TOTAL BLOCKS | OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS 🏀

 

LEBRON JAMES & ANTHONY DAVIS PRANK DRAYMOND GREEN | FOUL PLAY

 

RICKEA JACKSON GETS PRANKED AT A PARKING LOT | FOUL PLAY WITH ANTHONY DAVIS

 

ANTHONY DAVIS RUINS MERCEDES LEWIS' CAR IN VALET PRANK | FOUL PLAY

 

ANTHONY DAVIS TRADED TO WIZARDS | ESPN

 

ANTHONY DAVIS ON THE MOVE? 7 TEAMS THAT COULD TRAFE AD

 

FULL NBA TODAY | ANTHONY DAVIS TO WARRIORS IN BLOCKBUSTER TRADR? | LAKERS ELIMINATED IN NBA CUP

 

NBA COMMISSIONER ADAM SILVER ON THE LUKA AND ANTHONY DAVIS TRADE

 

LUKA DONCIC ISSUES STATEMENT AFTER BLOCKBUSTER TRADE FOR ANTHONY DAVIS BETWEEN MAVERICKS AND LAKERS

"I thought I'd spend my career here and I wanted so badly to bring you a championship."

Luka Doncic & Anthony Davis Ron Jenkins/Getty Images

There have been major trades in NBA history, but none feel as massive as this past weekend’s, when the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis. The Slovenian hooper has now shared his first public statement following the landscape-shifting exchange.

“Dear Dallas,” he wrote on X and Instagram on Sunday (Feb. 2). “Seven years ago, I came here as a teenager to pursue my dream of playing basketball at the highest level. I thought I’d spend my career here and I wanted so badly to bring you a championship.” The five-time All-Star got close last year when he led the Mavericks to an NBA Finals matchup with the Boston Celtics, which they lost in five games. In 2022, he led them to a Western Conference Finals matchup against the eventual championship winners, the Golden State Warriors.

“The love and support you all have given me is more than I could have ever dreamed of,” he continued. “For a young kid from Slovenia coming to the U.S. for the first time, you made North Texas feel like home. In good times and bad, from injuries to NBA Finals, your support never changed. Thank you for not only sharing my joy in our best moments, but also for lifting me up when I needed it the most.” He also thanked the organizations he worked with in his seven years in the Dallas community, and called it his home away from home. Check out the full statement below.

The full trade details included Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris going to the Los Angeles Lakers; Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round draft pick going to the Dallas Mavericks; and Jalen Hood-Schifino, a 2025 second-round draft pick, and an additional 2025 second-round draft pick, from the Clippers going to the Utah Jazz. It is important to note that neither Luka Doncic nor Anthony Davis were being “shopped around” by their respective former teams, but rather private conversations between both organizations brought this to life.

The Mavericks general manager, Nico Harrison, stated that Dallas was in a “win-now” mindset and, despite Luka leading them to playoff success, Harrison believed Davis could get them over the hump when paired with star guard Kyrie Irving. There were also reports that the Mavericks brass wasn’t happy with Doncic’s ineffectiveness on defense and his lack of conditioning. Had he stayed in Dallas, he likely would not have been offered the 5-year, $345 million supermax contract he was eligible for. Now that he has switched teams, the most he can receive from the Lakers or any future team is in the $240 million range.

As for Anthony Davis, the Lakers management did not want to offer him an extension due to his age (31) and his battles with health over the years. Davis was an integral part of the Lakers winning a championship in 2020 and returning to the conference finals in 2023, but they have had early playoff exits or completely missed the postseason in the years between, largely due to Davis not being at 100%. Doncic not only presents a change of pace and unique threat alongside LeBron James, but he is a stronger successor to LBJ as the face of their franchise upon James’ retirement.

- ARMON SADLER

NBA CHAMPION COACH MAKES 'AI-GENERATED' ADMISSION ABOUT LUKA DONCIC TRADE

The recent blockbuster trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers and Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks has sent shockwaves through the NBA, leaving fans and analysts alike reeling from its implications.

This monumental deal marks one of the most significant trades in league history, as two franchises believed they could enhance their rosters by swapping superstars.

The Lakers, aiming to secure their future beyond LeBron James, have acquired Doncic, a 25-year-old perennial MVP candidate who led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals just last season. Meanwhile, the Mavericks hope that Davis will bring a new dimension to their team as they look to retool for success.

In the wake of this surprising trade, NBA champion coach and former Coach of the Year Doc Rivers, now head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, expressed his astonishment.

"I thought it was AI-generated," he said in a postgame press conference, as shared by 97.3 The Game. "And then I found out it was real. It's a shocking trade. I don't think I've seen a trade like this in my ever."

Bucks HC Doc Rivers' reaction to the Luka Doncic trade

"I thought it was AI generated" pic.twitter.com/HahQK3oexw

— 97.3 The Game (@TheGameMKE) February 2, 2025

His comments highlight the unprecedented nature of this deal, which has left many questioning the motivations behind it. Rivers emphasized that both teams believed they could improve through this swap.

"Two teams thought they could make their teams better-that's what I always say," he added. "Usually one will be right."

As the dust settles on this historic transaction, the ramifications for both teams remain to be seen. The Lakers are betting on Doncic's ability to shine alongside James while ensuring they remain competitive in a league where star power reigns supreme.

Conversely, Dallas is banking on Davis' defensive prowess and experience to lead them into a new era. This trade not only reshapes the rosters but also sets the stage for an exciting second half of the season as both teams adjust to their new realities.

Copyright 2025 Athlon Sports. All rights reserved.

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BOOKER OUT FOR CHRISTMAS; LEBRON, TATUM QUESTIONABLE

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker has been ruled out of Wednesday's Christmas night home game against the Denver Nuggets because of a groin strain.

It would be the third straight game Booker has missed after suffering the injury in the third quarter of a defeat last week to the visiting Indiana Pacers. The Suns lost both games he missed.

Several other stars are listed as questionable for Christmas Day, including Los Angeles Lakers stars Anthony Davis (shoulder) and LeBron James (injury management). Davis and James both played in Monday night's home loss to the Detroit Pistons.

Jamal Murray, who missed the Nuggets' home win over the Suns on Monday, is listed as questionable for Wednesday's rematch due to an ankle injury.

Jayson Tatum is listed as questionable for the Boston Celtics' game against the visiting Philadelphia 76ers with an illness that also kept him out of a loss Monday at the Orlando Magic.

The Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic missed two games last week with a left heel injury but returned Monday for a win over the visiting Portland Trail Blazers. He is listed as questionable for Wednesday's home game versus the Minnesota Timberwolves.

- ESPN 

REELING LAKERS SHARE IN BLAME AFTER 41- POINT LOSS TO HEAT

Dec 4, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) looks up at the scoreboard late in a game against the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

MIAMI -- As Heat guard Tyler Herro went nuclear, hitting seven straight 3-pointers in the third quarter of a 134-93 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, it dawned on L.A. coach JJ Redick just how lost his team has become.

"We're having trouble right now on both ends with, like, base-level game-plan stuff," Redick said after the Lakers lost for the sixth time in the past eight games. "It's odd. It's very odd."

Odder still is how a team that was 10-4 just two weeks ago, with a chance to make it 11-4 if it only hit some late free throws against the Orlando Magic, is suddenly in free fall, losing those six games by an average of 21.8 points.

"Has to be some ownership," Redick said. "You can splinter, and it's easy to not want the ownership, particularly when it's embarrassing. I'm embarrassed. We're all embarrassed. It's not a game that I thought we had the right fight, the right professionalism."

Redick added: "There has to be some ownership on the court and I'll take all the ownership in the world. This is my team and I lead it and I'm embarrassed. But I can't physically get us organized. I can't physically be into the basketball. I can't physically talk and call out [switches] and physically call out coverages. ... And by the way, I'm not blaming players. It's not. I own this, but going to need some ownership on the court as well. ... There's not a sense from me that we're together right now."

LeBron James bounced back from a shooting slump to score 29 points on 12-for-18 shooting, including 1-of-4 from 3-point range to break a streak of 20 straight missed 3s. But he did not quibble with Redick's remarks.

"I agree with everything JJ said," James said, making it clear he would not come off as unaligned with the first-year coach. "Whatever he said, I agree 100 percent, 1,000 percent."

James did, however, absolve Redick in his role in Wednesday's debacle, saying, "It's not on the coaches. It's definitely on us, for sure."

The Lakers were outrebounded 52-36 as Miami tied a franchise record for 3s in a regular-season game by going 24-for-47, including 9-for-16 from Herro, who finished with a team-high 31 points. Meanwhile, the Lakers went 5-for-22 (22.7%) from deep.

Anthony Davis, who not too long ago was considered an early-season MVP candidate, volunteered for the lion's share of the blame after scoring a season-low eight points on 3-for-14 shooting. This after Davis had previously set his season low with 12 points Monday, going 4-for-14 from the field in a 29-point loss against Minnesota.

"I have the utmost confidence in this group and this coaching staff," Davis said. "I personally just think it starts with me. If I play better, then guys play better. I definitely take accountability, especially the last couple of games. Just not being there for the team on the offensive end."

Lakers guard Gabe Vincent had nine points and three steals off the bench but was still part of a Lakers second unit that was outscored 51-28 by Miami's reserves. He characterized his team's mood as "upset."

"I think we're definitely far off from where we want to be and where we expect to be this time of the year," Vincent said.

James, who is the oldest player in the NBA and will turn 40 on Dec. 30, preached patience even while admitting, "It sucks for sure to get your ass whooped like that twice in a row."

Moving forward, he urged the Lakers to "stay even-keeled," adding, "I've been in this game way too long. Never get too high, never get too low. Because I know how fast this s--- turns."

Davis aimed for the turnaround to begin when the Lakers conclude their four-game trip Friday against an Atlanta Hawks team riding a five-game winning streak.

"Just got to find a way, to be honest," Davis said. "Find a way in Atlanta to get the dub."

- Dave McMenamin, ESPN Staff Writer

ANTHONY DAVIS MAKES A MARK WITH LAKERS

 

ANTHONY DAVIS IS AMONG THE BEST IN BASKETBALL 🏀

 

LEBRON JAMES LAYUP HELPS U.S. DODGE UPSET FROM SOUTH SUDAN

LONDON -- There probably will be a movie made about the South Sudan basketball team someday. And the players representing the war-torn young nation added a powerful and dramatic scene Saturday night in a moment the raucous crowd at O2 Arena won't soon forget.

LeBron James made a driving layup with eight seconds left to prevent what would've been an historic upset and Team USA escaped with a 101-100 victory.

Former Charlotte Hornets forward JT Thor had made a 3-pointer with 20 seconds remaining and South Sudan had three attempts in the final seconds but couldn't convert the miracle.

The club is called the Bright Stars -- the first team to represent the country in the Olympics when it arrives in Paris next week -- and it gave Team USA a thrilling and serious test.

"I did not do a great job preparing our team, I think we did not focus enough on what they're capable of and that's on me," Team USA coach Steve Kerr said.

"They played a wonderful game and the ending was good for us just to feel that. To feel what it's going to be like in Paris and Lille ... a good reminder that when we play against teams, it's the biggest game of their lives and we have to expect everyone to play like that."

South Sudan got up by as many as 16 points and threatened to pull off one of the biggest upsets ever seen in international basketball before Team USA pulled it out.

James might be interested in buying the movie rights to the South Sudan story, but he was determined not be portrayed on the losing team. James was vicious in denying the upset attempt, aggressively taking over the game when the U.S. was in serious trouble.

He scored 25 points and made a string of tremendous plays in a 23-5 run from late in the third quarter to early in the fourth. A power dunk that led to a three-point play and a 3-pointer were crucial.

"Don't take nothing away from South Sudan," James said. "They played extremely good basketball and that's why the game is won in between the lines and not all on paper."

James appeared antsy when Kerr elected not to start him or the rest of the game's starters to begin the third quarter. Kerr has done that before during these Olympic run-up games, but he also wanted to change the tone after Team USA's defense was shaky in allowing dribble penetration that led to 57% shooting and a wave of 3-pointers by the Bright Stars in the first half.

"I think the whole team was embarrassed at halftime to be totally outplayed and down 14," Kerr said. "And I don't think [James] was real thrilled about me not starting him in the third quarter. But I thought that next group that we put out there really did a good job defensively. And I looked down a couple of times and I can see LeBron chomping at the bit to be out on the floor as soon as he got out there and he went to work, so he was brilliant."

Steph Curry made two clutch 3-pointers, helping end a stretch of Team USA missing 14 of 15 3-pointers that contributed to the deficit, in the run. And he said he and his teammates took away some lessons as they improved to 4-0 in exhibition games this summer.

"We can be beat if we don't play our brand of basketball. And our brand of basketball is playing defense," said Curry, who had 12 points. "We didn't make them uncomfortable at all the first half and they took advantage of it. But we also learned we have that gear if we can find it, no matter who's out there on the court, we can overwhelm teams for 40 minutes and it's a great reminder of both."

Anthony Davis, who had yet another strong game for the American team in what has been a tour de force over the past three weeks, made a series of plays to finish off a 15-point, 10-rebound performance and seal the game.

South Sudan showed off its tremendous collective athleticism and no fear against an American team that many South Sudanese players consider their peers. Most of the players are the descendants of refugees and grew up in North America or Australia.

They aren't as much Cinderellas as they are castoffs, some of whom might be getting calls from NBA teams in the coming days.

Point guard Carlik Jones was the 2022-23 G League Player of the Year while on a contract with the Chicago Bulls but was released last year as a luxury tax-saving move despite being one of the best guards in the World Cup in Manila. He played last season for the Zhejiang Golden Bulls in China.

All he did was put up a triple-double with 15 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists, but he missed a jumper with four seconds left, the rebound setting off a chaotic scrap for the ball around the rim, where referees elected to call no contact and the U.S. escaped.

Marial Shayok, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard who grew up in Ottawa, Canada, was a 2019 second-round pick by the Philadelphia 76ers out of Iowa State and played just four career games before being released. He has played several years in Turkey and averaged 19 points last season with Shandong in China.

He was the best player on the floor at times in the game, scoring 24 points and drilling 6 of 12 3-pointers.

Thor, a 6-10 power forward who starred at Auburn, played 165 games with the Hornets over the past three years after being a 2021 second-round pick. The Hornets declined his option last month after he averaged 3.2 points and 2.3 rebounds in 63 games last season.

Thor had 14 points off the bench.

Wenyan Gabriel had all kinds of former teammates on Team USA. He played at Kentucky with Bam Adebayo, with Davis and James with the Los Angeles Lakers and briefly with Kevin Durant with the Brooklyn Nets. Gabriel has played 150 games with seven NBA teams but just five last season while on a 10-day contract with the Memphis Grizzlies.

He had 11 points and put constant pressure on the American interior defense.

Khaman Maluach, a 7-2 athlete with huge upside, is the highest-profile player in the group. The 18-year-old will play next year at Duke. Superagent Rich Paul was in London to see not just clients James and Davis but also Maluach.

He had seven points and three rebounds.

"We want to take the momentum, the mindset, the tenaciousness that we had [to the Olympics]," said South Sudan coach Royal Ivey, who is an assistant coach with the Houston Rockets. "We didn't flinch."

Joel Embiid, who was born and raised in the West African nation of Cameroon before moving to the U.S. at age 16, played his best game for Team USA, with 14 points and seven rebounds.

In 2021, Team USA lost to Nigeria, the African representative at the Tokyo Olympics, in an exhibition game in Las Vegas. It has lost nine times to seven different nations, three of them in exhibition games, since 2019.

Team USA avoided another loss, one that would have carried a level of embarrassment against a national program that has been in existence for only a handful of years after Luol Deng, the former NBA All-Star from South Sudan, assembled funding and the players with tireless work.

"There is a tendency at times to let down; I think the fact that we played well against Serbia the other night, this was kind of a natural letdown game that you fear," Kerr said. "What we've learned with USA basketball is that the gap has closed ... so it's not a shock to see a team from South Sudan play really well and knock down 3s. The game has gotten better across the globe, but we still feel like we always control the outcome with our performance and as good as every other team is now, we still feel like it's up to us to determine the outcome based on our defense and our effort."

- Brian Windhorst, ESPN Senior Writer

USA MAN'S BASKETBALL OLYMPIC TEAM ARRIVES FOR CAMP I LAS VEGAS

 LAS VEGAS (AP) — There’s something that Kobe Bryant once said that has stuck with U.S. men’s Olympic basketball coach Steve Kerr and seems especially important now.

It was about how other nations have made big strides in basketball, how the gap between the rest of the world and the U.S. is closing and how that’s been a great thing for the NBA. And Bryant’s response, paraphrased, was basically, “so what?”

His point: If everyone else is getting better, then the U.S. better find ways to do the same.

“Maybe we’ll show that one to the guys,” Kerr said. “I love that. And it has to be our attitude this summer.”

After months of planning, it’s time for the U.S. Olympic team — one that will go to the Paris Games later this month seeking a fifth consecutive gold medal — to take the floor. The first practice for the squad is Saturday, the start of a four-day training camp before its exhibition opener against Canada on Wednesday.

Players began arriving Thursday in Las Vegas; Stephen Curry was the first to check in for camp, perhaps underscoring how anxious he is for what will be his first Olympics. The 12 players have all known each other for years, but the task of becoming a team starts in earnest Saturday.

“I feel like it starts when it gets there, because that’s when you really see each other eye-to-eye,” said Bam Adebayo, who is seeking his second gold medal after winning one at the Tokyo Games three years ago. “You have those conversations, you have those many conversations within what we’re going through, what we’re trying to do. And that’s when it’s time to really be honest about what we want to do.”

That part is easy: Win gold.

The how-to-do-it part, that’s the key.

Last year brought another humbling World Cup experience for the U.S.; after finishing seventh in 2019, the Americans were fourth at Manila. But the argument — or justification, for lack of a better word — for those stumbles was that the U.S. wasn’t sending the best possible roster to those tournaments. Getting the big names like Kevin Durant and LeBron James for the Olympics, that’s one thing. Getting them for the World Cup and asking them to represent their country in back-to-back summers, that’s something else.

Tyrese Haliburton and Anthony Edwards were on that World Cup team last summer and were picked for this Olympic team as well.

“Obviously, last year we didn’t do what we wanted to do,” Haliburton said. “And that was frustrating because any time you get to represent USA Basketball, the expectation is to win. And we weren’t able to do that.”

This team was put together with a very different ending in mind. James is back on the Olympic team for the first time since 2012 and seeking a third gold, Durant is going for what would be a men’s Olympic record fourth basketball gold, and five other players — Adebayo, Devin Booker, Jrue Holiday, Jayson Tatum and Anthony Davis — each have one. The first-time Olympians are Haliburton, Edwards, Curry, Kawhi Leonard and Joel Embiid, someone who the U.S. convinced to play despite a strong push by France for the Philadelphia star to represent the host nation in Paris.

As far as choosing a starting lineup, good luck.

“It’s a good problem to have,” Kerr said. “I’m guessing that all 12 players on this roster will be in the Hall of Fame someday. So, how do you pick five out of 12? The idea is, you find combinations that click, and you find two-way lineups that can be effective at both ends. Our big job in Las Vegas is to find five-man combinations that fit and to just ask all 12 guys to fully commit to the goal of winning a gold medal no matter what it looks like, no matter who’s playing.”

The Americans play their first exhibition against Canada in Las Vegas, then have games at Abu Dhabi (against Australia and Serbia) and London (against South Sudan and Germany) before the Paris Games start. The U.S. opens Olympic play July 28 against Serbia and will also have group games against South Sudan and the winner of Sunday’s qualifier in Puerto Rico — either Mexico, Lithuania, Italy or Puerto Rico.

“We’ve got 39 days or so to get locked in to go get this gold medal, 12 amazing, talented guys ready to come together for one goal,” Curry said when he arrived to check in for camp. “I’m hyped for it all.”

SOURCES: LAKERS HIRING JJ REDICK TO FOUR-YEAR DEAL TO COACH TEAM

 The Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to a four-year contract with JJ Redick to make him the franchise's next coach, sources told ESPN on Thursday.

Redick, an ESPN NBA analyst who played 15 years in the league, met with Lakers vice president and general manager Rob Pelinka and owner Jeanie Buss over the weekend, and conversations on the vacancy continued throughout the week, sources said.

Pelinka offered Redick the job Thursday morning, sources said.

Pelinka became sold on Redick's ability to connect with players and his basketball IQ and believes surrounding Redick with an elite coaching staff will help shorten his learning curve into his first coaching job, sources said.

Redick moved into the forefront of the search a week ago after the Lakers' pursuit of Connecticut coach Dan Hurley was ultimately rebuffed.

The Lakers offered Hurley a six-year, $70 million contract that he turned down early last week, sources said.

As Pelinka sought with Hurley, he still wants a teaching coach and staff who will prioritize the development of young players such as Max Christie, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura and can design a creative approach to featuring Anthony Davis on both ends of the floor, sources said.

Redick has a strong relationship with Lakers star LeBron James, with whom he co-hosts a basketball podcast.

- Adrian Wojnarowski, ESPN

WEMBANYAMA BECOMES 1ST ROOKIE TO MAKE FIRST-TEAM ALL DEFENSE

Defensive player of the year Rudy Gobert of Minnesota headlined the team along with Wembanyama, Miami’s Bam Adebayo, New Orleans’ Herb Jones and the Los Angeles Lakers’ Anthony Davis.

FILE PHOTO - San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) shoots in front of Memphis Grizzlies forward GG Jackson (45) in the first half of an NBA basketball game. | Photo Credit: BRANDON DILL/ AP

 

Victor Wembanyama’s latest accolade was like none other.

The San Antonio center has become the first player in NBA history to make the league’s All-Defensive first team as a rookie. The league announced the teams on Tuesday, and Wembanyama appeared on 98 of the 99 ballots cast.

"Defensive player of the year Rudy Gobert of Minnesota headlined the team and was the only unanimous selection. He was joined on the first team by Wembanyama, Miami’s Bam Adebayo, New Orleans’ Herb Jones and the Los Angeles Lakers’ Anthony Davis.

“Coming into this league, obviously he had high expectations because he’s 7-3 and shooting step-back 3s. I think a lot of people paid attention more to that than what he actually did on the defensive end,” Adebayo said of Wembanyama. “So, for him to get first-team, first come around, it’s obviously a great accolade for him.”

The second-team All-Defense picks were Chicago’s Alex Caruso, Orlando’s Jalen Suggs, Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels and Boston teammates Derrick White and Jrue Holiday.

It was Gobert’s seventh5 All-Defense pick, all of them as a member of the first team. Davis is now a five-time All-Defense player, and a three-time first-team selection. Adebayo made All-Defense for the fifth time, and his first as a member of the first team. Jones made the team for the first time.

I feel it’s a long time coming, obviously,” Adebayo said of his first first-team nod. “Just staying in this moment, enjoying it, blessed to be able to be one of the ones selected.”

Wembanyama is now the sixth rookie in NBA history to make the All-Defensive Team — with the other five all earning second-team nods in their first seasons. Those five were San Antonio’s Tim Duncan in 1998, the Spurs’ David Robinson in 1990, Washington’s Manute Bol (1986), Houston’s Hakeem Olajuwon (1985) and Milwaukee’s Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1970).

The All-NBA team will be revealed Wednesday. If Wembanyama makes that team, he would be the first rookie to earn that distinction since Duncan did 26 years ago.

- AP

 

LAKERS FIRE HEAD COACH DARVIN HAM AFTER 2 SEASONS

 The Los Angeles Lakers fired head coach Darvin Ham on Friday after two seasons and a 90-74 regular-season record.

"We greatly appreciate Darvin's efforts on behalf of the Lakers and recognize the many accomplishments achieved over the past two seasons including last year's remarkable run to the Western Conference finals," general manager Rob Pelinka said in a team-released statement.

"We all want to thank Darvin for his dedication and positivity. While this was a difficult decision to make, it is the best course of action following a full review of the season. This organization will remain unwavering in its commitment to deliver championship-caliber basketball to Lakers fans around the world."

The Lakers finished the regular season with a 47-35 mark, good enough for only an eighth-place finish in the Western Conference. They defeated the New Orleans Pelicans in the play-in round to earn the No. 7 seed in the playoffs but were bounced by the Denver Nuggets in the opening round, 4-1.

The Nuggets also defeated the Lakers last season in the conference finals on the way to their first NBA title.

All had seemed optimistic in Lakers land when the team roared to the title in the NBA in-season tournament with a 123-109 victory over the Indiana Pacers at Las Vegas on Dec. 9.

But a 3-9 stretch followed, and reports emerged of growing unrest between the players and Ham, 50.

The Lakers hired Ham on June 3, 2022, to replace Frank Vogel following a 33-49 record in 2021-22, two years removed from winning the NBA championship. It was Ham's first NBA head coaching job.

Lakers fans chanted "Fire Darvin Ham" in Game 3 of the series with the Nuggets. After the game, All-Star Anthony Davis said the Lakers "don't know what we're doing on both ends of the floor" for stretches of games.

"It's been a hell of a two years sitting in this seat, I'll tell you that. It's been a hell of a two years," Ham said Monday after the Game 5 loss.

- Reuters 

ANTHONY DAVIS & LEBRON JAMES DROPN73 POINTS 😳 | NBA 🏀 HIGHLIGHTS