標籤: slams

The Los Angeles Lakers continued their late-season surge on Thursday night, extending their winning streak to eight games with a 134-126 victory over the Miami Heat, while ESPN analyst Brian Windhorst offered a reassuring assessment of LeBron James’ mentality.

Speaking on Friday’s broadcast of First Take, Windhorst pointed to what he described as a key indicator behind the Lakers’ recent success.

“The best thing I can say about the Lakers right now is… LeBron believes. It’s a subtle thing but if you watch LeBron over the decades, there are times when you get to a point in the season where you know he doesn’t believe in his team. And you can’t see it in the stats, you know it when you see it. Well, I know it when I see it. LeBron believes in this team.”

The Lakers’ performance in Miami reflected that confidence, as they improved to 45–25 on the season – the first time they reached 20 games above .500 since the 2019–20 campaign, when they won the NBA championship.

James delivered a triple-double in the win with 19 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in 38 minutes. Playing on the second night of a back-to-back after the team arrived in Miami around 5 p.m. ET, he shot 8-for-12 from the field and 3-for-5 from the free-throw line.

“I know it when I see it. LeBron believes in this team.” 👀👀👀

– @WindhorstESPN

(via @FirstTech /h/t @terrible announcement )

pic.twitter.com/wXIXLwaGVn

– NBCCentral (@TheDunkCentral) 20 March 2026

Brian Windhorst highlights LeBron James’ belief as Lakers’ surge continues

This outing follows another efficient performance from James last night, when he scored 30 points on 13-for-14 shooting in a win over the Houston Rockets.

While James planned the offense, Luka Doncic provided the scoring punch. The star guard recorded a career-high as a Laker with 60 points, adding seven rebounds, five steals and three assists. Doncic shot 18 of 30 from the field, 9 of 17 from three-point range and 15 of 17 from the free-throw line in 38 minutes, overwhelming Miami’s defense throughout the contest.

The Lakers’ recent expansion has been defined by offensive efficiency and balance, with several players contributing at a high level as the team climbs the Western Conference standings. The combination of James’ playmaking and Doncic’s scoring has put consistent pressure on opposing defenses during the winning streak.

Los Angeles will look to build on its momentum Saturday night when it travels to face the Orlando Magic at the Kia Center. The Magic entered the matchup with a 38–31 record as both teams continued to vie for the postseason.

As the regular season enters its final stretch, the Lakers’ current form has strengthened Windhorst’s evaluation, as the team continues to build momentum and confidence behind its experienced leader.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has not played a game for the Milwaukee Bucks, who are reportedly more open to the idea of ​​trading the Greek Freak. Still, Giannis apparently has plenty to keep himself busy, most recently making a high-profile appearance at the WWE Elimination Chamber premium live event in Chicago.

According to a clip posted on SportsCenter by SportsCenter, Giannis walked through the crowd to his seat with his sons, six-year-old Liam and four-year-old Maverick. Antetokounmpo, along with his brothers and rapper Lil Yachty, were also seen dancing to CM Punk’s iconic Cult of Personality entrance theme with a smile on their faces.

The Antetokounmpo brothers and Lil Yachty are leading the way with “Cult of Personality” 🔥 #WWEChamber Live on the ESPN app with the ESPN Unlimited plan https://t.co/c7avSEMsP2 pic.twitter.com/fgrfvctdKZ

– Sports Center (@SportsCenter) 1 March 2026

Giannis, a well-known WWE fan, attended an AEW taping in August 2021, where he received a replica championship belt. However, the current event is even more important in the WWE universe as it will decide who will be involved in WrestleMania 42.

.@Giannis_An34 is in the house of #WWEChamber! 🏀 pic.twitter.com/963UT1IRI7

– WWE (@WWE) 1 March 2026

The chamber contains two initial competitors and four others locked in glass pods that are released at timed intervals. The men’s match pits Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, Javon Evans, Logan Paul, L.A. Knight and Trick Williams against each other, with the winner receiving a shot at Drew McIntyre’s Undisputed WWE Championship.

Paul notably secured his spot after Jey Uso was eliminated due to a backstage attack. On the women’s side, Tiffany Stratton, Rhea Ripley, Alexa Bliss, Asuka, Raquel Rodriguez and Kianna James will fight to secure a title match against WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill.

The Chicago card also features a World Heavyweight Championship rematch between hometown heroes CM Punk and Finn Balor as well as a Women’s Intercontinental Championship bout with Becky Lynch defending against AJ Lee. And while Giannis is just one of thousands watching at the United Center, fans will be hoping he returns to the court in the near future.

The 31-year-old forward has been sidelined for 13 consecutive games since suffering a right calf strain against the Denver Nuggets on Jan. 23.

Recently, it was announced that Dallas Mavericks star point guard Kyrie Irving will miss the remainder of the 2025-26 season as he recovers from a torn ACL. Mavericks fans likely won’t be disappointed by this news, considering the team is currently headed to another lottery selection after trying their luck at the Cooper Flag last year.

Over the weekend, the NBA All-Star festivities took place in Los Angeles, and now, Irving is attacking the NBA media for its conduct at the event.

“No real questions,” Irving said of the media, according to Sportsville on Instagram. “And whenever anyone asks a real question, it’s an argument for something else, or a brand setup or something. And you all know what real question I’m talking about… They don’t want to talk about anything that’s actually going on. You all know what I’m talking about.”

Although Irving didn’t reveal much else, he declined to do an interview with ESPN over the weekend, saying he “don’t really care” about the publication.

According to Al Jazeera, Irving also recently wore a shirt that honored journalists covering the conflict between Israel and Palestine.

The tag on the shirt read, “Dedicated to our beloved journalists in Gaza for showing the truth to the world.”

Irving has never been shy about speaking his mind on real-world issues throughout his career, which has sometimes led to him facing criticism from league front offices, especially during his time with the Brooklyn Nets.

Shortly after the Mavericks traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, the star has been out of the lineup since tearing his ACL last March, and this year he has watched from the sidelines as Flagg has turned into one of the best rookies in recent NBA history.

The Mavericks next face off against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday evening.

When the San Antonio Spurs selected Carter Bryant with the No. 14 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the consensus was that he was a raw prospect who would need at least a few years to develop before becoming a reliable contributor. The organization took the risk, in part, because of his attractive athletic talent. This feature was put on display during the 2026 NBA Slam Dunk Contest.

Bryant stunned fans inside the Los Angeles Clippers’ Intuit Dome on All-Star Saturday and scored 50 across the board after an East Bay slam in the second period. The 20-year-old forward fell short in the finals against Miami Heat’s Keshad Johnson, but still put in a great performance in his native California.

Carter Bryant all 50!

Carter Bryant went high for this dunk

pic.twitter.com/BJ6aNtTBnS

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 15 February 2026

Bryant jumped off the floor and performed what might have been the best dunk of the night. Unfortunately, he missed a sure chance of winning the competition and was forced to settle for second place. The former Arizona talent can still take great pride in posting a perfect score.

Bryant still has a lot to learn, but he’s already making remarkable progress in his first NBA season. The 2024 McDonald’s All-American is enjoying a promising February, averaging 9.0 points and 3.8 rebounds while shooting 44.0 percent from 3-point range in just 16.7 minutes per contest. One can only learn a lot from a six-game sample size, but the young player is quickly earning the trust of his teammates and the coaching staff.

He should also earn more fans after his viral jam. Keep an eye on Carter Bryant.