The Sports Report: Will the real Anthony Davis show up?
Howdy, I’m your host, Austin Knoblauch, filling in for Houston Mitchell, who’s on vacation (probably on trash can-elimination duty at Minute Maid Park ahead of the Dodgers-Astros series). Let’s get right to the news.
Broderick Turner on the Lakers: The dual role Kentavious Caldwell-Pope finds himself in again for the Lakers during the playoffs remains magnified because his play is vital to the team’s success.
Go beyond the scoreboard
Get the latest on L.A.'s teams in the daily Sports Report newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
The Lakers need Caldwell-Pope to shoot three-pointers with confidence in the first-round series against the Phoenix Suns. They need Caldwell-Pope to play determined defense on Suns All-Star guard Devin Booker.
With Game 2 on Tuesday in the best-of-seven series the Lakers trail 1-0, Caldwell-Pope knows how significant his role is.
“My play is very much needed,” he said in a videoconference Monday after practice. “Starts by having energy on the defensive end, where I need to start, ‘cause that’s a tough matchup, tough series with Devin Booker. He can score and he’s been doing it in all type of ways. So, just trying to have my focus more on the defensive end and when I’m open, shoot the ball, knock down shots — what I’ve been doing my whole career.
“Been in the organization four years. That’s been my job — three-and-D. So, I take that very serious, so it’s gonna be tough. But I lean my hat on my defense, so it’s gonna be good.”
Game 1 was not good for the Lakers or Caldwell-Pope, who made only two of nine shots from the field and one of seven from three-point range.
Caldwell-Pope was not alone in failing to contain Booker, who had 34 points on 13-for-26 shooting.
Enjoying this newsletter? Consider subscribing to the Los Angeles Times
Your support helps us deliver the news that matters most. Become a subscriber.
MORE ON LAKERS
Bill Plaschke on Anthony Davis and the Lakers: Devin Booker grew larger by the minute, becoming as big as the moment.
Anthony Davis evaporated.
Chris Paul fought through injury, gritting through adversity.
Anthony Davis caved.
The Phoenix Suns were everything a winning playoff basketball team should be Sunday in a raucous first-round playoff opener.
Anthony Davis was none of those things, and so the Lakers never stood a chance.
The Suns filled the Talking Stick Resort Arena with a one-armed Paul, a playoff-novice roster, 16 fewer free throw attempts … and still won 99-90.
————
Dan Woike on LeBron James: The NBA announced LeBron James won’t be subject to any quarantine penalties after attending an event for his tequila brand last week.
“To clarify any remaining misconception, LeBron James briefly attended an outdoor event last week where participants were required to be vaccinated or return a negative test result. Under these circumstances and in consultation with medical experts, it was determined that his attendance did not create risks related to the spread of COVID-19 and therefore no quarantine was necessary,” NBA spokesperson Mike Bass said in a statement. “Over the course of this season, there have been numerous similar violations of the league’s Health and Safety Protocols, which were addressed with the player’s team in a similar fashion.
“Under current NBA rules, vaccinated players are permitted to engage in outside activities including their individual commercial arrangements, such as sponsor appearances or ad shoots.”
Asked about the event following Game 1, James didn’t answer.
“I’ll be ready for Game 2,” he said.
————
Broderick Turner on Chris Paul and Kobe Bryant: Chris Paul’s drive and determination to play through the pain of a bruised right shoulder on Sunday was derived earlier in the day when the Phoenix Suns All-Star sat down to watch a four-minute video from Kobe Bryant on how the body can betray you.
As he got treatment in the Suns’ locker room during Game 1 of their playoff series for what the team called a contusion after his right arm struck LeBron James and his head hit teammate Cameron Johnson’s torso , Paul said he thought back to that Bryant clip.
Paul sustained the injury with 9 minutes 24 seconds left in the second quarter after James had leaped over the Suns guard for a put-back attempt, Paul losing his balance after he had swiped at the ball. He stayed down for quite a while writhing in pain after his head hit the Talking Stick Resort Arena court as players from both teams gathered around him. When he eventually got up, a towel over his head, James hugged and kissed Paul on the head before he went to the locker room.
Then with 5:32 left in the second quarter, Paul returned to the game to a rousing ovation.
After he inspired his teammates by coming back to play, finishing with seven points, eight assists and four rebounds in 36:10 in Phoenix’s 99-90 win over the Lakers, Paul talked about the video his trainer had sent to him about Bryant’s willingness to play through injuries.
“I listened to it before the game and hearing Kob just talking about the work ethic that you put in and stuff like that,” Paul said during his media session on Zoom. “And in the thing Kobe says like, ‘Injuries, sometimes you just can’t control them.’ So, that was all that was going through my mind after the play I got hit. Once I got here to the back and they checked me out and knew if there was any way I could play, I was going to.”
CLIPPERS
Andrew Greif on the Clippers: Stationed high in the corners of Staples Center, cameras tracking the moves of each player in the Clippers’ Game 1 loss to Dallas registered what the rest of the audience witnessed — Mavericks guard Luka Doncic finding success against defenders not named Kawhi Leonard.
In a league dominated by pick-and-roll offense, with defenders running a variety of coverages to stop it, deciding defensive matchups is not a straightforward exercise, which is why the NBA tracking data that generates such analysis often is presented with caveats. It generally tells the broader story, and Saturday, it was that Doncic scored 16 of his game-high 31 points when guarded by center Ivica Zubac. He was guarded most often by backup forward Nicolas Batum.
Why was Leonard, a six-time member of the All-Defensive team and a two-time defensive player of the year, not guarding Doncic more often than his credited 7.2 partial possessions, during which Doncic didn’t attempt a field goal or a free throw?
“He has to carry a lot of the load offensively, and we have three or four guys that we can put on [Doncic] and mix it up,” Coach Tyronn Lue said Sunday. “But, I think you’ll get what you’re asking for come Tuesday.”
DODGERS
Dylan Hernández on the Dodgers: This was what the wait was for, this was why the Dodgers treated him as if he were made of glass at certain stages of his career.
Julio Urías is only 24, but declarations about his talent don’t require the use of the future tense anymore.
The former uber-prospect is now an All-Star-caliber pitcher.
Urías pitched the Dodgers past the San Francisco Giants on Sunday, both in a sweep-sealing 11-5 victory at Oracle Park and in the National League West standings.
With a start in which he was perfect for five-plus innings, Urías improved to 7-1, his win total the most in the Dodgers’ decorated rotation and second-most in the entire NL.
RAMS
Gary Klein on the Rams: He is preparing for his 13th NFL season, but for Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford it qualifies as a new start.
The Rams were on the field Monday for full-team drills as Phase III of the offseason program began. Reporters were not allowed at the workout, but Stafford said afterward that for him, like rookies, “We’re all in the same boat” as they attempt to absorb and execute coach Sean McVay’s offense.
“Just trying to learn this thing as fast we possibly can and make it second nature as soon as possible,” Stafford said during a videoconference.
The Rams traded for Stafford with the aim of elevating the offense to a level not achieved since the 2018 season, when McVay’s high-powered scheme helped the Rams advance to the Super Bowl.
After a divisional-round playoff defeat in January, the Rams sent quarterback Jared Goff and two first-round draft picks to the Detroit Lions because McVay saw the 33-year-old Stafford as a significant upgrade, a player capable of helping the Rams win Super Bowl LVI, which will be played Feb. 13 at SoFi Stadium.
CHARGERS
Jeff Miller on the Chargers: Dressed in shorts and without a helmet, Derwin James still experienced one of his most significant practices as a professional football player Monday.
That’s because the 2018 All-Pro was, for the first time in nearly nine months, a football player again.
James, who missed the 2020 season because of a knee injury, returned as the Chargers opened the next phase of offseason activities at their training complex in Costa Mesa.
“I cherish every moment I’m out there,” he said afterward. “It felt good to be back out on the grass with my coaches and my teammates. It felt amazing today.”
After a standout rookie year, James appeared in only five of the Chargers’ last 32 games because of major injuries sustained in each of the past two training camps.
The Chargers’ medical staff gave James the OK on Saturday to return, a development he called “a relief.” New head coach Brandon Staley suggested James’ impact was immediate.
“You can see that he’s a multiplier out there,” Staley said. “From the minute I got hired, I met this guy … and I felt better about our chances. When he’s out there, our chances increase by a whole bunch.”
SOCCER
Kevin Baxter on soccer: Galaxy midfielder Sebastian Lletget is one of four MLS players called up to a European-heavy national team roster ahead of next month’s CONCACAF Nations League Final Four in Denver.
The 23-man roster coach Gregg Berhalther named Monday was one of the most diverse and most decorated in U.S. Soccer history, boasting players from 11 countries. Nine of the players selected made 30 or more appearances for clubs in top-flight European leagues in Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Portugal and Belgium in 2020-21.
And that list doesn’t include forward Christian Pulisic and Zack Steffen, whose English Premier League teams will meet in Saturday’s UEFA Champions League final. Pulisic appeared in 27 EPL games and 42 matches in all competition for Chelsea while Steffen made one Premier League start for Manchester City but started 12 times overall.
Five players — Steffen; forwards Brenden Aaronson of Austria’s Red Bull Salzburg, Jordan Siebatcheu of Switzerland’s Young Boys and Tim Weah of France’s Lille; and goalkeeper Ethan Horvath of Belgium’s Club Brugge — also helped their team win league titles this season, while four others won domestic cups.
HOCKEY
Helene Elliott on the Ducks: Jeff Solomon, whose expertise with the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement helped the Kings navigate tricky rules while he negotiated contracts and maximized their salary cap space, has left after 15 seasons to become the Ducks’ vice president of hockey operations and assistant general manager. Solomon fills a spot that opened when David McNab, who had worked for the Ducks since 1993 and had been their senior vice president of hockey operations since 2008, retired two weeks ago.
Solomon, 63, a University of San Diego law school graduate, will oversee strategic budget planning for the Ducks as it relates to the NHL’s labor agreement with the NHL Players’ Assn. In a statement issued on Monday, the Ducks said Solomon also will oversee issues related to the salary cap, contract and arbitration negotiations, and player evaluation.
NBA PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE/RESULTS
First round
All times Pacific
WESTERN CONFERENCE
No. 1 Utah vs. No. 8 Memphis
Memphis 112, Utah 109
Wednesday: at Utah, 7 p.m., TBT
Saturday: at Memphis, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
Monday: at Memphis, 6:30 p.m., TNT
*Wed., June 2: at Utah, TBD, TBD
*Friday, June 4: at Memphis, TBD, TBD
*Sunday, June 6: at Utah, TBD, TBD
No. 2 Phoenix vs. No. 7 Lakers
Phoenix 99, Lakers 90
Today: at Phoenix, 7 p.m., TNT
Thursday: at Lakers, 7 p.m., TNT
Sunday: at Lakers, 12:30 p.m., ABC
*Tuesday: at Phoenix, TBD, TBD
*Thur., June 3: at Lakers, TBD, TBD
*Sat., June 5: at Phoenix, TBD, TBD
No. 3 Denver vs. No. 6 Portland
Portland 123, Denver 109
Denver 128, Portland 109
Thursday: at Portland, 7:30 p.m., NBATV
Saturday: at Portland, 1 p.m., TNT
Tuesday: at Denver, TBD, TBD
*Thur., June 3: at Portland, TBD, TBD
*Sat., June 5: at Denver, TBD, TBD
No. 4 Clippers vs. No. 5 Dallas
Dallas 113, Clippers 103
Today: at Clippers, 7:30 p.m., NBATV
Friday: at Dallas, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
Sunday: at Dallas, 6:30 p.m., TBT
*Wed., June 2: at Clippers, TBD, TBD
*Fri., June 4: at Dallas, TBD, TBD
*Sun., June 6: at Clippers, TBD, TBD
EASTERN CONFERENCE
No. 1 Philadelphia vs. No. 8 Washington
Philadelphia 125, Washington 118
Wednesday: at Philadelphia, 4 p.m., NBATV
Saturday: at Washington, 4 p.m., ESPN
Monday: at Washington, 4 p.m., TNT
*Wed., June 2: at Philadelphia, TBD, TBD
*Fri., June 4: at Washington, TBD, TBD
*Sun., June 6: at Philadelphia, TBD, TBD
No. 2 Brooklyn vs. No. 7 Boston
Brooklyn 104, Boston 93
Today: at Brooklyn, 4:30 p.m., TNT
Friday: at Boston, 5:30 p.m., ABC
Sunday: at Boston, 4 p.m., TNT
*Tuesday: at Brooklyn, TBD, TBD
*Thur., June 3: at Boston, TBD, TBD
*Sat., June 5: at Brooklyn, TBD, TBD
No. 3 Milwaukee vs. No. 6 Miami
Milwaukee 109, Miami 107
Milwaukee 132, Miami 98
Thursday: at Miami, 4:30 p.m., TNT
Saturday: at Miami, 10:30 a.m., TNT
*Tuesday: at Milwaukee, TBD, TBD
*Thur., June 3: at Miami, TBD, TBD
*Sat. June 5: at Milwaukee, TBD, TBD
No. 4 New York vs. No. 5 Atlanta
Atlanta 107, New York 105
Wednesday: at New York, 4:30 p.m., TNT
Friday: at Atlanta, 4 p.m., ESPN
Sunday: at Atlanta, 10 a.m., ABC
*Wed., June 2: at New York, TBD, TBD
*Fri., June 4: at Atlanta, TBD, TBD
*Sun., June 6: at New York, TBD, TBD
*-if necessary
NHL PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE/RESULTS
First round
All times Pacific
East Division
Pittsburgh vs. NY Islanders
New York 4, Pittsburgh 3 (OT)
Pittsburgh 2, New York 1
Pittsburgh 5, New York 4
New York 4, Penguins 1
New York 3, Pittsburgh 2 (2OT)
Wednesday: at New York, 3:30 p.m., NBCSN
*Friday: at Pittsburgh, TBD
Washington vs. Boston
Washington 3, Boston 2 (OT)
Boston 4, Washington 3 (OT)
Boston 3, Washington 2 (2 OT)
Boston 4, Washington 1
Boston 3, Washington 1
Boston wins series, 4-1
Central Division
Carolina vs. Nashville
Carolina 5, Nashville 2
Carolina 3, Nashville 0
Nashville 5, Carolina 4 (2OT)
Nashville 4, Carolina 3 (2OT)
Today: at Carolina, 5 p.m., CNBC
Thursday: at Nashville, 6:30 p.m., NBCSN
*Saturday: at Carolina, TBD
Florida vs. Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay 5, Florida 4
Tampa Bay 3, Florida 1
Florida 6, Tampa Bay 5 (OT)
Tampa Bay 6, Florida 2
Florida 4, Tampa Bay 1
Wednesday: at Tampa Bay, 5 p.m., CNBC
*Friday: at Florida, TBD
North Division
Toronto vs. Montreal
Montreal 2, Toronto 1
Toronto 5, Montreal 1
Toronto 2, Montreal 1
Today: at Montreal, 4:30 p.m., NBCSN
Thursday: at Toronto, 4 p.m., NBCSN
*Saturday: at Montreal, TBD
*Monday: at Toronto, TBD
Edmonton vs. Winnipeg
Winnipeg 4, Edmonton 1
Winnipeg 1, Edmonton 0
Winnipeg 5, Edmonton 4 (OT)
Winnipeg 4, Edmonton 3 (3OT)
Winnipeg wins series, 4-0
West Division
Colorado vs. St. Louis
Colorado 4, St. Louis 1
Colorado 6, St. Louis 3
Colorado 5, St. Louis 1
Colorado 5, St. Louis 2
Colorado wins series, 4-0
Vegas vs. Minnesota
Minnesota 1, Vegas 0 (OT)
Vegas 3, Minnesota 1
Vegas 5, Minnesota 2
Vegas 4, Minnesota 0
Wild 4, Vegas 2
Wednesday: at Minnesota, 6 p.m., NBCSN
*Friday: at Vegas, TBD
*-if necessary
THIS DATE IN SPORTS
1948 — Ben Hogan wins the PGA championship, beating Mike Turnesa in the final round, 7 and 6.
1965 — Muhammad Ali knocks out Sonny Liston a minute into the first round in the controversial rematch for Ali’s heavyweight title. Listed as the fastest knockout in a heavyweight title bout, Liston goes down on a short right-hand punch.
1975 — The Golden State Warriors become the third team to sweep the NBA finals, beating the Washington Bullets 96-95 on Butch Beard’s foul shot with 9 seconds remaining.
1978 — The Montreal Canadiens defeat the Boston Bruins 4-1 in Game 6 for their third straight Stanley Cup.
1980 — Johnny Rutherford wins his third Indianapolis 500 in seven years and becomes the first driver to win twice from the pole position.
1987 — Herve Filion becomes the first harness racing driver to win 10,000 races. Filion reaches the milestone driving Commander Bond to victory in the third race at Yonkers Raceway.
1991 — The Pittsburgh Penguins, led by Mario Lemieux, win the Stanley Cup for the first time with an 8-0 rout of the Minnesota North Stars.
1998 — Princeton punctuates its claim as one of college lacrosse’s great programs by beating Maryland 15-5 for its third straight NCAA Division I title and fifth in seven years.
2002 — Boston sets an NBA record, overcoming a 21-point fourth-quarter deficit in a 94-90 win over New Jersey. The Celtics outscore the Nets 41-16 in the quarter.
2003 — Juli Inkster shoots a 10-under 62 — tying the lowest final-round score by a winner in LPGA Tour history — to beat Lorie Kane by four strokes in the LPGA Corning Classic.
2007 — Bjarne Riis is the first Tour de France winner to admit using performance-enhancing drugs to win the sport’s premier race, further eroding cycling’s credibility after a series of doping confessions. His admission means the top three finishers in the 1996 Tour are linked to doping — with two admitting to cheating.
2008 — Seven crashes and spinouts mar the first Indianapolis 500 since the two warring open-wheel series (CART and IRL) came together under the IndyCar banner. Scott Dixon stays ahead of the trouble to win the race.
2009 — Syracuse rallies from a three-goal deficit in the final 3:37 of regulation to beat Cornell 10-9 and win its second straight and unprecedented 11th NCAA lacrosse title.
AND FINALLY
The rematch between Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston in 1965 didn’t last long. Watch it here.
Until next time...
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com, and follow me on Twitter at @latimeshouston. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Go beyond the scoreboard
Get the latest on L.A.'s teams in the daily Sports Report newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
