Sports
Lakers, Suns tangle after winning in coaches' debuts
Oct 22, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick signals a play beside guard Austin Reaves (15) during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images Longtime Pacific Division counterparts renew their rivalry for the first time in the 2024-25 season on Friday when the Los Angeles Lakers host the Phoenix Suns.
Both Los Angeles and Phoenix won in their regular-season openers. Kevin Durant’s 25 points paced all five Suns starters scoring in double figures, while Bradley Beal added 24 points in a 116-113 overtime defeat of the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday, spoiling the opening of Intuit Dome for the hosts.
The combination of Durant and Beal’s scoring, while Devin Booker added 15 points with 4-of-5 3-point shooting and six assists, was a welcomed way for Phoenix to start its season. The trio only played together 41 times in an up-and-down 2023-24 campaign that ended with the Suns swept out of the first round of the postseason by Minnesota.
“It’s just one game. We want to keep building,” Durant said in his postgame interview with ESPN. “We just have a system we can rely on for four quarters (with) coach (Mike Budenholzer) calling plays, guys getting out on the break and running and passing the ball.”
Wednesday’s win marked the regular-season debut of Budenholzer on the Phoenix sideline. He was previously head coach at Milwaukee where he won an NBA championship in 2021, beating the Suns in the Finals.
Budenholzer’s Bucks teams were consistently among the highest-scoring in the league. Durant’s comments following the win over the Clippers alluded to the wide-open style that Phoenix is likely to employ with its new head coach.
The Lakers won their own debut under a new head coach, JJ Redick. The offseason hire of the first-timer Redick, who was working in media since retiring from the NBA in 2021, raised eyebrows.
However, Los Angeles scored a 110-103 win over Minnesota on Tuesday in Redick’s debut behind a stellar performance from Anthony Davis. The veteran big man finished with 36 points, 16 rebounds, four assists and three blocked shots to set the pace.
“The game plan, the schemes that he has on both sides of the floor, he trusts us and we trust him,” Davis said of Redick. “It’s our job to go out and execute it. … Our game plan was elite.”
Austin Reaves added 12 points, nine rebounds and four assists, while Rui Hachimura finished with 18 points and five rebounds.
LeBron James, tipping off his 22nd season, finished with 16 points, five rebounds and four assists. Most notable for James was the brief time he shared the floor with his son, Bronny, who played less than three minutes in his NBA debut.
While the role for the junior James off the Lakers bench remains to be seen, his fellow rookie, Dalton Knecht, appears poised for significant contributions.
Knecht had five points, two assists and a steal playing almost 16 minutes. His preseason included a 37-point performance.
Jaxson Hayes also made an impact coming off the bench on Tuesday with 10 points. The post player should see significant playing time while the Lakers await the return of Jarred Vanderbilt from a heel injury.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Braves activate OF Ronald Acuna Jr. from injured list
Jul 4, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) during batting practice before a game against the New York Mets at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Colin Hubbard-Imagn Images The Atlanta Braves reinstated star outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. from the 10-day injured list ahead of Monday’s series opener against the host New York Mets.
The five-time All-Star is batting .251 with seven homers, 22 RBIs and 15 stolen bases in 53 games during an injury-plagued campaign.
Acuna, 28, has not played with the Braves since June 9 due to a left hamstring strain, the same injury that kept him out for more than two weeks in May.
The 2023 National League MVP, Acuna is a career .287 hitter with 193 homers, 481 RBIs and 220 steals in 870 games since making his debut with Atlanta in 2018.
The Braves optioned outfielder Brewer Hicklen, 30, to Triple-A Gwinnett in a corresponding move. He batted .368 (7-for-19) with four doubles and three RBIs in eight games.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Nashville SC acquire Senegalese M Famara Camara
Sep 18, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; General view of the MLS PRO logo on the side of a match ball in the match between Nashville SC and Chicago Fire at Geodis Park. Mandatory Credit: Casey Gower-Imagn Images Nashville SC acquired midfielder Famara Camara from Norwegian side Ranheim Fotball on Monday.
The 21-year-old Senegal native is signed through June 2029 with an option through June 2030. He will occupy an international roster slot.
Camara recorded one goal and two assists in 39 appearances across all competitions with Ranheim from 2025-26.
Locking down the midfield for the long haul ?? pic.twitter.com/n1rsC6J2Ab
— Nashville SC (@NashvilleSC) July 27, 2026
“Famara is a talented midfielder who has the ability to impact games on both sides of the ball,” Nashville president of soccer operations and general manager Mike Jacobs said. “He will join a talented midfield corps here in Nashville and complement that group really well.”
Midway through the season, Nashville (12-2-3) leads the MLS Supporters’ Shield race with 39 points.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: NBA to max out LeBron James, 76ers' national TV games
May 11, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) during the second half in game four of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Fans itching to watch LeBron James play in his new Philadelphia uniform should get plenty of opportunities this season as the 76ers are expected to get the NBA’s maximum of 34 national game telecasts/streams, Front Office Sports reported Monday.
That would more than double the 14 national games the Sixers were featured in last season, when the team led by Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey finished in a disappointing seventh place in the Eastern Conference at 45-37.
Now that the 41-year-old James has signed a two-year, $8 million contract to play in Philly, viewers can expect to see him featured prominently during tentpole league events like opening week and Christmas Day’s five-game slate.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said on July 16 he was awaiting James’ decision before finalizing the schedule for the telecasts/streams across Disney’s ABC/ESPN, NBCUniversal’s NBC Sports/Peacock, and Amazon’s Prime Video. The league receives input from these partners before making the final schedule.
Four teams received the maximum 34 national games last season: the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks, who play in the league’s biggest market; the Los Angeles Lakers in the No. 2 market; the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder; and four-time champion Steph Curry’s Golden State Warriors.
–Field Level Media
Braves activate OF Ronald Acuna Jr. from injured list
Nashville SC acquire Senegalese M Famara Camara
