標籤: Dominating

The Los Angeles Lakers snapped a three-game losing streak with a 129-101 win against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday. The Lakers showed from start to finish the type of complete effort that head coach JJ Redick has been asking for all season.

Some of the Lakers’ issues this season may be due to inconsistency in the lineup and rotation due to injuries, and JJ Redick acknowledged this after the team’s win against the Warriors. But part of it also has to do with the energy and intensity, or lack thereof, that the Lakers have shown at times.

But after a full 48-minute effort against the Warriors, Redick admitted he believes the team will eventually get to the level he wants them to be before the season is over.

“As I said before the game, these guys want to make it right. They’re trying. I know our staff, I know myself, we’re always looking for answers and solutions. That’s it, we’re trying to find solutions,” Redick said during his postgame press conference. “I am confident that we will reach the level we want to reach.”

Redick further said, “It’s partially due to the disruption of the lineup and different factors. We haven’t had the consistency I thought we were going to have coming into this year.” “It’s taken longer than I thought, but I’m confident we’ll get there.”

After the win against the Warriors, the Lakers improved to 35–24 on the season. They are just two games behind the No. 3 seed Houston Rockets in what is shaping up to be a competitive race for position in the Western Conference during the regular season.

There are only three and a half games that separate the No. 3 seed and the No. 7 seed. The Phoenix Suns are currently in seventh place. The No. 7 seed will be directly out of the playoffs and will have to go through the play-ins.

Last season, the Lakers finished with the third seed in the West playoff picture, but were eliminated in the opening round by the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games.

Redick is in his second year as head coach of the Lakers, and the team is currently in sixth place in the West standings. They are only a game and a half up on the Suns and potentially falling into the play-ins. They have 22 games left in the regular season to continue showing the level of competitiveness Redick is confident they can reach.

On Saturday night in Las Vegas, Ryan Garcia silenced his biggest critics with an outstanding performance against WBC welterweight king Mario Barrios. “King Ray” was on fire as he knocked down the champion in the first 23 seconds of the fight and easily won his first major title by unanimous decision.

This victory ended what had been a nightmare for him for the last few years. After a decision loss to Gervonta Davis in 2023, he bounced back with a win over Oscar Duarte, then scored a career-defining win over Devin Haney due to a drug suspension. After sitting out six months, he returned in May 2025 and suffered a major upset against Rollie Romero.

However, after Saturday night, Garcia is back in the driver’s seat and could be preparing for some big fights for the rest of 2026. With that in mind, let’s take a look at five potential opponents for the 27-year-old’s next fight.

rolando romero

You can bet the loss to Romo is still weighing heavily on “King Ray.” That night last May was a low point in his career, and it made his biggest haters feel even more vindicated. If the new champion really wants to put all of his recent troubles behind him, avenging his loss against Romero would certainly be a possibility.

shakur stevenson

Following his big win, he and pound-for-pound star Shakur Stevenson had a cordial face-off backstage to test fan interest in a potential fight. Due to Stevenson’s dominance at junior welterweight, moving up to seven pounds at welterweight is a possible scenario.

For Team Stevenson, Garcia would be a winnable fight and a chance to win a title in the second division. For Team Garcia, the matchup will be a big risk, but it provides an opportunity to gain P4P status.

Manny Pacquiao

Boxing icon Manny Pacquiao returned to pro boxing last year at the age of 46 and in the eyes of many observers defeated Barrios for the WBC belt. However, the entertaining encounter was ruled a draw. If Garcia wants a winnable fight with a big-name opponent, “Pac-Man” is an option. And after the way he performed against Barrios last year, he’s a worthy foe even as he approaches 50.

devin haney

Many people around boxing believe that this fight will be at the top of Ryan Garcia’s wish list for his next fight, which is a rematch with Devin Haney. In their first encounter, Garcia defeated his opponent three times. However, there is certainly reason to believe that his outstanding performance was medically enhanced.

Like the rematch with Romero, the second fight with Haney provides confirmation. But it’s also a chance to prove he’s a P4P fighter, and a chance to get another belt and aim to become unified champion at 147 pounds.

Liam Paro

Making a fight in boxing is always a tough challenge, so while fans would love to see Ryan Garcia in a matchup with Haney, Pacquiao or Stevenson, it’s also possible that negotiations may fall through. This is why a fighter like Liam Paro could become the next opponent of the new WBC champion.

The Australian is one of the top five fighters in the division at 27-1 and has picked up some big wins during his career. If Garcia can’t secure a matchup with a big name in his return, “The Prodigy” is a logical option.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos