Sports
LeBron James’ 6 dunks vs. Rockets key Lakers’ 7th straight win
HOUSTON — As LeBron James sat in front of his locker late Wednesday, he had ice packs wrapped around his right elbow and both knees while his feet soaked in a bucket of ice. He insisted he felt every bit of his age, 41 years and 78 days old.
“Look at me right now,” James said after starring in a 124-116 road victory over the Houston Rockets that matched the Los Angeles Lakers‘ winning streak to a season-best seven games. “Right now, I feel like s—. But in the game, I felt pretty good. Before the game, I didn’t feel that great. I mean, I was yawning and tired and telling myself, I was literally just like talking to myself like, ‘Come on, here we go. Let’s figure it out. Let’s get through it.’
“But I felt pretty good in the game. I’m happy I’m able to make a few plays to help our team win.”
Six of those plays during James’ 30-point performance on 13-of-14 shooting were dunks.
“That’s really impressive,” said Lakers star Luka Doncic, who had another sensational outing with 40 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists. “It’s insane.”
According to ESPN Research, James hadn’t had that many dunks in a game since March 9, 2017. James threw down three alley-oops, matching his most in any game during his legendary 23-year career.
The first of those alley-oops was an errant lob from guard Marcus Smart to James on a back cut, a pass that appeared to be sailing into the baseline seats. But James soared to catch the pass and slam it home, a spectacular highlight for any player regardless of age.
“The fact that he’s 41, he’s still as athletic or more athletic than about 95% of the league — still — and he’s probably, I think everybody would agree, has lost a little athleticism,” said Lakers guard Austin Reaves, who had 14 points and eight assists. “It’s just insane to think [about]. It’s absolutely mind-blowing.”
James’ display of athletic prowess in Wednesday’s win was on the extreme end of the spectrum, but it wasn’t necessarily shocking. According to NBA Advanced Stats, he entered the night second in the league in fast-break points (279) behind speedy Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey. James has 77 dunks in 48 games, including three in Monday’s win over the Rockets.
“I’m not surprised anymore,” said Kevin Durant, the Rockets’ 37-year-old superstar who had 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting in the loss. “I mean, he’s a freak athlete. He’s a generational athlete. He cares and loves the game. Cares about his body. This is what he does. He’s built for this, you know what I’m saying? Since he was a kid.
“I think he could play until he’s 45 years old. I don’t know if he wants to be around that long, but I think he could play for another four to five more years, to be honest. And so yeah, it’s not a surprise anymore. I mean, his age, he is 41, but he looks great out there.”
James became the first Laker to score at least 30 points on 90% shooting since Shaquille O’Neal in March 2003. He became the oldest player in NBA history to accomplish that feat, a distinction previously owned by former Portland Trail Blazers center Arvydas Sabonis, who was 36 years and 108 days old when he scored 32 points on 11-of-12 shooting.
James’ lone miss came on a drive early in the fourth quarter. Houston’s Tari Eason was credited with a block, although James raised his arms and complained to the ref after falling to the ground.
“The one shot he missed, he was trying to foul bait,” Lakers coach J.J. Redick quipped.
Redick is also 41 years old, about six months older than James, and retired as a player in 2021 after a 15-year career. He joked that he feels like a “loser” seeing James’ explosiveness at his age on a regular basis.
“I can touch the rim still,” Redick said. “I can’t jump for three days after it, but I’ve got one jump in me.
“Just the preparation that he puts into his body over and over and over again — that to me is like the ultimate sign of competitive stamina. He just holds on to it every single day and he gets ready to ring the bell.”
The Lakers are relying on James less than ever and getting extraordinary results from the all-time leading scorer accepting his role as the team’s third offensive option behind Doncic and Reaves. James had 15 or fewer field goal attempts in his past eight games, twice as long as any previous streak in his career with that few shots. James is averaging 20.8 points on 61.5% shooting in that stretch, and the Lakers have won seven of the eight games.
“Part of the evolution of him on this team, and particularly in this stretch, has just been his patience,” Redick said. “His patience, knowing he’s going to get the ball and he’s going to have transition opportunities, and he’s going to have plays called for him, and he’s going to play off ball and get a corner 3 the first play of the game. He’s going to have those opportunities, and he’s played really patiently.”
James’ last bucket in Wednesday’s win, which strengthened the 44-25 Lakers’ grip on the third seed in the Western Conference, was evidence of the chemistry developing between Doncic and him. Doncic split two defenders on a pick-and-roll to drive down the middle of the floor, and James executed a perfectly timed cut from the weakside corner. Doncic drew a crowd in the paint and flipped a lob to James, who finished with two hands, a dagger that put the Lakers up six with 1:22 remaining.
Doncic celebrated by shuffling sideways up the court, smiling and staring down a courtside fan who had engaged him in trash talk throughout the game.
“Winning’s fun, so just the way we play I think is a lot of fun,” Doncic said. “That’s what we do. We win and we have a good time.”
Mohammad Abbas picked up all three wickets to fall in the morning session, but Mushfiqur Rahim’s resilience ensured Bangladesh reached 380-7 at lunch on Day 2 in the first Test at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka on Saturday.
Resuming at 301-4, Bangladesh lost Litton Das for 33 as Abbas struck early to reduce the hosts to 338-5. The experienced pacer then struck again to remove Mehidy Hasan Miraz for 10, further slowing the scoring.
Abbas completed his three-wicket haul just before the lunch interval, dismissing Taijul Islam for 17.
Despite wickets falling at regular intervals, Rahim anchored the innings with a composed and controlled knock, keeping Bangladesh steady under pressure. At lunch, he was unbeaten on 71 alongside Ebadot Hossain, who had yet to score.
Bangladesh had dominated the opening day after being asked to bat first, finishing at 301-4 in 85 overs.
Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto scored a commanding 101 off 130 balls, while Mominul Haque added a fluent 91 off 200 deliveries. The pair stitched together a crucial 170-run partnership after early wickets from Shaheen Afridi and Hasan Ali reduced Bangladesh to 31-2.
Pakistan’s bowlers shared the wickets, but struggled with consistency and discipline, conceding 31 extras across the innings.
Novak Djokovic hits a return to Monaco’s Valentin Vacherot during their Shanghai Masters semifinal. PHOTO: AFP
ROME:
Novak Djokovic slumped to an early elimination from the Italian Open on Friday, crumbling to a second-round defeat at the hands of qualifier Dino Prizmic which leaves question marks about his physical condition ahead of Roland Garros.
Tennis icon Djokovic was sent packing by big-hitting Croatian Prizmic, who claimed the biggest scalp of his young career with a stunning 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 win on centre court in Rome.
Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam winner, was making his comeback from a shoulder injury in the last big tournament before the French Open, which starts later this month.
And the world number four was unsure as to whether he would be back to his best for the clay-court Grand Slam, simply saying “I hope so” when asked by reporters whether Paris would see the all-conquering “Nole” of old.
“Let’s see what happens,” said Djokovic, who lamented persistent physical problems in the twilight of his stellar career.
“I don’t recall the last time in the last couple of years of preparation where I didn’t have any physical issues coming into a tournament,” said Djokovic.
“It’s always something, it’s kind of a new reality that I have to deal with.”
Djokovic wore shoulder strappings in his first tournament since losing in the last 16 at Indian Wells in March, after pulling out of tournaments in Miami, Monte Carlo and Madrid.
He hadn’t previously been knocked out this early in a tournament since the Madrid Open last year, and he looked a long way from the player who has won six titles at the Foro Italico.
He breezed into a one-set lead but then buckled under the weight of Prizmic’s powerful hitting which has led to the 20-year-old rising to a career-high world ranking of 79.
Prizmic has beaten two top 10 players in a matter of weeks with sixth-ranked Ben Shelton succumbing in the second round in Madrid last month.
Djokovic is Prizmic’s idol, and a landmark win gives the young talent a match with either Ugo Humbert or Vit Kopriva and a chance to make the fourth round of a Masters 1000 event for the first time.
“It was big moment for me. It was also big thing to share the court with a legend,” said Prizmic.
“So yeah today, I mean, I played unbelievable. I’m very happy about my performance.”
Zverev, Swiatek through
Earlier, Alexander Zverev eased into the third round after comfortably dealing with fellow German Daniel Altmaier in straight sets, 7-5, 6-3.
The second seed is in good form having reached the final in Madrid last weekend and he is again on the other side of the draw to red-hot favourite Jannik Sinner.
The 29-year-old has been beaten by Sinner in four Masters 100 events this year and will have his work cut out if he is to add to his 2017 and 2024 titles in Rome.
Three-time champion Iga Swiatek battled into the third round of the women’s tournament with a 6-1, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3 win over Caty McNally.
Swiatek will play US 28th seed Emma Navarro or Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto this weekend for a place in the last 16, after a match which initially looked like being a routine win but dragged on for the best part of three hours.
“It was a tough match, Caty really played great,” said Swiatek.
“I had to be patient. For sure, some mistakes happened. It was not an easy match. I’m really happy I was solid at the end and in the important moments. I kept it together.”
Swiatek, a six-time Grand Slam champion, has not won a clay tournament since capturing the last of her four French Open titles in 2024.
The Pole suffered her earliest exit in five appearances in Madrid last month when she retired in the third round due to a viral illness.
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Former NFL wide receiver Terrell Owens spent three seasons of his 16-year Hall of Fame career with the Dallas Cowboys.
Although 16 seasons have passed since Owens played in the league, his time with the franchise famously dubbed “America’s Team” remains memorable. Owens first played for the Cowboys in 2006, before abruptly exiting after the 2008 campaign.
This week, Owens briefly revisited his time wearing “The Star” on his helmet, but he made it clear the team has not been at the front of his mind for quite some time. “I don’t concern myself with the Cowboys,” Owens told the Action Network.
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Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks at Texas Stadium in Irving, Texas, on Nov. 27, 2008. (Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
Owens then suggested the less-than-harmonious feelings are mutual, saying: “The Cowboys haven’t concerned themselves with me since I left there. That’s speaking of Jerry Jones or anybody really from that organization… The way things ended there with the Cowboys, I couldn’t care less. I have nothing to say about them.”
JOURDAN LEWIS BECOMES LATEST FORMER COWBOYS PLAYER TO VOICE FRUSTRATION WITH TEAM
Owens signed a three-year deal with the Cowboys in 2006 and was rewarded with a three-year contract extension in 2008. Around the time of his March 2009 release, reports suggested he had become a source of tension inside the Cowboys’ locker room.
He was cut roughly two months after Dallas finished 9-7 and missed the playoffs. Dallas struggled offensively at times that season, though Owens still totaled 1,052 yards and 10 touchdowns. Those were considered productive numbers by any standard, but they also marked his lowest totals in three seasons with the Cowboys.
Owens’ connection with then-offensive coordinator Jason Garrett also came under scrutiny during his stint with the team.
Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett talks to Terrell Owens during a game against the San Francisco 49ers at Texas Stadium in Irving, Texas, on Nov. 23, 2008. (Getty Images)
Owens joined the Buffalo Bills after he parted ways with the Cowboys. Despite snapping his streak of three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons during his lone year in Western New York, Owens praised Buffalo, describing it as a rare NFL market that still embraces him years after he left.
“The Buffalo Bills have been very gracious in inviting me out and involving me in some of their community initiatives,” Owens said. “I went there for a couple of games and for Thurman Thomas’ jersey retirement.”
Former wide receiver Terrell Owens gestures to the crowd before the game between the New England Patriots and the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, on Dec. 6, 2021. (Rich Barnes/USA TODAY Sports)
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Owens appeared in 14 games with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2010, marking his final NFL season. He was a five-time All-Pro selection and six-time Pro Bowler during his standout career.
He skipped the Pro Football Hall of Fame ceremonies in Canton, Ohio, in 2018, choosing instead to hold his own ceremony at his alma mater, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
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