Kings’ Dwayne Dedmon snags french fry from Lakers’ fan during game (VIDEO)

By Kurt HelinNov 16, 2019, 1:00 PM EST
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The french fries at Staples Center are pretty good. Better than the popcorn.

Kings’ center Dwayne Dedmon was on the bench at one point Saturday night during the Kings’ loss to the Lakers, looked at the dude sitting next to him in fan seats (and look at that guy, he’s a “dude”), and asks if he can have a french fry.

No ketchup or sauce, but the fries seem to get Dedmon’s seal of approval.

A player like Dedmon burns a lot of calories during a game, you got to keep that energy level up with a few carbs. Plus, french fries are awesome. Can’t blame the guy.

UPDATE: Warriors’ D’Angelo Russell out at least two weeks with sprained thumb (VIDEO)

By Kurt HelinNov 16, 2019, 10:00 AM EST
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UPDATE: The results of the MRI are in and D'Angelo Russell will miss at least a couple of weeks with a thumb he sprained Friday night against Boston.

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And the injuries just keep on coming for Golden State.

D’Angelo Russell left the Warriors game in the middle of the third quarter after spraining his thumb in a loss to the Celtics on Friday night. X-rays were negative, but he will have an MRI on Saturday to get a better look at the damage.

The play was innocent enough, Russell drove the lane and had the ball swatted out of his hands and stolen by Daniel Theis, and on the next defensive possession Russell is seen holding his hand. During a timeout moments later, Russell has his hand checked by Warriors trainer Rick Celebrini, then the two go to the locker room and Russell does not return.

Russell was not the only Warrior to injure his hand during the game.

Russell joins Stephen Curry and Damion Lee as Warriors dealing with hand injuries that have them sidelined. On top of that Klay Thompson (ACL), Kevon Looney (nerve condition), Jacob Evans (strained adductor), and Alen Smailagic (sprained ankle) all also are out right now injured.

LeBron James with early “dunk of the year” candidate on Nemanja Bjelica

By Kurt HelinNov 16, 2019, 1:16 AM EST
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LeBron James has played with a ferocity this season we have not seen since the 2016 championship season in Cleveland. Or maybe back to his days in Miami.

Don’t take my word for it, ask the Kings’ Nemanja Bjelica. Or what’s left of him.

That is going to rank high on the end-of-season “Dunk of the Year” countdowns. That was wicked.

Just a reminder, LeBron is 34 years old and in his 17th NBA season. Insane that he still has dunks like that in him.

LeBron took over the game late, scoring 11 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter as the Lakers beat the Kings 99-97.

LeBron James not thinking retirement: “Me and Tom Brady are one and the same”

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By Kurt HelinNov 15, 2019, 9:30 PM EST
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At age 34 — turning 35 next month — LeBron James is having a start to the season that compares with his MVP year in Miami: 23.9 points a game, a league-leading 11.1 assists a night (with him playing more as the team’s point guard), and eight rebounds, plus he’s more active defensively and helping the Lakers to the best defensive rating in the NBA so far. It’s far too early to have an MVP conversation, but if someone did, LeBron would have to be in the middle of it.

With the signing of Carmelo Anthony by the Trail Blazers — and ‘Melo trying to change the perception of the end of his career — LeBron was asked about controlling the story at the end of his career. He was having none of it. Via Kyle Goon of the Los Angeles Daily News.

Brady is like LeBron in this sense: it’s not fair to think of him as the norm. LeBron is the extreme outlier on the NBA’s aging bell curve, he has not followed the normal patters. It’s part genetic gifts, part how hard he works to keep his body and mind sharp, and there’s some luck thrown in. LeBron is not a comp for anyone but LeBron.

He has hinted he wanted to play until his son Bronny — currently a high school freshman — is in the league. That would be four more years, and that probably feels about right. But LeBron is a freak of nature who could probably impact an NBA game at age 45, so any predictions on when he decides to hang them up is a fool’s errand.

We just need to enjoy watching him play while we still can.

 

Lakers’ Anthony Davis expected to return Friday; Avery Bradley out 1-2 weeks with fracture

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By Kurt HelinNov 15, 2019, 5:59 PM EST
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Anthony Davis sat out Wednesday night’s comfortable Lakers win over Golden State, the star letting a sore shoulder and ribs heal.

Apparently, that’s all he’s sitting out. While nothing will be official until close to game time, Davis went through shootaround and looks to be a go Friday night against Sacramento at Staples Center. From Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

“Went through shootaround today,” Davis said Friday morning. “Felt good.”

Davis is averaging 26.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.9 blocked shots per game, anchoring a Lakers’ defense that has been best in the NBA this season. It goes without saying the Lakers are better when he is on the court.

Only Davis knows his body and how he feels, but he also has a history of missing games due to minor but nagging injuries. Should the Lakers consider giving Davis another night off to make sure he is fully healed, plus give the rest of his body some time to rest?

“What, like, load management? No,” Davis said…

“I want to play,” Davis said. “But obviously saying that, the training staff will probably be more reluctant to [let me play]. If it’s still bothering me a little bit, [they’ll] have me sit out. Or if it’s feeling good, I’m going to play. … Just to know that the way the team played when I sat out, I don’t have to be in a rush to get back.”

For some fans — and LeBron James (in a shrewd PR move with the team down the hall) — have pushed back on the idea of load management. Which has somehow become a dirty phrase around the NBA, despite the science showing it can help reduce injuries, improve performance, and lengthen careers.

Lakers fans buying into and parroting the anti-load management argument may want to go find a Toronto Raptors fan and ask if they would trade the 22 games Kawhi Leonard missed last regular season for that championship parade. Or, just wait until the Lakers do some of it later in the season (but, like all teams now, will mask it with “sore back” or some other minor ailment that could be played through, just to avoid the PR hit).

While Davis is back, the Lakers are going to miss Avery Bradley for at least a week with a hairline fracture in his leg. From the official Lakers’ press release:

An MRI last night revealed a hairline fracture in a non-weight bearing bone of Avery Bradley’s right leg (on the fibular head). Bradley will be re-evaluated in 1 to 2 weeks.

Bradley has started all 10 games he has played in for the Lakers, averaging 9.4 points a game and giving them an active perimeter defender. Fortunately, this doesn’t sound like it will sideline him for long.