BASKETTBALL

LEBRON JAMES SET TO PLAY 20TH CHRISTMAS DAY GAME, SAYS HE'D PREFER FAMILY TIME

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LeBron James will make his 20th appearance in an NBA Christmas Day game this week, solidifying his record for the most holiday matchups in league history. Despite the achievement, the Lakers star made it clear that he would rather spend the day relaxing with his family than being on the court.

LEBRON JAMES HITS 2 LATE FREE THROWS, LAKERS BEAT SUNS 116-114

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LeBron James made two free throws with 3.9 seconds left, Luka Doncic scored 29 points and the Los Angeles Lakers recovered from blowing a 20-point lead in the fourth quarter to top the Phoenix Suns 116-114 on Sunday night.

Phoenix trailed 99-79 with 7:48 left, but took a 114-113 lead with 12.2 seconds left on Dillon Brooks’ 3-pointer over James, who made contact with Brooks after the shot. Brooks bumped James on the way back down the court, earning his second technical foul and an ejection.

More importantly, it gave the Lakers a free throw, but James missed it.

COOPER FLAGG LEADS DALLAS MAVERICKS TO UPSET WIN OVER DETROIT PISTONS

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Cooper Flagg scored 23 points as the Dallas Mavericks dug deep to upset the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons 116-114 in a bruising overtime battle on Thursday.

Number one draft pick Flagg excelled at both ends of the court to help the Mavs clinch a morale-boosting victory that sees them improve to 11-17 for the season.

MILWAUKEE BUCKS AND HOUSTON ROCKETS PICK UP WINS AT HOME

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The short-handed Milwaukee Bucks shook off a slow start and dominated in the second half to beat Boston 116-101 on Thursday and halt the Celtics’ five-game NBA winning streak.

Milwaukee’s two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo was again sidelined by a calf injury.

But Kyle Kuzma stepped up with 31 points, Kevin Porter Jr. Added a triple-double of 18 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists, and Bobby Portis Jr. Chipped in 27 points off the bench for a Bucks team that had lost 10 of their prior 12 games.

Jaylen Brown scored 30 points and Jordan Walsh added 20 for the Celtics, who led by as many as 14 on the way to a 67-60 halftime lead.

But the Celtics went cold in the second half, connecting on just three of 26 from three-point range after the break. Milwaukee out-scored Boston 27-13 in the pivotal third quarter to seize control.

“You know, they jumped on us at the beginning of the game,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said. “We got right back in. We came out in the third quarter, I thought our defense was phenomenal.

“We basically took away their threes, and that’s what they kept hunting and we kept taking them away – and I thought it was great.”

VICTOR WEMBANYAMA AND THE SAN ANTONIO SPURS HOPE TO DENY NEW YORK KNICKS NBA CUP TROPHY

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The New York Knicks will attempt to find a way past the imposing 7ft 4in (2.23m) frame of San Antonio Spurs prodigy Victor Wembanyama on Tuesday as they bid to end their 52-year trophy drought in the NBA Cup final in Las Vegas.

The Knicks head into Tuesday's final at the T-Mobile Center brimming with confidence after polishing off Eastern Conference top seeds Orlando with ease in Saturday's semi-finals.

CELTICS RALLY PAST KNICKS AS IMPERIOUS THUNDER CONTINUE WINNING STREAK

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The Oklahoma City Thunder staved off a ferocious Golden State Warriors fightback to bag their 13th consecutive win on Tuesday, pulling away 124-112 in their heavyweight NBA showdown.

Reigning Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 28 points to steer the reigning NBA champions to a win that leaves them on 21-1 at the top of the Western Conference standings.

Oklahoma City had looked poised to deliver a crushing win after romping into a 63-44 half-time lead at the Chase Center in San Francisco.

The Warriors were missing the injured Stephen Curry while Jimmy Butler limped out at half-time.

But Golden State exploded for 44 points in the third quarter to turn the game on its head, and even edged into the lead in the fourth quarter.

Oklahoma regrouped in the final period and Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren combined for 16 points down the stretch to get the Thunder over the line.

“Games are gonna look different every night,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “(Sometimes) we’re gonna win big, sometimes we’re gonna have to gut something out. But regardless we stayed in the moment and did whatever it took to get the W (win).” Jaylen Brown finished with 42 points as the Boston Celtics came from behind to defeat the New York Knicks 123-117.

A Celtics team struggling to find their best form with a new-look roster appeared headed for a rocky evening at their TD Garden after the Knicks opened up a 14-point lead early in the second quarter.

Boston came roaring back to outscore their Eastern Conference rivals 37-20 in the second, grabbing a 58-52 lead at half-time.

CADE CUNNINGHAM INSPIRES THE DETROIT PISTONS IN WIN OVER BOSTON CELTICS

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Cade Cunningham scored 32 points as the Detroit Pistons held off the Boston Celtics 112-105 to extend their lead at the top of the Eastern Conference standings on Monday.

LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS PART WAYS WITH CHRIS PAUL AFTER TOUGH START TO NBA SEASON

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The Los Angeles Clippers axed veteran point guard Chris Paul on Wednesday, releasing the 12-time All-Star in a shock move that comes with the team struggling near the foot of the NBA standings.