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
Saudi national football team arrives in Japan for World Cup qualifiers
The Saudi national football team arrived in Japan on Friday ahead of the team’s match for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
The match between Saudi Arabia and Japan will take place on Tuesday at the Saitama Stadium 2002 and is part of the seventh round of the Asian qualifiers for the World Cup.
The team was greeted by Saudi Deputy Ambassador to Japan Anas Al-Nuwaiser and several embassy staff members on arriving at Japan’s Narita International Airport.
On Thursday, Japan became the first team to qualify for the World Cup after winning 2-0 against Bahrain, followed by Saudi Arabia after defeating China 1-0.
Piastri on Chinese GP pole after Hamilton takes first Ferrari win in sprint
- McLaren’s Oscar Piastri stormed to his first-ever pole position on Saturday at the Chinese Grand Prix ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell, after Lewis Hamilton won the sprint race
SHANGHAI: McLaren’s Oscar Piastri stormed to his first-ever pole position on Saturday at the Chinese Grand Prix ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell, after Lewis Hamilton won the sprint race.
The second row for Sunday’s main race will be filled by Piastri’s teammate Lando Norris and world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull.
Hamilton will start in fifth after taking his maiden victory for Ferrari in the morning sprint in Shanghai.
Alongside him on the third row will be teammate Charles Leclerc with Isack Hadjar, Kimi Antonelli, Yuki Tsunoda and Alex Albon completing the top 10.
“I found a lot of pace in Q3,” said the Australian Piastri.
“The laps were a little bit scruffy but I’m just pumped to be on pole.”
Piastri, who was second in the sprint, said it would be important to get away in front at the start of Sunday’s 56-lap race where preserving tires could be a key factor.
“I want to make sure I keep the clean air. I was pretty happy after the sprint,” he said.
“I feel like we learned a lot and I’m looking forward to putting that into use tomorrow.”
Russell was ecstatic to get on the front row alongside Piastri.
“Feels incredible to be honest,” said the Englishman.
“Did something totally different on that last lap and it all came together.”
Norris finally found some pace after coming eighth in the sprint.
“I’m always disappointed if I’m not on pole but Oscar deserves it today,” said Norris, who won the season-opener in Melbourne last week.
Hamilton earlier savoured a “really special” first victory in Ferrari red after winning the sprint race in dominant fashion.
The seven-time world champion controlled the race from pole position to add a sprint victory to his record six grands prix triumphs in Shanghai.
He took the chequered flag 6.889 seconds ahead of Piastri with Verstappen third.
Hamilton emerged from his car after the finish line to a crescendo of cheers from the massed fans, who unfurled huge banners displaying his number 44.
“That is a really, really special weekend so far,” the 40-year-old Englishman told reporters.
“China and Shanghai has always been really good to me since my first race here back in 2007. It’s a track that I really do love driving on.
“It’s hard to put into words what it feels like.”
Hamilton used his vast experience to take advantage of the clean air at the front of the pack and nurse his tires over 19 laps.
“I think it is generally pretty close between all of us,” said Hamilton.
“I was just trying to manage (the tires) early on and then the last, like, five laps or something, I was in a really comfortable position.”
Verstappen pressured Hamilton in the first half of the race but suffered later on cooked rubber enabling Piastri to swoop past with five laps to go.
“Unfortunately the last eight laps we didn’t have the pace of the others so I was trying to survive out there,” said Verstappen, who won both the sprint and main race in China last year.
In grand prix qualifying, rookie Liam Lawson continued his terrible start to life at Red Bull after crashing in Melbourne and coming last in sprint qualifying.
The New Zealander failed to hook up his qualifying tires and trailed in 20th on the time sheets and will start from the back of the grid for a second successive time.
“It’s just really tough, honestly,” said a disappointed Lawson. “I just need to get on top of it.”
Esteban Ocon was 11th and joined by Nico Hulkenberg, Fernando Alonso, Lance Stroll and 15th fastest Carlos Sainz in not making the top 10 shootout from Q2.
Also eliminated from Q1 were Pierre Gasly and Lawson’s fellow rookies Oliver Bearman, Jack Doohan and Gabriel Bortoleto.
Algeria’s Muay Thai star Nabil Anane eyes undisputed world title at ONE 172 on Sunday
- In his last fight, Anane clinched the ONE Interim Bantamweight Muay Thai world title with a technical knockout victory against Scotland’s fighter Nico Carrillo
After six straight wins in martial arts organization ONE Championship, Algeria’s Nabil Anane is looking to earn the biggest win of his career at ONE 172: Takeru vs Rodtang this Sunday at Saitama Super Arena in Japan.
In his last fight, Anane clinched the ONE Interim Bantamweight Muay Thai world title with a technical knockout victory against Scottish fighter Nico Carrillo.
Anane’s next mission is to unify the world title against Superlek Kiatmoo9 — the Thai megastar who knocked out the Algerian star on his promotional debut back in 2023.
“I’m looking just for the win. I just want to beat Superlek. I don’t even think about the belt. I just want the win. I just want to beat Superlek. That’s it. That’s what I want in this fight,” Anane said.
The towering 20-year-old star, born to an Algerian father and Thai mother, has shown marked improvement in his overall game since the first time he met Superlek inside the ring.
In his last six bouts, Anane used his height and reach advantage to dominate some of the most established Muay Thai fighters, finishing three of his opponents.
Anane, who is the youngest ever WBC Muay Thai champion, believes his wins over opponents such as former world title challenger Felipe Lobo and Lethwei legend Soe Lin Oo prove that he has become used to fighting in small gloves — and is now ready to even the score with the two-sport, two-weight world champion.
“Two years ago, I didn’t know nothing about small (4-ounce) gloves. I didn’t have this experience. I’m totally different. Very different. It was a big lesson, and I learned a lot in that fight. I’m sure that it’s not going to be the same this time,” Anane said.
If Anane wins the highly anticipated rematch, he will solidify his status as one of the best Muay Thai practitioners today, and become only the second undisputed ONE world champion from the MENA region after former ONE Flyweight Kickboxing world champion, Morocco’s Ilias Ennahachi, who is the only man to beat Superlek in ONE Championship.
The event, which features five world title bouts across Muay Thai, kickboxing and mixed martial arts, is headlined by a flyweight kickboxing super-fight between Japanese icon Takeru Segawa and Muay Thai megastar Rodtang Jitmuangon.
'Incredible feeling': Saudi Women’s Premier League glory vindicates Boussaha’s Al-Nassr move
- Algerian international has helped the Riyadh team clinch a third league title in a row
AUSTRALIA: While Al-Nassr’s men’s team have found success hard to come by in recent seasons, their women’s team have had no such issues, last week clinching their third straight Saudi Women’s Premier League title.
With the league itself, the first professional league of its type in the Kingdom, only three years old, it means Al-Nassr remain the only side to win the competition since its formation back in 2022.
“It’s an incredible feeling,” star midfielder Lina Boussaha told Arab News after a 3-1 win over their nearest title rivals, Al-Ahli, secured their third straight title.
“Winning one title is special, but winning three in a row is a testament to the consistency and belief within the team. This season was challenging in its own way, but we stayed focused, and lifting the trophy again is a moment of immense pride for all of us.”
They haven’t just won the league either, they’ve dominated it. In the almost three full seasons since the league began, Al-Nassr have played 44 games. Remarkably, they’ve won 39 of them and lost just two.
And this season they are on track for the perfect “golden” season. Sixteen games into the season they are not only yet to taste defeat, they are yet to drop a single point — 16 games played, 16 games won.
With the league title already in their pocket and just two games remaining — including one against Riyadh rivals Al-Hilal — the perfect season is within touching distance.
“The motivation is high, we always want to push our limits and set new standards,” Boussaha openly admitted.
“Winning every game is not easy, but we’ve come this far, and we want to finish strong. It’s not just about results, but about maintaining our identity and showing what this team is capable of. Writing the history.
“Getting a golden league doesn’t happen often, we want that.”
Given their success to date, and not just this season, but across the entirety of the league’s existence, it’d be folly to back against them.
What sets Al-Nassr apart, according to Boussaha, is their never-say-die attitude.
“Each season has its own story, but this one was unique because of the challenges we faced,” the Algerian international explained.
“In the first five or six games, we had to come from behind multiple times, including an incredible remontada.”
That came in Round 5 in a Riyadh Derby against Al Shabab, who had shot to a 3-0 lead by the hour mark, and had Al-Nassr staring defeat straight in the eyes.
But a remarkable turnaround, spearheaded by Boussaha, who scored two goals in as many minutes to reduce the deficit, saw Al-Nassr score four goals in the final 25 minutes of the game to run out 4-3 victors.
There were other moments, too. They trailed Al-Amal 1-0 before goals in the 88th and 91st minutes secured a 2-1 win in Round 3. Against Al-Qadsiah a week earlier, they also came from a goal down, albeit in less dramatic fashion, to win 2-1.
While in Round 6, just a week after their win over Al-Shabab, Boussaha inspired another comeback, this time against Al-Ittihad as they came from a goal down to win 3-1.
“Those moments built our strength as a team, reinforced our confidence, and showed everyone our resilience,” the 26-year-old said.
“It proved that beating us isn’t easy, even when we’re under pressure or dominated. Overcoming those situations helped us for the rest of the season and gave us the mentality to push through the second half even stronger.”
She continued: “After three seasons working together, we’ve become like a family, sisters, and we fight for each other on and off the pitch. Collectively, we know our potential, and we don’t want to miss out on any opportunity or game.
“As champions, we have high goals and standards, which means we always have to show up and give double or even triple the effort.
“Personally, when we’re losing, I know that giving up is not an option. I have to finish the game exhausted, knowing I gave everything like it was my last match, whether we’re losing, drawing, or winning. That mindset drives me and the team to push beyond our limits.”
Boussaha, a French-born Algerian international, has been one of the headline names in the league since its inception. That she is in the league at all is only down to circumstance after France banned players from wearing the hijab in sporting competitions.
Not willing to forego her identity, Boussaha, a graduate of the PSG academy and a former PSG player, begrudgingly walked away from the professional game in France.
An opportunity to play in a new league in Saudi Arabia, where she could remain true to her identity, was an offer she couldn’t walk away from.
“Honestly, I didn’t have any expectations before coming here,” she said.
“I had very little information about the league, the level, or the players. I tried to gather details, but since the league had just been created, it wasn’t easy.
“My decision to come was first and foremost because of my hijab, I missed playing football, and I knew that in France, it wouldn’t be possible anymore while wearing it.”
Three years on she has zero regrets, having seen the fledgling league boom in that time.
“Since I first arrived, there’s been a huge gap between then and now,” she explained.
“The league wasn’t well-known, we didn’t have superstar players, and the games weren’t even broadcast. There was very little information available on social media, and it was still in its early stages.
“Then, suddenly, everything boomed. The league became more competitive and attractive, with top players and big names joining. The social media presence and marketing are now even better than in some famous leagues. The Saudi players and national teams have progressed technically and mentally.
“The investment in facilities, field, sponsorships and infrastructures in some clubs, has taken things to another level and honestly, it’s really enjoyable to play in this league now.”
Kevin Durant scores 42 points as Suns eclipse Cavs
- The win lifted Phoenix into 10th place in the Western Conference and into the play-in tournament reckoning
- Oklahoma City Thunder celebrated their successful clinching of the No.1 seeding on Thursday with a ruthless 141-106 beatdown of the Charlotte Hornets
LOS ANGELES: Kevin Durant scored 42 points as the Phoenix Suns reignited their playoff hopes with a 123-112 upset of the Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.
A superb performance from Durant secured a third straight victory for Phoenix as they aim to muscle their way into the postseason picture in the Western Conference.
Durant erupted for 19 points in a third-quarter burst of scoring that took the game beyond Cleveland’s grasp, with the Suns opening up a 98-79 lead heading into the fourth quarter which they never looked like letting slip.
The win lifted Phoenix into 10th place in the Western Conference and into the play-in tournament reckoning.
The top six teams in each NBA conference qualify automatically for the playoffs, while teams placed from 7th to 10th play in a mini tournament to determine the final two playoff berths.
“This is the best team in the league,” Durant said of Cleveland following the Suns win.
“We’ve been struggling and we know we’ve got the toughest schedule for the last 10 games,” he added. “So we just wanted to dial in and make sure we kept building on the work we’ve done over the last week.”
Cleveland’s fourth consecutive loss leaves the second-placed Boston Celtics just five wins behind the Cavs at the top of the East.
The Celtics improved to 51-19 after thrashing the Utah Jazz 121-99 on the back of 27 points from Kristaps Porzingis and 26 points from Jayson Tatum.
The Detroit Pistons’ progress toward the playoffs suffered a jolt in a surprising 123-117 defeat on the road to the struggling Dallas Mavericks.
The Mavs — whose season has been blown off course by the trade of Luka Doncic to the Lakers and a season-ending injury to Kyrie Irving — powered to a precious victory thanks to 31 points from Spencer Dinwiddie and 27 from P.J. Washington.
The result leaves Dallas perched on the edge of playoff contention in 11th place with a 34-37 record in the Western Conference.
Detroit occupy the sixth and last automatic playoff berth in the East.
Despite the loss the Pistons will fancy their chances of locking down a postseason ticket given a vastly superior record — 39-32 — to seventh-placed Atlanta (33-36).
In the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrated their successful clinching of the No.1 seeding on Thursday with a ruthless 141-106 beatdown of the Charlotte Hornets.
The Thunder were assured of top spot in the West despite not playing on Thursday after the Los Angeles Lakers’ defeat to Milwaukee.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 30 points as no fewer than eight OKC players finished in double figures in a wire-to-win which leaves the Thunder with a 58-12 record at the top of the West.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said he wanted to see his team play with the same intensity for the remainder of the regular season as they build toward the playoffs.
“We got to play with a sense of purpose — you can’t coast into the postseason,” Daigneault said.
“It was a great 48-minute effort. We played to our standards on both ends of the floor.”
With OKC already assured of top spot, Houston boosted their hopes of clinching second place in the West after rallying from 11 points down to squeeze past the Miami Heat, winning 102-98 on the road to bag their ninth consecutive win.
Fred VanVleet was the key man for Houston, finishing with 37 points after a devastating exhibition of long-range shooting.
VanVleet drained nine-of-11 attempts from outside the arc as the Rockets improved to 46-25.
The Minnesota Timberwolves remain hard on the heels of the sixth-placed Golden State Warriors (41-29) in the race for the playoffs.
The Wolves, who are one place behind Golden State, improved to 41-31 after a 134-93 pasting of the New Orleans Pelicans.
In another upset, the Portland Trail Blazers outgunned the injury-hit Denver Nuggets 128-109.
