Sports
LeBron Scores 30, And The Lakers Avoid 1st-Round Elimination With A 119-108 Win Over Champion Denver
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers managed to overcome the Denver Nuggets’ dominance in this rivalry and prolonged their presence in the playoffs for at least one more game.
Unsurprisingly, LeBron James took the lead.
James scored 30 points, while Anthony Davis contributed 25 points and 23 rebounds. On Saturday night, the Lakers secured a 119-108 victory over Denver in Game 4 of their first-round series, preventing their elimination from the postseason.
D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves scored 21 points for the Lakers, the seventh-seeded team that ended its 11-game losing run against the reigning NBA champions by securing its first victory against the Nuggets since December 2022.
The Lakers ultimately emerged victorious as the series, characterized by distinct patterns and rhythms, underwent a significant shift. For the fourth game in a row, Los Angeles established a double-digit advantage, but Nikola Jokic of the Nuggets led a second-half comeback.
AP – VOR News Image
LeBron Scores 30, And The Lakers Avoid 1st-Round Elimination With A 119-108 Win Over Champion Denver
However, in this series, the Lakers showed tenacity and refused to buckle under the pressure from the defending champions. James, who is 39 years old, scored 14 points in the fourth quarter by making 6 out of 8 shots. Once again, he single-handedly led the Lakers to victory in the late stages of his 21st NBA season.
The series’ fifth game will take place on Monday evening in Denver.
“We have granted ourselves an additional opportunity to succeed, and now we are facing a decisive game,” James stated. “The game on Monday holds utmost significance for us this season, and we fully comprehend that.”
Last season, Denver completely defeated Los Angeles in the Western Conference finals. However, despite being down 0-3, the current Lakers showed a remarkable performance that was more fitting for a club with a strong record of 12 victories in 15 games leading up to the tournament.
“We have the chance to play an additional game, and if we are victorious, we will have the opportunity to play another one and continue progressing,” Reaves stated. “Although the odds are not in our favor, we are always willing to face challenges and seize any opportunity to achieve something remarkable while maintaining our stability.”
Jokic achieved a remarkable performance with 33 points, 14 rebounds, and 14 assists, marking his 18th career triple-double and second in this series. However, despite his efforts, the two-time MVP and his teammates could not regain their typical late-game superiority against the Lakers.
AP – VOR News Image
LeBron Scores 30, And The Lakers Avoid 1st-Round Elimination With A 119-108 Win Over Champion Denver
The Lakers’ commanding 19-point advantage, which they held for over six minutes, gradually decreased to 113-106 after Jokic’s successful three-point play with 1:25 left on the clock. However, Reaves responded by making a quick jump shot and securing four free throws in the last minute.
Denver finally failed to overcome another sluggish offensive beginning in a series replete with such starts.
“Naturally, we desire to commence with greater speed. However, I have acquired knowledge from horse racing that emphasizes the significance of one’s conclusion rather than one’s initial performance,” Jokic remarked. “Our performance today was not satisfactory, so we aim to improve in the future.” Our intention was to take the lead and dominate the game, but it appears that we were unable to achieve that.
Michael Porter Jr. contributed 27 points and 11 rebounds to Denver’s performance, while Jamal Murray scored 22 points despite missing all four 3-point attempts. Aaron Gordon’s scoring output for the Nuggets was limited to just seven points, a significant drop from his 29-point performance in Game 3, his highest-scoring playoff game. However, Coach Michael Malone attributed the Nuggets’ struggles to factors other than offense.
“The defense in the paint was laughable,” Malone commented, expressing his dissatisfaction with his team’s performance as they conceded an astonishing 72 points.
“During every huddle, I repeatedly made the same point tonight,” Malone added. “Each huddle was focused on the task of painting.” Our opponents scored 70 points in the third game, but we won. They scored a total of 72 points tonight. That is an astounding figure. We lacked the necessary physical strength and sense of urgency. This game was not the final game in the series.
Last season, the Nuggets, ranked second, also lost a game that might have closed out the series against Minnesota in the first round. However, Denver managed to win the series in five games and only suffered three more losses on their path to winning their first championship.
Although Jokic had great skill and James attracted attention towards the end, Davis consistently performed exceptionally well for the fourth consecutive game. He achieved a career playoff high of 23 rebounds and led the Lakers’ team with six assists.
“Being swept is a challenging experience,” Davis remarked. “No one desires that sensation, particularly when heading into the summer season.” It would help if you endured that sensation throughout the entire summer. We did not engage in a discussion over the matter. We are aware of the potential consequences or risks involved. No one wants to experience that sensation in their oral cavity during summer. How we performed tonight is how we must perform throughout the remainder of the series.
AP – VOR News Image
LeBron Scores 30, And The Lakers Avoid 1st-Round Elimination With A 119-108 Win Over Champion Denver
In Game 4, despite their difficult situation, the Lakers demonstrated great determination by consistently attacking the basket and scoring 44 points in the paint throughout the first half. As a result, they managed to take the lead at halftime for the fourth time in the series.
The Lakers increased their lead to 15 points in the third quarter until the closing minutes. At that moment, Jokic and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope ignited a rally for the Nuggets.
“They were exerting a significant amount of effort to maintain a fast tempo,” Jokic stated. “They had uncontested shots near the basket.” They were dominating us in the interior. We were unable to successfully take a shot. At times, they were also unable to make a shot, but it seemed that this greatly impacted our defense. “That team is excellent.”
Reggie Jackson, who sprained his ankle in the second half of Game 3, played for nine minutes for Denver.
Caleb Williams, a former USC quarterback who won the Heisman Trophy and was selected as the Chicago Bears’ first overall pick in the recent NFL draft, observed the game from a seat near the basketball court.
SOURCE – (AP)
The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics promises to be unlike any other.
In a novelty for the Games, the show will be held on Paris’ famed River Seine rather than in a stadium.
Here is everything you need know about the ceremony…
What to expect from the spectacular opening ceremony.
The eye-catching celebration will take place over a 6km stretch of the Seine. It will start at Austerlitz Bridge and culminate among the gardens, fountains, and palaces in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower at Trocadero.
Almost 100 boats will carry over 10,000 athletes and dignitaries as they cruise past Paris’ prominent monuments such as Notre Dame Cathedral and Pont Neuf.
The boats will transport the parade’s participants as well as the artistic portion of the celebration, which will highlight Paris and France’s history and culture.
The performers’ identities, however, have been kept a mystery.
Thousands of people are still expected to line the river and streets, with millions more watching on television all over the world.
“I’d like to show France in all its diversity,” said Thomas Jolly, the French actor and theatre director appointed as the ceremony’s creative director, a post previously played by Danny Boyle in London 2012.
“Illustrate the richness and plurality shaped by its history, which has been influenced and inspired by the diverse cultures that have passed through it, while itself serving as a source of inspiration.”
The ceremony will also involve the ceremonial opening of the Games, led by French President Emmanuel Macron, as well as the lighting of the Olympic cauldron.
Many of the finer elements have been maintained as a surprise.
What is the date and time of the opening ceremony?
The ceremony will commence at 19:30 local time (18:30 BST) on Friday, July 26.
It is scheduled to take little under four hours, with the last parts taking place as the sun sets over the French city.
Fortunately, the Paris weather forecast for Friday evening is positive.
In what sequence will the nations be introduced?
In accordance with tradition, Greece will be the first nation introduced during the ceremony.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, an NBA star, is one of their flagbearers for the games.
Greece will be followed by the Refugee Olympic Team, with hosts France being the last to be unveiled.
Because of their countries’ involvement in the Ukrainian conflict, Russian and Belarussian athletes participating as individuals will not participate.
How to follow the opening ceremony on BBC.
The opening ceremony will begin live at 17:45 BST on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, and the BBC Sport website and app.
BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds will provide radio coverage beginning at 19:00 BST.
There will also be live text coverage on the BBC Sport website and app, bringing you all the action from Paris.
Source: BBC
Sports
Coco Gauff To Be Female Flag Bearer For US Team At Olympic Opening Ceremony, Joining LeBron James
PARIS — Coco Gauff, a tennis player, will join LeBron James as a flag bearer for the United States Olympic team at Friday’s opening ceremony.
Coco, the reigning US Open winner, is ready to make her Olympic debut at the Paris Games, becoming the first tennis player to carry the American flag. Team USA athletes selected her and James.
“I believe the Olympics are the priority. It’s equal to the Grand Slams. I wouldn’t put it above or below because I’d never played before. “This is my first time,” Gauff explained earlier this year. “I always want to do well and get a medal.”
Coco Gauff | AP News Image
Coco Gauff To Be Female Flag Bearer For US Team At Olympic Opening Ceremony, Joining LeBron James
Coco and James, the 39-year-old NBA’s all-time top scorer, engage in sports outside the traditional Olympic realm and receive media attention year-round rather than every four years.
Coco, 20, joined the American team for the Tokyo Olympics as a youngster three years ago but had to withdraw because she tested positive for COVID-19 just before flying to Japan.
Coco, who now lives in Florida, has won Grand Slam titles in both singles and doubles. She earned her first major triumph in New York in September, defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the singles final of the U.S. Open, and then won her first Grand Slam doubles title at the French Open in June with Czech Republic’s Katerina Siniakova.
The Paris Olympics will be played on the same clay courts at Roland Garros used for the French Open. The bracket draw will take place on Thursday, and play will begin on Saturday.
Coco is seeded second in singles, matching her current WTA ranking behind Poland’s No. 1 Iga Swiatek, and will be one of the medal favorites.
Coco Gauff | AP news Image
Coco Gauff To Be Female Flag Bearer For US Team At Olympic Opening Ceremony, Joining LeBron James
She and her normal doubles partner, Jessica Pegula, are seeded first in the women’s doubles. Gauff may also compete in mixed doubles; however, those pairs have yet to be determined.
“I’m not putting too much pressure on it, because I want to fully enjoy the experience,” Gauff said of her Olympic debut. “Hopefully I can have the experience multiple times in my lifetime, (but) I’ll treat it as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
SOURCE | AP
When LeBron James was chosen for his first Olympics in 2004, he was unsure what the opening ceremony entailed.
This time, he’ll be a star of the show.
His fellow American Olympians chose James to be the male flagbearer for the United States at the opening ceremony of the Paris Games on Friday night. He is the third basketball player — and the first men’s player — to carry the United States flag at the start of an Olympics, following Dawn Staley in 2004 and Sue Bird in 2021.
“It’s an incredible honor to represent the United States on this global stage, especially in a moment that can bring the whole world together,” James told reporters. “As a kid from Akron, this responsibility means everything to not only me, but to my family, all the kids in my community, my teammates, other Olympians, and so many more people throughout the country with huge dreams. Sports have the capacity to unite us all, and I’m honored to be a part of this historic occasion.”
The 39-year-old James learned of the distinction Monday in London, just hours before the United States men’s team was supposed to play its final pre-Olympics exhibition game against World Cup champion Germany.
“We understand how much of an honor it is to be in that position and I think Bron’s entire career, on and off the court, speaks for itself as him being worthy of that honor,” Curry said on the video announcing his nomination.
“He has represented what it means to be excellent both on and off the court in his commitment to service and to uplifting the community in all ways that he knows how has been a lifelong passion,” Curry pointed out. “And the work speaks for itself.”
LeBron James Selected As Team USA Male Flagbearer For Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony
The female U.S. flagbearer is anticipated to be revealed on Tuesday. In 2020, the International Olympic Committee announced that country delegations would have two flagbearers at the Olympics’ opening ceremony, one male and one female, to encourage gender equality. The United States is set to send around 600 competitors to the Paris Games, with approximately 53% women.
“Being chosen by your teammates to carry the flag is a tremendous honor—and a testament to LeBron’s passion for Team USA and dedication to his sport,” U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland said.
James, a global icon, four-time NBA champion, and the league’s all-time leading scorer about to begin his record-tying 22nd NBA season, is set to compete in the Olympics for the fourth time, having previously won bronze in 2004, gold in Beijing in 2008, and gold again in London in 2012. He participated in the opening ceremony at his previous three Olympics.
This will be an unprecedented Olympic opening ceremony, with thousands of participants sailing along the River Seine at nightfall toward the Eiffel Tower. According to Olympic officials, the route is a 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) one, with some 320,000 spectators expected to watch from the river bank and an estimated 1 billion more watching on televisions around the world.
LeBron James Selected As Team USA Male Flagbearer For Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony
Not all Olympic athletes attend the opening ceremony; many miss it for logistical reasons, such as having to compete the next day. James and the four-time defending gold champion U.S. men shall begin Olympic competition on Sunday, when they face Serbia in Lille, France.
James and the American Olympians will have to wait longer than virtually any other nation for their voyage on the Seine. According to IOC protocol, Greece will lead the march, with NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo serving as one of its two flagbearers. The Refugee Olympic Team and over 200 more national delegations will follow. The United States is slated to be next-to-last in the procession because Los Angeles will host the next Summer Olympics in 2028.
As the host, France will be the last nation to participate in the opening ceremony procession. Its men’s basketball team, which includes reigning NBA rookie of the year Victor Wembanyama, begins Olympic competition on Saturday and is not scheduled to attend the opening ceremony.
SOURCE | AP
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