakers trailed 30-29 with 2:32 left in the quarter. By the time the frame ended, the Rockets increased their lead to 11 points thanks to an offensive flurry.

"The first half was lost in the last two-and-a-half minutes of the first quarter," James told reporters after the game. "We didn't get back in transition and they ran out on us. ... We just didn't get back, didn't have a sense of care factor. We didn't have a care factor in those last two-and-a-half minutes."

It was a frustrating night all around for the Lakers, who lost despite James, Anthony Davis and D'Angelo Russell all scoring 23 points apiece. They allowed the Rockets to shoot 53.1 percent from the field and got out-rebounded 56-35.

Rockets wing Dillon Brooks not only dropped 17 points but also successfully got under the skin of multiple L.A. players as well.

Jarred Vanderbilt got ejected after shoving Brooks under the basket in the second quarter and poking him in the head.

Vanderbilt had taken exception to a foul by Brooks moments earlier, with Brooks making contact to his back as he was going up for a dunk.

Then in the fourth quarter, James took exception to a hard foul by Brooks, which resulted in a flagrant-1.

James responded, "Next question," when asked about Brooks after the game.

Davis and head coach Darvin Ham were more direct, however.

"No man is going to talk towards another man the way he was talking to Vando," Davis told reporters. "So, Vando did what he had to do."

Ham pointed to both of the fouls to Vanderbilt and James.

"Being competitive is one thing," he said. "But ... putting players at risk of injury with certain plays—I just watched it again [on video] before I came in here, [Brooks] pushes him in the back, a guy that's in the air. Airborne, defenseless. Then Bron's play, Bron goes to the basket and it's a double move with his arms. One arm trying to deflect the ball and it goes back and then it goes across [James'] face."

Ham questioned whether Brooks should've remained in the game.

This was the last meeting between the Rockets and Lakers for this season, so Los Angeles will have to wait a while before it can exact a measure of revenge on Brooks and Houston.

詹姆斯达成411工程后的惊天挑战！

2024-01-22 03:18 来源: 感受旅行的点滴

å'布于：北京市

原标题：詹姆斯达成411工程后的惊天æŒ'战！

è¿'日，NBA传奇巨星å‹'布朗·詹姆斯（LeBron James）正式完成了他的个人“411工程”，即成为历史上首位能在职业ç"Ÿæ¶¯ä¸­è‡³å°'获得10000个篮板、10000个助æ"»å'Œ40000个得分的球å'˜ã€‚然而，就在这个伟大的时刻之后，一个惊人的æŒ'战等待着詹姆斯去征服â€"â€"那就是在剩余的æ¯"赛时间里，他需要再得到385分，以实现四万分大关。

对于詹姆斯来说，这是一个巨大的æŒ'战，但也是他职业ç"Ÿæ¶¯ä¸­çš„一个新里程ç¢'。在过去的21年里，他已经累积了39615分，离四万分仅一步之遥。如果按照他本赛季场均24.7分的表现来算，他只需要再参加15场æ¯"赛就能实现这一目标。这对于已经38岁的詹姆斯来说，无ç–'是一个艰巨的任务，但他从未æ"¾å¼ƒè¿‡å¯¹èƒœåˆ©çš„渴望å'Œå¯¹ç¯®çƒçš„热爱。

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LeBron James Scoring Tracker: Lakers star approaching 40,000 career points

LeBron James, already the NBA's all-time scoring leader, is closing in on 40,000 career points. After Saturday's matchup against the Warriors, James has 39,704 points.

Follow along as he zeroes in on this historic milestone.

Scoring Tracker

LeBron James is currently 296 points away from 40,000 career points. Considering his career average of 27.2 points per game, James is projected to reach the milestone near the end of February.

Upcoming schedule

James scored 36 points in Saturday's 145-144 double-overtime win over the Warriors. Here's a quick look at the Lakers' next five games:

LeBron's overall statistical ranking

James will be all over the NBA record books when all is said and done. As he seeks to become the first player to ever score 40,000 points, here's a quick look at where he stands in several other prominent statistical categories as of January 2024:

Minutes played (2nd)

Assists (4th)

Steals (8th)

Games played (8th)

Rebounds (31st)

NBA's all-time points leaderboard

RANK PLAYER PTS GP MIN FGM FGA FG% 1 LeBron James  39,704 1,463 55,547 14,546 28,800 50.5 2 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 38,387 1,560 57,446 15,837 28,307 55.9 3 Karl Malone 36,928 1,476 54,852 13,528 26,210 51.6 4 Kobe Bryant 33,643 1,346 48,643 11,719 26,200 44.7 5 Michael Jordan 32,292 1,072 41,010 12,192 24,537 49.7

LeBron James 40,000-point odds update: Early-March milestone looking like best bet for Lakers’ legend

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A week ago we wrote about LeBron James' 40,000th-point futures prop bet odds and offered some thoughts on when he might reach the historical milestone.

Seven days and three games later, the Los Angeles Lakers' legend is 77 points closer to hitting 40K but was still 332 away heading into the Saturday, Jan. 27 contest at Golden State.

So when is James most likely to become the first NBA player to reach 40,000 points?

Two of the top online sportsbooks, DraftKings and FanDuel, are continuing to update their LeBron 40,000th-point futures prop odds: In which game it'll happen and what kind of shot will it come on.

Below we examine those odds and update (if necessary) our best bet recommendations on when — and how — to expect King James' milestone achievement.

LeBron James 40,000-point odds: We're sticking with our original prediction

James is averaging 24.8 points per game, meaning it'll take 13.4 more "average" outings to reach 40K.

The 39-year-old, though, missed the Lakers' Jan. 23 game with an ankle issue with his status listed as "day-to-day." However, he's still played in 41 of team's 46 contests (89.1 percent) overall this season, and that's not including the Dec. 9 In-Season Tournament championship game, which doesn't count toward the Lakers' official regular season record.

It again should be noted, though, that L.A. has back-to-back games scheduled five times (Jan. 29-30 and Feb. 8-9, 13-14, 22-23 and 28-29) before the end of February, which also contains the league's All-Star Game break (Feb. 15-21).

How many of those second-day contests will James sit out? And will he rest in any other games during that 15-game span due to simple dog-days-of-his-21st-season necessity?

We'll conservatively say two, keeping LeBron's milestone 40K game on target for our original prediction of March 2.

And, as previously stated, that particular date has a lot going for it.

It's the second game of one of Los Angeles' longest homestands (6 contests) of the season. It's also a nationally-televised contest on a major network (ABC) against the defending NBA-champion Denver Nuggets, who swept James and the Lakers in last season's Western Conference Finals.

Interestingly, DraftKings now sees things the same way as that March 2 game currently has the shortest odds at +400 (down from +500 last week), followed by the home date two nights later (March 4) against the Oklahoma City Thunder (+425).

At FanDuel, the Feb. 28 road game at the L.A. Clippers remains the slight favorite at +440, followed by the Feb. 29 homestand opener against the Washington Wizards and the March 2 date with Denver, both at +450.

LeBron James 40,000-point odds: What kind of shot will net history?

FanDuel also is offering odds on what kind of shot LeBron will use to score his 40,000th point.

They are as follows, with any line movement over the past week noted in parenthesis:

Layup +175 (down from +155)

3-point field goal +270

Free throw +420

Other (jumper, etc.) +300 (+490)

Dunk +650 (+850)

And to update this season, 57.3* percent of James' 1,016 points have come via 2-point field goals, 26.3%* have come on 3-pointers and the remaining 16.4%* have come at the free-throw line.

And, according to the informative folks at BasketballReference.com, of LeBron's 291 2-point baskets, 133 have been layups (45.7 percent), 111 have been jumpers or hook shots (38.1%) and 47 have been dunks (16.2%).

The thought — and 6.5-1 return — of a James 40K milestone dunk remains appealing, and we wouldn't mind putting a small amount down there.

But saving most of your James 40K shot prop bankroll for Other (+300) and/or Layup (+175) is still our recommendation.

If you or a loved one has questions or needs to talk to a professional about gambling, call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit 1800gambler.net for more information.

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Bronny James slapped with first technical foul: LeBron James' son whistled for trash talk as USC loses to UCLA

USC freshman Bronny James received the first technical foul of his career Saturday in a crosstown rivalry showdown against UCLA. The son of NBA superstar LeBron James blocked Dylan Andrews' shot when he was driving to the basket with 12:06 left in the first half and proceeded to yell "give me that (stuff)" at the Bruins guard.

For that, James was given a technical and went to the bench. James finished with two points and four rebounds in 15 minutes of action during a 65-50 loss to UCLA at the Galen Center. 

The Trojans have lost their last five games and now sit alone in last place in the Pac-12 standings with a 2-7 conference record. USC started the season 5-2 but has since lost four of its last 15 games dating back to a loss against Gonzaga on Dec. 2. 

The reason James was on a minutes restriction for the first month of the season stemmed from a scary health scare over the summer. The younger James went into cardiac arrest during a preseason workout in late July and missed the first eight games of the season before returning against Long Beach State on Dec. 10.

James had his minutes restriction lifted earlier this month when he made the first start of his college career against Colorado. James logged 25 minutes of action against the Buffaloes and had a season-high 30 minutes days later when his USC team faced Arizona on the road. In that game against the Wildcats, James scored 11 points and added six assists and five rebounds.

The best stretch of James' young career came in the second and third conference games of the season. James scored 15 points in a loss to Oregon State and followed it up by scoring 10 points with three assists days later in a win over Cal. 

USC starts the second half of Pac-12 conference play at home against Oregon on Feb. 1.

LeBron, Russell lead the Lakers' impressive shooting in a 141-132 victory over Chicago

LOS ANGELES — LeBron James had 25 points and 12 assists a few hours after being named to his record 20th NBA All-Star team and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Chicago Bulls 141-132 on Thursday night.

D'Angelo Russell hit eight 3-pointers and scored 29 points, Anthony Davis scored 22 points and Austin Reaves had 20 points and eight assists. Jarred Vanderbilt added a season-high 17 points as the Lakers made 60.9% of their shots in their fourth win in six games.

After hitting 15 of their 18 shots in a spectacular second quarter, the Lakers racked up a season-high 112 points through three quarters and took a 24-point lead that allowed them to weather the Bulls' 39-point fourth quarter. The Lakers' 141 points were a season high, as were the Bulls' 132.

"We're just playing the right way," James said. "Guys are feeling very comfortable out there. We've got guys that can make shots. We've got guys that can make plays. Doesn't matter who's shooting."

Los Angeles-area native DeMar DeRozan scored 14 of his 32 points in the fourth to lead six scorers in double figures for the Bulls, who have lost the first two on their three-game West Coast trip. Coby White added 25 points, Nikola Vucevic had 20 and former Lakers guard Alex Caruso had 17.

"We certainly dug ourselves a hole," Chicago coach Billy Donovan said. "The difference in the game was the foul line for them. We fouled them too much. They shot astronomically well. The turnovers, and the close of the second quarter, really hurt."

With this victory, the Lakers went 6-6 to wrap up a 23-day stretch in which they had just one game outside Los Angeles. They'll spend the next two weeks on a six-game road trip while the Grammy Awards take over their downtown arena.

Although Russell didn't score in the fourth, he finished one shy of his career high in 3-pointers, and he continued to complicate the Lakers' decisions on his future with another big game ahead of the trade deadline. The point guard's contract is highly moveable, but Los Angeles must decide whether it can get enough in return to shake up its .500 season — particularly if Russell can keep up this recent stretch of outstanding play.

"My confidence is through the roof, and I'm going to keep it there," Russell said. "I just try to complement Bron and AD. I know they can get us out of games single-handedly, so just try to complement them, if that's me shooting, facilitating, whatever that may be."

James became the first 20-time All-Star in NBA history earlier Thursday, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record. James, who topped Abdul-Jabbar as the leading scorer in league history last season, will also start his 20th All-Star Game in his 21 seasons.

"I mean, I've exceeded expectations in my career, so it's just humbling," James said. "It's very cool to be able to continue to have these compliments throughout your career, but I've exceeded anything than I ever dreamed that I would be in the NBA, and I did that a long time ago. Everything else is just kind of extra credit."

Before the game, Donovan said star guard Zach LaVine will be out for at least another week before his ankle injury is re-evaluated. The UCLA product was frequently linked with the Lakers in trade rumors earlier this season.

Bulls: At Portland on Sunday night.

Lakers: At Golden State on Saturday night.

Liverpool coach Jürgen Klopp shocks soccer world with sudden resignation, citing burnout

Jürgen Klopp will leave Liverpool FC, the English football club he has led to six major trophies, at the end of the current season, saying he's "running out of energy."

His reign at the club helped Fenway Sports Group, its US owners, to reap a massive increase in valuation. FSG bought Liverpool for £300 million ($383 million) in 2010. After five years of struggling to compete with its bigger rivals, Klopp was hired in 2015, and the club won the Champions League in 2019.

FSG recently sold a minority stake in Liverpool to New York investment firm Dynasty Equity, worth between $100 million and $200 million. The club is valued about $5 billion, according to Forbes, although struggled to find buyers when a full sale was considered in late 2022.

"I can understand that that's a shock for a lot of people in this moment," Klopp, 56, said in a video interview posted on X on Friday. 

While at Anfield, Klopp has won the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup, Premier League, League Cup and FA Cup – the only Liverpool manager to achieve that feat, according to its website.

Although most sports teams have seen a rapid rise in valuations, under Klopp and Fenway the club has become a financial powerhouse, generating €682.9 million ($743 million) in revenue last season, the seventh highest in Europe, according to Deloitte.

The popular manager rose to success at Germany's Borussia Dortmund GmbH, which he led to two Bundesliga titles in succession in 2011 and 2012.

Liverpool currently tops the Premier League table, with a five-point lead over Manchester City and Arsenal. It's second favorite to win the 2023-2024 Premier League, according to the latest betting odds at Paddy Power.

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Liverpool: Jurgen Klopp reveals player reaction to exit and addresses successor talk

Liverpool: Jurgen Klopp reveals player reaction to exit and addresses successor talk - Yahoo Sports

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D'Angelo Russell Amazes NBA Fans as Lakers Beat Bulls in LeBron James' Return

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

D'Angelo Russell's recent hot streak continued on Thursday night as the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Chicago Bulls by the final score of 141-132.

Russell scored 29 points and dished out four assists while hitting a season-high eight three-pointers, with five of them coming in the third quarter alone. The 27-year-old has now recorded more than 25 points in five of his past seven games.

LeBron James returned to the lineup after a brief one-game absence due to a nagging ankle issue, although he showed no signs of rust against Chicago. On the night it was announced that he would officially be making his 20th All-Star team, James dropped 25 points and four rebounds to go along with 12 assists.

The entire Lakers roster was on fire from behind the arc, as the team hit 20 of 31 three-point attempts. Los Angeles was also careful with the ball, recording 35 assists compared to just 12 turnovers. Fans were impressed with Russell in particular, who has continued to excel in the starting lineup.

The Lakers moved to 23-23 after the victory, as Los Angeles has now alternated between wins and losses in five consecutive contests. Head coach Darvin Ham's team will have a tough upcoming schedule, with a six-game road trip beginning on Saturday.

LeBron James 'Almost Brought to Tears' by His Mom Gloria While Watching Son Bronny's Basketball Game

Bronny scored seven points, four rebounds and five assists in USC's loss to Arizona State on Saturday

Jim Poorten/NBAE via Getty, Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty

LeBron James and his mother Gloria, Bronny James of USC Basketball

LeBron James and his mother Gloria cheered on the NBA star's son, Bronny, during his USC Basketball game on Saturday

The Lakers star took to social media to share an "amazing" moment with his mom

Bronny scored seven points, four rebounds and five assists on Saturday

LeBron James shared an emotional moment with his mother, Gloria, while watching his son, Bronny, play for USC Basketball on Saturday.

The 39-year-old Los Angeles Lakers star took to X (formerly Twitter) to share the heartfelt moment with his 52.8 million followers on the social network.

LeBron wrote, "Crazy man! My mom sitting right next to me just said 'You know how amazing this is!? Sitting here with my son while watching my grandson on TV. I feel so present and blessed.' "

The father-of-three added that the moment "almost brought me to tears just now."

Bronny, 19, scored seven points, four rebounds and five assists in USC's loss to Arizona State on Saturday.

The Trojans' record currently sits at 8 wins and 11 losses, tying UCLA's Bruins, who will travel from Westwood to Downtown LA for a battle of Los Angeles on Jan. 27. USC currently holds the 11th spot in the Pac-12 division.

Meg Oliphant/Getty

Bronny James #6 of the USC Trojans greets his dad, LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers, before the game against the Stanford Cardinal at Galen Center on January 06, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.

Following the Lakers' 127-110 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, LeBron quickly darted through the tunnel at Crypto.com Arena and told Lauren Jones of The Sporting Tribune, "I have to go catch my son's game real quick."

Despite Bronny and USC's loss to the Arizona Wildcats in that game, Bronny posted 11 points, six assists, and a block on Wednesday.

Related: Bronny James Calls His Dad LeBron His 'Favorite Player of All Time'

The USC freshman missed the first eight games of the current college basketball season while he waited for doctors to clear him to play following a cardiac arrest in July.

He was later diagnosed with "an anatomically and functionally significant congenital heart defect" and underwent surgery to correct the issue.

When he made his USC debut in December, Bronny entered the matchup against Long Beach State about 13 minutes in, drawing cheers from the crowd as he made his way onto the court at the Galen Center.

Meg Oliphant/Getty

Bronny James #6 of the USC Trojans looks to shoot in the first half against the California Golden Bears at Galen Center on January 03, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.

A video shared on X (formerly known as Twitter) by the USC men's basketball team's official account showed LeBron recording the moment from the stands on his phone.

Following his debut with the Trojans, Bronny took a moment to acknowledge the medical professionals who cared for him, as well as his coaches, teammates and his family for helping him in his journey back to the basketball court.

"I just want to give appreciation to everyone who has helped me through this," he said, according to a video shared online by NBA reporter Malika Andrews.

Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty

USC Trojans guard Bronny James (6) looks on during Trojan HoopLA, a college basketball kickoff event featuring the USC Trojans, on October 19, 2023

Related: LeBron James' Son: All About Bronny James and His Relationship With His NBA Star Father

In addition to Bronny, LeBron shares Bryce Maximus, 16, and Zhuri Nova, 9, with his wife, Savannah James.

In October, Bronny called his dad his "favorite player of all time" when asked the question by USC Basketball for a social media video. After jokingly waiting a few beats to keep his dad — and fans — sweating, Bronny said, "I'd probably say like...LeBron James or something like that," with a smile.

Bronny's answer provoked a laugh from his teammates who can be heard in the background of the video, shared in a post on X (formerly Twitter) by USC Basketball.

One user in the replies pointed out how much the freshman's voice "sounds exactly like" his legendary father's in the video. "Bruh sounds exactly like LeBron," the reply said.

Another user wrote, "LBJ and Savannah — you are doing extremely well in the parent department," in the post's replies.

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LeBron James, Stephen Curry headline Team USA player pool for national team ahead of 2024 Olympics

USA Basketball is gearing up for the 2024 Summer Olympics. It announced a 41-man player pool on Tuesday composed of potential members of the final roster, which will be revealed at a later date. Team USA is fired up after an underwhelming performance at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, so the competition could be the fiercest it's been in a while. 

LeBron James and Stephen Curry were among the big-time players who didn't participate in the last Olympics, but both were included on the list and have voiced interest in suiting up. Other notable names that didn't play in Tokyo, Japan but could in 2024 include Anthony Davis, James Harden, Jimmy Butler, Kyrie Irving, Chris Paul, Paul George, and Kawhi Leonard.

Then there are the newcomers. Among them is Joel Embiid, who announced his decision to choose America over his native country Cameroon, and France in October. The Philadelphia 76ers star and reigning MVP could help fix Team USA's glaring weakness in the post, as many of the league's best centers are now international players. Several younger stars could make their first Olympic USA Basketball appearance with him.

Tyrese Haliburton, Trae Young, Anthony Edwards, De'Aaron Fox, Jaylen Brown, and Brandon Ingram are just a few of the top players with a chance to knock off some of the seasoned veterans. They've all notched at least one All-Star appearance, but Team USA is more selective.

Whether USA Basketball can rebound from finishing without a medal at the FIBA World Cup remains to be seen, but the player pool for 2024 appears to be loaded with talent and capable of a return to dominance.

LeBron James, Stephen Curry Headline 41-Player USA Basketball Pool for 2024 Olympics

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

USA Basketball revealed the 41 players in its potential selection pool for the 2024 Summer Olympics roster on Tuesday, with several usual suspects highlighting the roster, including LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant.

Defending NBA MVP Joel Embiid, who committed to USA Basketball in October, is another virtual lock to make the final 12-man roster.

Trying to pick just 12 players out of that impressive pool of options is no small feat, but a few players seem like safe bets if they are healthy.

Having at least two reliable centers makes sense, and both Anthony Davis and Bam Adebayo are excellent options behind Embiid. Will Team USA carry three centers on a 12-man roster though? That will be one of the tough decisions.

Curry will undoubtedly be brought aboard at one of the guard spots and James and Durant will handle two of the roster spots on the wing. It will get extremely competitive on the roster after that.

We'll start at wing, where players like Devin Booker, Jaylen Brown, Jimmy Butler, Anthony Edwards, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Jayson Tatum and maybe even Scottie Barnes should all be in serious consideration.

At guard, Jalen Brunson, De'Aaron Fox, Tyrese Haliburton, James Harden, Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell and Trae Young warrant possible selection.

Here's an early projection of what the roster could look like:

Wings: James / Durant / Tatum / Edwards / Leonard / George / Butler

Point Guard: Curry / Lillard / Haliburton

That is a ridiculous potential roster. It's possible with that much scoring and playmaking that adding a player who can specialize in defense a bit more might be necessary. Or the team could go with one less point guard since players like James and Butler can run the offense. And it's possible the team will either go with three true centers or two centers and a third player who can handle the position in smaller lineups.

No matter what route Team USA chooses, they will be absolutely loaded. Anything less than a gold medal would be an epic failure for a collection of talent this impressive.

LeBron James, Stephen Curry headline US player pool for Paris Olympics

There are few surprises in USA Basketball's men's player pool for the Paris Olympics that was announced on Tuesday, with most of the big names like LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant on the list.

The surprise may have been who was missing.

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Draymond Green, who helped the US win gold at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games and then another title at the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics in 2021, was not among the 41 names released by USA Basketball as candidates for the team that will compete in Paris this summer in search of a fifth consecutive gold medal.

The naming of the pool is the first official phase in the process of assembling a 12-player Olympic roster that will be coached by Golden State's Steve Kerr and assisted by Miami's Erik Spoelstra, the Los Angeles Clippers' Tyronn Lue and Gonzaga's Mark Few. Team selection will be finalized this spring, with many of those decisions likely hinging upon player health and how deep their respective teams go in the NBA playoffs.

"The United States boasts unbelievable basketball talent and I am thrilled that many of the game's superstars have expressed interest in representing our country at the 2024 Olympic Summer Games," men's national team managing director Grant Hill said. "It is a privilege to select the team that will help us toward the goal of once again standing atop the Olympic podium. This challenging process will unfold over the next several months as we eagerly anticipate the start of national team activity."

The pool, which is subject to change, includes 13 players who already have Olympic gold medals – Durant has three, James and Chris Paul each have two, while Anthony Davis, Bam Adebayo, Damian Lillard, Devin Booker, James Harden, Jayson Tatum, Jimmy Butler, Jrue Holiday, Kyrie Irving and Paul George each have one.

If he plays and the US win, Durant would be the first men's player with four basketball golds.

"I will play in the Olympics," Durant adamantly said last fall at Phoenix's media day.

The other 28 players on the list are headlined by a pair who may make their Olympic debuts – Embiid and Curry among them. Both said last year that they would like to play on the Paris-bound US team, though again, nothing will be finalized until their NBA seasons end.

"Definitely want to be there," Curry said last fall. "Definitely want to be on the team."

Embiid – the reigning NBA MVP, two-time scoring champion and Philadelphia star who scored 70 points Monday night – could have decided to play for France (he has dual citizenship) or even Cameroon, his birthplace, if they qualify. He chose to play for the US last fall instead.

"When he gets motivated … anything can happen," 76ers coach Nick Nurse said.

Also picked for the pool: Jarrett Allen, Paolo Banchero, Desmond Bane, Scottie Barnes, Mikal Bridges, Jaylen Brown, Jalen Brunson, Alex Caruso, Anthony Edwards, De'Aaron Fox, Aaron Gordon, Tyrese Haliburton, Josh Hart, Tyler Herro, Chet Holmgren, Brandon Ingram, Jaren Jackson Jr, Cam Johnson, Walker Kessler, Kawhi Leonard, Donovan Mitchell, Bobby Portis, Austin Reaves, Duncan Robinson, Derrick White and Trae Young.

"We get to go to Paris. We get to go do something special," said Adebayo, who got his first gold in 2021 and is expected to be part of the 2024 team. "I reflect on it and I get excited because I get an opportunity to do something special – twice."

Green had expressed some interest last year in being part of the Paris-bound team.

But the Golden State forward missed 16 games spanning mid-December to mid-January while serving what was originally called an indefinite suspension for striking Phoenix center Jusuf Nurkić in the face. Green said he considered retiring and sought counseling before he was reinstated.

Players not in the pool aren't exactly ineligible to make the Olympic team; while it is a long shot, it has happened before. San Antonio's Keldon Johnson was not one of the 57 players USA Basketball announced in March 2021 as a pool member, but he was eventually selected for the Tokyo Games team and won a gold medal under Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.

That said, it took an extraordinary set of circumstances for Johnson to be in that position.

He was on the US Select Team that practiced against the Olympic team to help it prepare for the Tokyo Games, got promoted to the national team in part because some players were still taking part in the NBA finals, then got added to the Olympic roster (along with JaVale McGee) when Bradley Beal and Kevin Love – both of whom had been picked for the team – had to drop out late in the process.