Sports
Lakers suffer another key injury during loss to Pelicans
This was the time to move forward, the final game of 2023, the final game of a stretch where the Lakers played 14 of 19 games away from Los Angeles.
As this chapter on the Lakers’ season was set to close, coach Darvin Ham made a bit of a proclamation pregame in New Orleans. The Lakers were going to push forward with a new starting lineup — this time with Rui Hachimura as the team’s fifth starter.
“I think this lineup that you see tonight, we’re going to stick with for the foreseeable future,” Ham said.
It lasted eight minutes.
Another blow to the team’s quest for consistency combined with a short turnaround after an emotional loss to Minnesota on Saturday meant the Lakers’ calendar year ended with a 129-109 loss to the Pelicans.
Hachimura, who moved into the starting lineup for Cam Reddish (out because of a groin injury), had to leave Sunday’s game in New Orleans because of a calf injury, another hiccup for a team that’s back to .500 (17-17).
“It is what it is,” LeBron James said. “It is what our record is and we have to figure it out and get better, for sure.”
The record has to be particularly discouraging considering how James and Anthony Davis have played to this point, the two stars being plenty good enough while the supporting cast has varied and scuffled.
James, playing for the second straight game with an illness, scored 34 points — the 11th most by a 39-year-old in league history. Davis and Austin Reaves had 20 each, but the Pelicans shot better than 50% from the field on three-pointers.
Injuries, again, forced the reshuffling in the first place, the Lakers playing without Reddish and D’Angelo Russell (tailbone bruise). But the new plan had to be re-worked after Hachimura quickly left Sunday’s game.
He’ll undergo further evaluation in Los Angeles.
New Orleans Pelicans forward Larry Nance Jr., center, tries to block a pass between Lakers forward Taurean Prince, left, and forward Anthony Davis in the first half Sunday.
(Gerald Herbert / Associated Press)
Reaves, who the team has been reluctant to put back in the starting lineup, had to play with the group to start the second half. Reaves had 13 of his 20 points in the third.
But the Lakers, ultimately, looked too heavy-legged to respond to the Pelicans, who hung 42 points on L.A. in the first quarter without ever really slowing down.
The Lakers have are just 3-8 since winning the NBA’s first in-season tournament.
“Since the in-season tournament, we’ve been struggling,” Reaves said. “Health, injuries, sickness, we’ve kinda had some bad fortune there. But at the end of the day, that happens to everybody. But we have to look in the mirror and see what we can do to be better, what I can to do be better. And just get better.”
The team arrived in New Orleans after 3 a.m. Sunday following their loss in Minnesota. And while the league affirmed its ruling on James’ shot with his toe on the three-point line late, it reported missed calls on a goaltend and a charge that weren’t called against the Timberwolves.
Then the defense never physically bothered the motivated Pelicans, who last faced the Lakers in a 44-point rout in Las Vegas.
Zion Williamson scored 26 points, Brandon Ingram had 26 and CJ McCollum 22 for New Orleans, which trailed only for a single possession in the first quarter.
The Lakers now play 11 of their next 12 games in Los Angeles to start 2024.
“We’ve been a pretty good home team thus far and now we got to take advantage of it,” Davis said. “We get to sleep in our own beds, don’t have to worry about traveling. Our own resources. Get some practice time in and let guys get healthy. So it’s gonna be big for us to make this homestand a great one. We got to take advantage of it.”
Sports
Jordon Hudson takes swipe at critics with message on necklace as she watches UNC win
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Jordon Hudson was spotted on the sideline of the North Carolina Tar Heels’ 20-15 win over the Stanford Cardinal with a message around her neck.
Hudson’s glistening necklace read, “Banned.”
North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick’s girlfriend Jordon Hudson on the sidelines before an NCAA college football game against Stanford, Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)
Controversy swirled around Hudson and head coach Bill Belichick since the two arrived at the program. The spotlight increased after a disastrous interview with CBS to promote the legendary coach’s book. A report surfaced in May about Hudson allegedly being barred from the program.
However, North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham denied that Hudson was prohibited from the stadium and the facility. It became more evident when Hudson greeted her boyfriend during the Tar Heels’ first game of the season in Chapel Hill.
INDIANA’S OMAR COOPER JR SENDS COLLEGE FOOTBALL FANS INTO FRENZY WITH INCREDIBLE TD CATCH VS PENN STATE
North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick’s girlfriend Jordon Hudson, center, with white boots, stands on the sidelines before an NCAA college football game against Stanford, Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)
Hudson appears to have the upper hand now against the detractors as North Carolina’s season has not spiraled out of control. Instead, North Carolina moved to 4-5 on the season following the win over Stanford.
The Tar Heels also had a big win against the Syracuse Orange and were nearly victories against the California Golden Bears and Virginia Cavaliers.
North Carolina quarterback Gio Lopez was 18-of-25 with 203 passing yards and two touchdown passes. He had a 55-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Shipp, who led the Tar Heels with five catches for 83 yards.
“Good win,” Belichick said. “Good to win at home. Always good to win at home. Proud of our team.”
Jordon Hudson attends the game between the Virginia Cavaliers and the North Carolina Tar Heels at Kenan Memorial Stadium on Oct. 25, 2025 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Lance King/Getty Images)
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North Carolina has three games left on its schedule with Wake Forest, Duke and North Carolina State left to play.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Sports
Prep talk: Laguna Beach has three freshmen football players to watch
Laguna Beach’s football season came to an end on Friday night after the Breakers lost to Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 44-28 in a Division 3 playoff opener. But if you saw the performances of three freshmen starters, you’d know how promising the future looks for Laguna Beach.
Luke Bogdan, 6-foot-4, 260 pounds, and Winston Darrow, 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, are 14 years old. Both start on the offensive line. Bogdan also played on the defensive line. Then there’s Charlie Christian, a running back and linebacker who is 15 and never wants to go down without a fight.
To have players so young holding their own on an offensive line in Division 3 was remarkable. Quarterback Jack Hurst was sacked once. Then there’s Christian, who caught five passes for 85 yards while also taking on Notre Dame’s huge offensive line on defense at his linebacker position.
When college recruiters see these freshmen on film and imagine how big and strong they might become in the coming years, they’ll be impressed.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
Sports
No 2 Indiana caps off comeback win over Penn State with sensational touchdown, keeps undefeated season alive
Will Indiana and Oregon win Big Ten matchups?
Joel Klatt previewed the Indiana Hoosiers and the Penn State Nittany Lions. He explained how the Hoosiers are battling injuries with WR Elijah Surrat and LB Aiden Fisher and questioned if that will effect their chances at a playoff run. Joel broke…
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Penn State was on the verge of a massive upset of No. 2 Indiana, but Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza and wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. had other ideas.
Indiana survived Penn State, winning 27-24 on Saturday afternoon at Beaver Stadium thanks to an incredible 10-play, 73-yard drive that Mendoza authored.
The Nittany Lions were up 24-20 with 1:51 left in the fourth quarter, and Indiana had no timeouts. On the first play of the drive, Mendoza was sacked by defender Zane Durant for a loss of seven yards.
Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. catches a touchdown pass over Penn State safety Zakee Wheatley during the fourth quarter, Saturday, in State College, Pa. (Barry Reeger/AP Photo)
The Indiana quarterback rallied his team back to the line of scrimmage and completed a 22-yard pass to Cooper to negate the sack and get a first down. Mendoza spiked the ball to stop the clock.
On the ensuing play after the spike, Mendoza connected with E.J. Williams Jr. for 12 yards and another first down. Two plays later, Mendoza hit Riley Nowakowski for a 29-yard gain to move into Penn State territory.
Mendoza then connected with Charlie Becker for another 17 yards to move to the Penn State 7-yard line. With 45 seconds left, Indiana gave themselves a chance to win the game.
COLLEGE QUARTERBACK APOLOGIZES AFTER FLAUNTING NIL MONEY TO CRITIC IN VIRAL VIDEO
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza looks to pass against Penn State, Saturday, in State College, Pa. (Barry Reeger/AP Photo)
It looked like Mendoza completed the comeback on second down. The Hoosiers quarterback connected with Becker on a slant in the end zone for a touchdown, but the referees blew the play dead because Penn State got a timeout at the last second. The Nittany Lions forced an incomplete pass on second down to force third down after the timeout.
On third and goal, with the Hoosiers’ undefeated record on the line, Mendoza and Cooper saved the day.
Mendoza, who was about to be clobbered by oncoming rushers, stepped into a throw and delivered a high pass to Cooper. The wide receiver skied for the catch and, in acrobatic fashion, just got his toe down in the end zone to complete not only an incredible touchdown, but the comeback as well.
Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr., center, celebrates his touchdown catch with teammates, Saturday, in State College, Pa. (Barry Reeger/AP Photo)
Penn State got the ball back with 35 seconds and one timeout, down 27-24, but couldn’t get into field goal range, and their Hail Mary attempt fell short.
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Mendoza threw for 218 yards and had one touchdown with one interception in the win. Cooper had six catches for 32 yards and a touchdown.
Indiana improved to 10-0 with the win and will look to keep it rolling against Wisconsin (2-6) next week. Penn State dropped to 3-6 with the loss and will look to rally against Michigan State (3-6) next week.
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