Denver Nuggets, LA Lakers clash amid tight Western play-off race
The Straits Times
The fourth-placed Lakers are currently on a four-game winning streak. Read more at straitstimes.com.
LOS ANGELES – The crowded NBA Western Conference seeding battle will get more clarity when the surging Los Angeles Lakers host the Denver Nuggets on March 14 night (March 15 morning, Singapore time).
The fourth-placed Lakers (41-25) are currently on a four-game winning streak and are aiming for third if they can beat Denver and win the season series.
Both have won one game in the series, and the third and final matchup is the only one in Los Angeles, which has its full complement of stars after LeBron James returned from foot, elbow and hip injuries on March 12.
James, who is third on the team in scoring at 21.4 points per game (ppg), is easing back into a line-up that has been playing well behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Doncic, who leads the NBA in scoring at 32.9 ppg, had 51 in the March 12 142-130 win over Chicago, and Reaves is second in scoring on Los Angeles with a 23.9 average. James had 18 points against the Bulls and took just 13 shots, but he is willing to sacrifice his stats for the team.
“If it benefits others, it benefits the team,” he said.
March 15 - World number two Jannik Sinner said Daniil Medvedev had found his best form again ahead of Sunday's Indian Wells title clash between the duo, heaping praise on the Russian's serving and returns in a solid start to the season. Read more at straitstimes.com.
March 15 - Toko Koga scored twice as Japan stayed on course for a third Women's Asian Cup title with a 7-0 win over the Philippines in Sydney on Sunday, setting up a semi-final against South Korea. Read more at straitstimes.com.
March 15 - The International Cricket Council (ICC) has reprimanded Pakistan batter Salman Agha for his reaction to a controversial run-out in the second One-Day International against Bangladesh in Dhaka on Friday. Read more at straitstimes.com.
INDIAN WELLS, California, March 15 - Daniil Medvedev said his Indian Wells semi-final win over Carlos Alcaraz on Saturday would prove nothing more than a temporary setback for the Spaniard, and that he and Jannik Sinner were playing at a totally different level from the rest of the tour. Read more at straitstimes.com.
PARIS, March 15 - France head coach Fabien Galthie hailed Louis Bielle-Biarrey as a “lethal weapon” following in the footsteps of Antoine Dupont after the winger’s four-try masterclass helped secure a dramatic Six Nations title-clinching victory over England on Saturday. Read more at straitstimes.com.
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. - All who wander up and down the leaderboard are not lost. Read more at straitstimes.com.
People feared for the safety of seven delegation members after they refused to sing Iran's national anthem. Read more at straitstimes.com.
The fourth-placed Lakers are currently on a four-game winning streak. Read more at straitstimes.com.
March 14 - The U.S. and Israel's conflict with Iran has led to sporting events being postponed in the region, while competitions elsewhere have been hit by travel disruption, with thousands of flights cancelled in some of the world's busiest transit hubs. Read more at straitstimes.com.
The 52-year-old sits atop the leaderboard with Joaquin Niemann heading into the final round. Read more at straitstimes.com.
March 14 - World number one Aryna Sabalenka said players must halt points straightaway to seek a video review for hindrance and not wait to decide, after Daniil Medvedev's dispute with Jack Draper sparked controversy at Indian Wells. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Victory also ensured their direct qualification for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil. Read more at straitstimes.com.
March 13 - Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina moved into the Indian Wells final with straight-sets victories over Linda Noskova and Elina Svitolina on Friday, setting up a rematch of their Australian Open Grand Slam title clash. Read more at straitstimes.com.