Sports
How the Lakers' D'Angelo Russell helped get Max Christie back on track
TORONTO — The play was set in motion more than an hour before tip off Friday night in Canada, Lakers guards D’Angelo Russell and Max Christie strategizing on one side of the team’s locker room as they got ready for the Raptors.
Through the first two weeks of the season, Christie had struggled.
“I’m just playing robotically,” he told people.
In his third season, now with a real role as the first player consistently off the bench, a lot of the momentum he had built over the summer and preseason was slipping away under a pile of missed shots and defensive uncertainty.
Russell saw a window to do a little something about it.
The two players talked about how when Christie checked in later that night, Russell would try to break down a defender off the dribble, allowing for Christie to quickly cut backdoor for a layup.
It was prophetic.
On the first possession after Christie checked in midway through the first quarter, Russell dribbled with his left toward Christie in the corner. And just like they spoke about, Christie cut hard toward the rim. Russell fired a pinpoint bounce pass that found his teammate, who exploded toward the rim for the tough layup and a foul.
“Crazy, right?” Russell said with a huge smile after the game.
Christie finished the game with seven points, his best offensive output of the young season. He finished a plus-7, the first time the Lakers outscored their opponents during Christie’s minutes.
“I just find ways to make the game easier for our younger guys, try to simplify it, help them think less, help them be in a position where they can be the best in,” Russel said. “For me, I know Max is a confidence guy, so trying to instill confidence in him and keep him there no matter how the storm goes and adversity. Just keep that confidence high, you’ll be all right.”
For the Lakers, moments like this are crucial as the team tries to build trust with one another under a new coaching staff and system.
It’s specifically encouraging for Russell, whom JJ Redick pushed this summer to be a consistent vocal leader bought into winning above all else.
“It’s one of the challenges that I gave him the first day he came to the gym, and he was using his voice. He was energetic and we talked about it afterwards. And I said, that’s what I want, that’s gotta be your standard,” Redick said. “That’s gotta be who you are every day, regardless if shots are going in or not, or if you get subbed out at the end of a game. And look, he played really well tonight. He’s going to have a lot of good games where he plays well. His spirit has not diminished at all with any sort of whatever you want to call it, shooting struggles, to start the season. He’s been fantastic.
“And I think for all our guys, it’s a great example. … It’s something that we’ve talked about with a number of our older players. It’s you gotta be a leader with these young guys and help pick them up. Give, give them some confidence and it’s great to hear DLo did that.”
League reopens Jaxson Hayes investigation
Following video released early Saturday morning on TMZ‘s website, the NBA is reopening an investigation into a 2021 incident in which Jaxson Hayes was arrested and charged with 12 misdemeanors including domestic battery and resisting arrest.
Hayes later plead no contest to two of the charges — false imprisonment and resisting arrest. He was sentenced to community service and probation. The NBA did not penalize him.
Security camera footage obtained by TMZ showed Hayes, then a member of the New Orleans Pelicans, and then-girlfriend Sofia Jamora in an argument. In the footage, Hayes shoves Jamora and spits at her.
“As a result of the media report and video posted [Saturday] morning, we are reopening our investigation,” NBA spokesperson Mike Bass said.
Speaking to reporters Sunday in Toronto, Redick said the team is aware of and cooperating with the league’s investigation but will not comment.
After the team signed Hayes in 2023, general manager Rob Pelinka said the Lakers took the charges “very seriously” and “do a full vetting process.”
“Jaxson has been very sincere [with] his apologies around handling that and has moved beyond it to where he’s had a year or two in the NBA playing after it,” Pelinka said. “It was something that we felt like he owned, took responsibility for it, and is going to be a better person on the other side of it.”
The Lakers play Monday in Detroit.
CLEVELAND — Blow it up. Blow it all up. Set fire to the wreckage, tip it into Lake Erie and let it float to Pelee Island or Buffalo or any point in between. The NFL’s most expensive roster belongs next to the other famous shipwrecks at the bottom, only accessible with flippers and oxygen tanks.
Trade Za’Darius Smith, Dalvin Tomlinson and Jed Wills. Cold call contenders searching for a backup quarterback and send them Jameis Winston for market value (it won’t be much). Elijah Moore can go with him.
I’m not sure anyone here is ready to have the Nick Chubb conversation, but I also don’t believe he’d return much in value anyway.
The larger point is any player who isn’t under contract beyond this season is free to go because this thing is going to get so corrosive by January that no one will survive.
GO DEEPER
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The NFL’s trade deadline is Tuesday. This roster should look much different by Wednesday when general manager Andrew Berry has what is sure to be an awkward conversation with reporters over the bye week.
This is about to be the Cleveland Browns’ version of a Presidents Day mattress sale. Buy now, pay later. Zero percent financing with approved credit.
A few players left the locker room after Sunday’s 27-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers with that zombie stare, unsure of how they got here or what happens next.
“I’ve never been in this situation,” one veteran said on his way out of the locker room. “I’ve never been in a spot where the season is over before the bye week.”
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There is never a bad time for a week off in the NFL, but the Browns enter their time off needing to get away from each other and cleanse. Exfoliate. Maybe get a nice foot scrub.
The Browns have invested $337 million in cash spending on this roster, $15 million more than any other team in the league. It’s not only the most expensive roster, it’s the most expensive roster in NFL history.
They have two wins.
They blew up an offense and an offensive coaching staff that fought through incredible injuries and adversity last year to reach the playoffs.
They have two wins.
Firing Alex Van Pelt as offensive coordinator was clearly a huge mistake. It may have cost them Bill Callahan, too. The design and installation of whatever this is has been a disaster.
The Deshaun Watson trade wrecked the franchise. There’s no other way to frame it. At the time of the deal, off-field baggage aside, Watson appeared to be the better quarterback. But it hasn’t worked out that way. The money they’ve paid him, the future cap hits still looming, the trade capital they sent to Houston and Watson’s inability to perform and stay healthy have slammed shut a contention window that barely ever opened.
GO DEEPER
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The Browns tanked for two full seasons in 2016 and 2017 to win one playoff game in the seven years that followed. And now it’s over.
Joel Bitonio has a year left on his contract but just turned 33. Why would he want to return to this? Myles Garrett has two years left. At what point does he walk upstairs and ask out?
Chubb is in the last year of his deal. How much does he honestly have left? How much patience does he have left for an organization that squandered the career of one of the best running backs in team history?
The entire offensive line might need to be rebuilt. Those who will be shipped off by Tuesday will need to be replaced.
And all of it must be done despite Watson’s strangling cap hits, which still total more than $170 million. If there is a worse combination of roster forecast and future cap sheets anywhere in sports, I can’t find it.
Winston threw interceptions to all corners of the field Sunday, the secondary can’t do simple things like communicate coverages properly, and the special teams are a special disaster. Blocked kicks allowed. Big returns surrendered.
Jameis Winston today
16-31
0 Pass TD
3 INT
24.5 Pass Rating pic.twitter.com/ytYWdg8XgX— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) November 3, 2024
The Browns were leaning toward Dorian Thompson-Robinson a few weeks ago. His promotion from scout-team quarterback to backup — even though no one bothered to tell him — was supposed to be for more than one week. Then Thompson-Robinson hurt his finger and the Browns probably figured they owed it to the veterans to play Winston.
Well, there’s nothing left to play for now. Garrett said the Browns could still win out and go 10-7, which is the kind of thing leaders are supposed to say from the lectern. The season is over, and the players all know it.
This was so close to being the most Jameis Winston play of all-time pic.twitter.com/YopGOhepmh
— Football Digest (@FoootballDigest) November 3, 2024
Thompson-Robinson likely isn’t the answer. He’s too small and can’t stay healthy. But coming out of the bye week, whether Winston is still here or not, is the perfect time to start him on the road against an equally lousy New Orleans Saints roster.
Either DTR surprises everyone, or more likely, the Browns will be bad enough to draft another quarterback in March and start this miserable process all over again.
As for the fate of the front office and coaching staff, anything is possible at this point. Nobody is safe. I thought last year tested the mettle of Kevin Stefanski and his ability to hold the team together through a storm of injuries. He thrived in the moment. This is a completely different challenge. Guys have nothing left to play for except their tape and next contract.
GO DEEPER
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As the defense was introduced individually before the game, Smith jogged out of the tunnel in his No. 99 jersey blowing kisses to the crowd. If this was his last day in a Browns uniform, that was his goodbye.
Who else will join him?
(Photo of Jameis Winston: Jason Miller / Getty Images)
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich will reportedly be sidelined indefinitely after he missed Saturday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves with an undisclosed illness.
Spurs assistant coach Mitch Johnson took over for Popovich on the bench. He said at the time he was informed about two and a half hours before tipoff that the legendary coach was going to miss the game.
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich reacts after a call by an official during the second half of an NBA basketball game on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024 in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Egan)
“He’s not feeling well,” Johnson said Saturday night. “This has happened before. I think everybody’s just always got to be ready for the next man up. We’ve had it with injuries and sometimes people get sick or don’t feel well or things come up in life. He’s just not feeling well.”
ESPN reported Monday that Popovich will be sidelined for a while. The team told the outlet that Popovich did not travel with the team for road games against the Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets.
Popovich, 75, is the NBA’s career leader in wins with 1,390 victories. He is in his 29th season with the Spurs and has five NBA championships on his resume.
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San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich gives instructions to his players during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024 in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)
The Spurs won the game Saturday with Johnson guiding the team.
Keldon Johnson scored 25 points, and Chris Paul had 15 points and 13 assists.
“Mitch did a great job, man,” Paul said, via ESPN. “I think our whole coaching staff [did]. Things happen within this league all the time and just like with the players, it’s next man. So, shoutout to Mitch; he did a great job tonight.”
San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul, left, has a word with Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024 in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Egan)
The Spurs are 3-3 to start the year.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Steve Garvey is on the ballot Tuesday — and again next month.
On the Election Day ballot: Garvey, the longtime Dodgers star, against Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) for a U.S. Senate seat representing California.
Garvey is expected to lose handily. He spent one of the final days of the campaign attending the Dodgers’ World Series championship celebration.
However, Garvey will be up for election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in December.
The Hall announced Monday that Garvey and former Dodgers teammate Tommy John are two of eight candidates selected for this year’s Classic Baseball Era ballot.
Candidates must get 75% of the vote from a committee appointed by the Hall, with any winners announced Dec. 8 and inducted into Cooperstown next July. The Baseball Writers Association of America votes on more recently retired players; those results will be announced in January and any winners also would be inducted next July.
Joining Garvey and John on the committee ballot: Dick Allen, Ken Boyer, Dave Parker, Luis Tiant and Negro League standouts John Donaldson and Vic Harris.
The Hall affords a second chance to players not elected in BBWAA voting, with committees evaluating players based on the era in which they made their greatest contribution.
The Classic Baseball committee considers players that starred primarily before 1980. The Contemporary Baseball committee considers players that starred primarily after 1980, such as Fernando Valenzuela. That committee next makes its selections in 2025.
The committee last met in 2023 to consider this ballot: Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Albert Belle, Don Mattingly, Fred McGriff, Dale Murphy, Rafael Palmeiro and Curt Schilling. The committee that year was comprised largely of Hall of Famers and executives of major league teams.
Bonds, the only seven-time most valuable player in major league history, and Clemens, the only seven-time Cy Young winner, both were linked to the use of performance-enhancing drugs.
The only player elected by that committee: McGriff.
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