LOS ANGELES: Luka Doncic scored 11 points in the first half of his debut with the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night, joining their starting lineup alongside LeBron James and immediately getting into the flow.
Doncic got multiple standing ovations from a Los Angeles crowd wearing thousands of gold T-shirts with his name and No. 77 while the Lakers streaked out to a 25-point halftime lead on the Utah Jazz.
The Slovenian superstar’s first bucket was a 3-pointer in the opening minutes on his second shot for the Lakers. Doncic added three rebounds and three assists – none prettier than a three-quarter-court strike to James for a layup late in the first half.
The game was Doncic’s first in nearly seven weeks since he strained his left calf on Christmas with the Mavericks, who shocked the sports world by trading their 25-year-old centerpiece and NBA scoring champion. The grateful Lakers gave up Anthony Davis and Max Christie.
After a full week to settle in and to return to full strength, Doncic joined James, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes as starters for the streaking Lakers, who had won five straight and 11 of 13 even before adding a five-time All-NBA selection to their lineup.
Coach JJ Redick, who played alongside Doncic for 13 games in 2021 with the Dallas Mavericks, was eager to see what Doncic would do in his much-hyped debut with his new team.
“Excitement level is high,” Redick said. “I don’t think anything in our approach or game plan for Utah changes. It is always a challenge in-season to integrate, and we have to be able to give each other patience for that.”
Doncic didn’t disappoint: His first touch was an alley-oop assist to Hayes, and he hit his 3-pointer moments later. He was serenaded with “Luka! Luka!” chants at the first dead ball, and several times thereafter.
That crowd included Dirk Nowitzki, who overlapped with Doncic for one season in Dallas and served as his mentor. Doncic appeared to be the natural heir to the German Hall of Famer’s incredible run in Dallas – until current Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison decided otherwise.
Doncic played the first 6:56 before checking out alongside James – likely a coincidence due to Doncic’s minutes restriction while he returns to full strength. The Lakers are expected to have one of their superstars on the floor at nearly all times when Doncic is up to speed.
“Feel like it’s best right now to ease Luka back in to playing NBA action,” Redick said. “I think if it was up to Luka, he would probably play 48 minutes, but we’re thinking long-term and we want to be safe.”
Doncic returned with about eight minutes left in the first half, and he helped the Lakers on their way to a big lead with several key plays.
Everybody received a Doncic T-shirt to mark the occasion at the Lakers’ downtown arena – including James, who warmed up before the game in the gold No. 77 shirt.
Doncic was followed by dozens of cameras as he warmed up for about 10 minutes before the game, and the Lakers’ arena played the Serbian music he favors for pregame workouts. The Lakers introduced him last before the game, giving him the spot normally reserved for James, which led to another standing ovation.
James returned from a one-game injury absence Monday when the Lakers began a home-and-home set with the Jazz heading into the All-Star break.
“I don’t think any of us know exactly what it’ll look like,” Utah coach Will Hardy said. “I assume it’ll look good. (Doncic and James) are two of the best thinkers, problem-solvers that we’ve ever seen. So yeah, I think preparing for it is a little weird. ... But I don’t see any world where those two playing together isn’t a good thing. Like I said, their processing speed mentally is incredible, and so I’m sure they’ll figure it out.”
Doncic has watched three straight Lakers victories from their bench since arriving in Los Angeles a week ago. Reaves scored a career-high 45 points to lead the Lakers past Indiana 124-117 on Saturday without Doncic or James, who sat out to rest his sore ankle.
Doncic began Monday by donating $500,000 to fire recovery efforts in his new community, making an immediate impression with his pledge to help with the damage caused by the rampant wildfires that devastated parts of Southern California last month – including Pacific Palisades, where Redick’s home was lost.
“It’s been so sad to see and learn more about the damage from the wildfires as I landed in LA,” Doncic wrote on his Luka Doncic Foundation’s social media channels. “I can’t believe it, and I feel for all the kids who lost their homes, schools and the places where they used to play with their friends. Today, my foundation is donating $500,000 to immediate recovery efforts. I am also committed to helping rebuild courts, playgrounds and fields that were destroyed, because every kid needs a safe place to play.
“To everyone affected by these fires: we’re here to help, now and for the long haul.”
Doncic signed his note: “Your new neighbor.”
Doncic’s initial donation is being made to the Community Foundation Wildfire Recovery Fund. He also plans to donate “significant additional funding over the next two years” with a focus on rebuilding children’s play spaces, according to a spokesperson.
Luka Doncic makes his Lakers debut with win against Jazz
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Luka Doncic makes his Lakers debut with win against Jazz
- Luka Doncic got multiple standing ovations the from Los Angeles crowd wearing T-shirts with his name and No. 77
- The Slovenian superstar’s first bucket was a 3-pointer in the opening minutes on his second shot for the Lakers
PFL MENA returns to Saudi Arabia as part of Jeddah Season
- The Professional Fighters League will kick off second season in the region at the Onyx Arena on May 9
JEDDAH: The Professional Fighters League has announced that season two of PFL MENA will kick off at the Onyx Arena in Jeddah on Friday, May 9.
Following a successful debut in 2024, the second season aims to expand mixed martial arts in the Middle East by highlighting local talent and providing fighters a pathway to international success.
This season, PFL MENA will be partnering with Jeddah Season to elevate the sport of MMA in the Middle East.
The organization will also continue to promote Middle Eastern talent, with the inclusion of Jeddah-based fighters. This includes debutant Malik Basahel (21-3-1), and Ahmed Makki, who will be competing in his final professional bout.
“We’re very excited to be coming back for a second season and expanding our reach to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia,” said Jerome Mazet, PFL MENA’s general manager.
“Jeddah is home to a number of amazing fighters and has a strong fanbase, so we’re excited and grateful to bring the sport of MMA back to this incredible city.”
He said last season “was a massive success” that elevated the sport and created “stars that represent the quality and level of Middle Eastern MMA.
“We cannot wait to put on even more amazing events and build even more stars this year.”
Tickets will be available from Tuesday, March 25.
From Palestine to Pittodrie: Oday Dabbagh proving a popular addition to Aberdeen’s attack
- Club’s manager and supporters have taken the 26-year-old to their hearts after he scored 3 times since joining in February
- Dabbagh’s next matches will be the World Cup qualifiers for Palestine against Jordan on Thursday, and then Iraq on March 25
PERTH: From Palestine to Pittodrie is a road less travelled, let alone by talented center-forwards, but Oday Dabbagh’s move to Aberdeen Football Club is proving to be a fruitful one.
Dabbagh has scored three goals in six games since he joined Aberdeen on loan at the beginning of February from Charleroi in Belgium, with the Scottish Premiership club securing an option to buy this summer.
There were no goals on Saturday at McDiarmid Park in Perth as his fourth-placed side drew 0-0 at relegation battlers St Johnstone. But there were plenty of examples of why the 26-year-old Palestinian has quickly become a popular figure at Aberdeen.
Dabbagh flashed a header wide just wide of the post, produced a lovely back heel to set up Topi Keskinen for a blocked shot and impressed with his hold up and link play.
The latter is especially true with Scotland international Kevin Nisbet, whom manager Jimmy Thelin has recently chosen to play just behind Dabbagh in Aberdeen’s attack.
“Oday is a good combination player,” Thelin told Arab News after the match. “He connects well with other players. I think him and Kevin have got a good relationship in the team. Oday has strengths.
“Today, we couldn’t give him so much to work on with the passes into the box, but he’s good at finding spots in the box and when he gets opportunities he’s really calm and finds the goals.”
The Swedish manager’s thoughts were echoed by St Johnstone defender Zach Mitchell, who described Dabbagh and the Aberdeen attack as a “threat” and that shutting them out was a “tough challenge.”
In Dabbagh’s previous match, Queen’s Park proved not as fortunate. That day Palestine’s record scorer — 16 goals from 45 caps — netted a double in the quarterfinal of the Scottish Cup at Pittodrie, Aberdeen’s home ground, in a 4-1 victory that earned a semifinal versus Hearts in April.
In a rollercoaster season for Aberdeen, the semifinal is an opportunity to get one step closer to winning silverware for the first time since 2014.
It is a bristling statistic for a club that enjoyed great success under the legendary Alex Ferguson in the 1980s, including three league title triumphs and the UEFA Cup Winners Cup and Super Cup trophies.
Under the guidance of Thelin, the club’s fifth manager since 2021, Aberdeen had a remarkable start to the season, winning 10 of their first 11 league matches and even briefly topping the Scottish Premiership table.
A dramatic decline that can be attributed to injury woes, defensive frailties and a lack of goals leaves Aberdeen a point behind third-placed Hibernian — who were bottom in November. The gap between Hibernian and Edinburgh rivals Hearts in sixth is a mere five points.
With champions Celtic once again comfortably ahead of second-placed Rangers, finishing third is the aim for Aberdeen in the league. Third place earns a spot in the second round of Europa League qualifying, while fourth seals the equivalent starting point in the Conference League.
Winning the Scottish Cup would earn Aberdeen coveted silverware and a Europa League playoff-round spot next season.
That leaves ample opportunity for Jerusalem-born Dabbagh to further endear himself to the Dons supporters. In the games prior to Dabbagh signing, Aberdeen had failed to score in five league matches and not won in the Scottish Premiership since Nov. 9.
“He’s the new type of striker that Aberdeen have needed this season,” Aberdeen fan Cameron Carnie told Arab News outside McDiarmid Park before the match on Saturday.
“He’s going to do well. He’s a lot more direct than the strikers we’ve had this season. I think it’s a different dynamic, and he’s good in the air as well. The fans have absolutely taken to him pretty well.
“Everyone wants him on a permanent deal. He’s shone enough already. Hopefully he just keeps on banging in the goals.”
Fellow fan Alan Hay, like Carnie from Aberdeen, a city in the northeast of Scotland famous for being the country’s oil capital, was of a similar mindset with regards to Dabbagh’s stint in a red shirt.
“It’s early days but there’s signs of promise,” said Hay. “He’s maybe trying a little bit hard at times but I’m feeling quite positive. There’s a quickness, an awareness and an alertness to his game.
“He’s willing to run. People love an exotic striker so it’s something a bit different. He’s got a bit of personality about him.”
Dabbagh is the first Palestine international to play in Scottish football’s top flight. The striker began his career with Palestinian club Hilal Al-Quds before moving to Kuwait.
He then signed with Al-Salmiya, Qadsia, Al-Yarmouk and then Al-Arabi where he won the Kuwait Premier League and became the league’s top scorer.
Dabbagh moved to Europe for the first time when he joined Portuguese side Arouca in 2021 before joining Charleroi on a three-year deal in 2023.
Dabbagh’s next matches will be for his national team against Jordan on Thursday, and then Iraq on March 25 in World Cup qualifiers. Both matches are taking place at the Amman International Stadium due to the situation in his homeland.
When Dabbagh returns to Aberdeen, for whom he wears the No. 11 shirt, there is much to play for.
At the end of Saturday’s match at McDiarmid Park, Dabbagh and the rest of the Aberdeen players walked to their supporters to applaud them before leaving the field.
Among the throng of red shirts and scarves, a Palestinian flag was proudly waved in the air.
Should the next stage of Dabbagh’s footballing journey include the goals that propel Aberdeen to European football and — even more enticing — silverware, there will be many more Palestinian flags hoisted in celebration.
Campaign urges fans to watch SAFF Women’s Cup final between champions Al-Ahli and Al-Qadsiah
- Saudi Arabian Football Federation launches #SeeOurGlory for Wednesday’s showdown at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh
RIYADH: A new campaign has been launched to inspire football fans to attend, watch and follow the SAFF Women’s Cup final on Wednesday.
The hashtag #SeeOurGlory will feature across the social media channels of the SAFF, clubs and players ahead of the highly anticipated clash between defending champions Al-Ahli and first-time finalists Al-Qadsiah.
This is the second edition of the SAFF Women’s Cup, which began in October, and had 16 teams from both the Saudi Women’s Premier League and the Saudi Women’s First Division League competing.
Taking place at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, the match will feature two of the top teams in Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning women’s football scene. Tickets for the final are available now at cup.saffwfd.com.
This year’s competition has seen more goals scored than last season’s inaugural edition, with players from more than 20 countries now competing professionally in Saudi Arabia.
“This year’s SAFF Women’s Cup Final is a testament to the rapid growth and success of women’s football in Saudi Arabia,” said Lamia Bahaian, vice president of the SAFF.
“We are thrilled to see two exceptional teams compete at the highest level, showcasing the talent, passion, and progress that define this competition.
“This match is not just about crowning a champion; it’s about celebrating the remarkable strides that the domestic game has taken in the Kingdom and we couldn’t be prouder.”
The journey to the 2025 final has seen milestones reached by both clubs.
For defending champions Al-Ahli, their path featured a thrilling 3-2 victory in a rematch of last year’s final against Al-Shabab to secure their place.
Head coach Manar Fraij is in her third season in charge at Al-Ahli and is aiming to secure her second major trophy with the Jeddah club.
Al-Qadsiah, who finished third in last year’s edition having been defeated by Al-Ahli in a 3-2 semifinal thriller, have made a remarkable push to the final this season.
Their journey saw them eliminate league leaders Al-Nassr on penalties in the semifinals.
They have young talent including Sulaf Asseri, an emerging under-20 national team star who was the first player to score for her team in this year’s SAFF Women’s Cup.
To win, Al-Qadsiah will need to find a way to stop Al-Ahli’s prolific forward Ibtissam Jraidi. The Moroccan star has been lethal in the tournament, top-scoring with eight goals to complement her league-leading 22 goals.
The SAFF Women’s Cup continues to be a key pillar in the SAFF’s mission to empower female athletes across the Kingdom, in alignment with Vision 2030.
No Jokic, no problem as Gordon, Nuggets stun Warriors
- A dazzling display from Aaron Gordon inspired what was ultimately a comfortable win for the Denver Nuggets
- Gordon scored 38 points, six rebounds and three assists to halt the Golden State Warriors’ seven-game winning streak
LOS ANGELES, United States: Aaron Gordon scored 38 points as the Denver Nuggets shrugged off the absence of Nikola Jokic to halt the Golden State Warriors’ seven-game winning streak with a 114-105 victory over their NBA Western Conference rivals on Monday.
A dazzling display from Gordon inspired what was ultimately a comfortable win for Denver, who were missing regular starters Jokic and Jamal Murray from their line-up.
The absentees were barely felt by Denver though, who startled the Warriors early at San Francisco’s Chase Center and led for most of the game.
The Warriors threatened to stage a late rally after slashing the Nuggets’ fourth-quarter lead from 15 points to three points, but Denver pulled away in the closing stages to secure a deserved win.
Gordon finished with 38 points, six rebounds and three assists while Michael Porter Jr. provided offensive support with 21 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.
The Warriors were always chasing the game after failing to threaten from long range, making just eight of 33 three-point attempts. Jimmy Butler led the Golden State scorers with 23 points.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr lambasted his side’s “awful” performance.
“We played poorly out of the gate and never found rhythm and they played great,” Kerr said. “The right team won. We didn’t deserve that. We were awful.”
Denver improved to 44-25 to remain in third place in the West. The Warriors dropped to 39-29 and are sixth in the standings.
The Los Angeles Lakers are just behind Denver in fourth place in the West after a 125-109 blowout over the San Antonio Spurs.
With LeBron James still injured, Austin Reaves led the Lakers scoring with 30 points while Luka Doncic had 21 points with nine rebounds and 14 assists.
Elsewhere, the in-form Houston Rockets staged an incredible second-half comeback to defeat the Philadelphia 76ers, overturning a 25-point third-quarter deficit to win 144-137 in an overtime thriller.
The struggling Sixers – who received another gloomy injury bulletin with news that Paul George would miss the remainder of the regular season – stunned Houston after outscoring the hosts 44-28 in the first quarter.
After leading 78-57 at half-time, the Sixers stretched their advantage to 25 points early in the third quarter.
But Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks led a dramatic turnaround as the Rockets suddenly began to find their shooting range, outscoring the Sixers 45-24 in the third quarter.
The Rockets knotted the score at 131-131 with 3.9secs remaining, before dominating overtime to bring up their seventh straight win to remain second in the Western Conference on 44-25, 12.5 games behind leaders Oklahoma City.
Quentin Grimes led Philadelphia with 46 points including eight three-pointers, while Green and Jabari Smith Jr. topped the Houston scoring with 30 points apiece.
There was another overtime thriller in Minnesota, where Obi Toppin finished with 34 points, 10 rebounds and two assists to lead the Indiana Pacers to a 132-130 win over the Timberwolves. Anthony Edwards led the Wolves scoring with 38 points.
In New York, 28 points from Mikal Bridges powered the Knicks to a 116-95 defeat of the visiting Miami Heat.
The Knicks, who improved to 43-24 to remain third in the Eastern Conference rankings, effectively decided the contest after blitzing Miami 41-15 in the third quarter, stretching the lead to 27 points early in the fourth before cruising home.
Miami fell to 29-39 and are ninth in the East.
The Detroit Pistons continued their pursuit of the Knicks in the East with a 127-81 thrashing of the New Orleans Pelicans in the Big Easy.
Detroit improved to 38-31 to stay in sixth place in the East.
The Pelicans are now 18-51, one place off the bottom of the Western Conference ahead of Utah, who slumped to their 54th defeat of the campaign in a 111-97 loss to Chicago.
Big-hitting New Zealand crush Pakistan by five wickets for 2-0 lead
- New Zealand reached 137-5 with 11 balls to spare after Pakistan posted 135-9 off 15 overs
- New Zealand can wrap up series if they are victorious in game three in Auckland on Friday
Dunedin, New Zealand: New Zealand’s openers went on a six-hitting blitz on Tuesday to thrash Pakistan by five wickets and go 2-0 up in their Twenty20 series.
The home side reached 137-5 with 11 balls to spare in Dunedin to take control of the five-match series after Pakistan posted 135-9 off 15 overs in a rain-reduced second match.
New Zealand’s highlight was a ferocious opening stand between Tim Seifert and Finn Allen in which seven of the first eight scoring shots were sixes.
Remarkably, Seifert played out a maiden off Shaheen Shah Afridi’s opening over before Allen cleared the small University Oval boundary three times in the second over, bowled by Mohammad Ali.
Seifert then smashed 26 off Afridi’s second over, including four sixes.
Seifert, who top-scored with 44 in the nine-wicket win in Christchurch on Sunday, departed on 45 off 22 balls.
Allen fell soon afterwards for 38 off 16, with the openers hammering five sixes each.
Four New Zealand wickets fell in the space of four overs midway through the chase before Mitch Hay’s unbeaten 21 made the outcome safe.
Earlier, captain Salman Agha top-scored with 46 off 28 balls, launching a recovery after Pakistan were sent in and lost opener Hasan Nawaz without scoring for the second time in the series.
They were 19-2 in the fourth over before the skipper embarked on a knock that featured four fours and three sixes.
Shadab Khan was aggressive in the middle order with 26 off 14 balls and Afridi was not-out 22 off 14.
Four New Zealand bowlers took two wickets, including seamer Ben Sears and all-rounder Jimmy Neesham, who were both recalled, in place of Tim Robinson and Kyle Jamieson.
New Zealand can wrap up the series if victorious in game three in Auckland on Friday.
