Melee mars LeBron debut in LA
Rockets deal Lakers 2nd consecutive defeat after fight-marred game; LeBron James says early season struggles normal
LOS ANGELES— LeBron James’ home debut with the Los Angeles Lakers ended on a sour note on Saturday as the Houston Rockets won 124-115 in a physical contest. James had 24 points and five assists, but the Rockets’ dynamic duo of James Harden and Chris Paul combined for 64 points. Paul and the Lakers Rajon Rondo and Brandon Ingram were ejected after they were involved in a melee.
LOS ANGELES— Los Angeles Lakers’ new forward LeBron James said he was not disappointed with the defeats in the first two games and the early struggles were normal for a side that overhauled their roster in the offseason to bring in the league’s best player.
The Lakers fell 124-115 to the visiting Houston Rockets to spoil James’ debut at Staples Center after dropping their season opener to the Trail Blazers in Portland on Thursday.
“I’m not disappointed at all,” the three-time NBA champion, who signed a four-year, $154million deal with the Lakers in July, told reporters.
“I understand that we’re going to have some struggles, some early struggles. And nobody said it was going to be easy.
“We had some miscues down the stretch. We had some missed shots. But that’s how the cookie crumbles sometimes. But I’m not disappointed at all.”
The game will be best remembered for a fist fight that broke out in the fourth quarter that led to the ejections of Lakers’ Brandon Ingram and Rajon Rondo and Chris Paul of the Rockets.
James, who stepped in to help break up the melee, said he did not see what caused the brawl, which the Rockets said started when Rondo spat on Paul’s face.
Paul could be seen pressing his fingers into Rondo’s face before Rondo threw a punch at him, leading to a scuffle where Ingram also threw a punch at Paul.
The NBA is expected to announce sanctions on Sunday.
“I didn’t see anything and I didn’t say anything to my team after the game,” James said. “I just tried to calm things down, that’s all. Play basketball.”
Moving on
James said his focus was on the game against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday.
“We had our chances tonight. I think we take this op- portunity tonight to go over the things we could have done better and be frustrated,” he said.
“But when you wake up tomorrow it’s a new day and a new opportunity. You leave things in the past and you get on with the future.”
Celtics 103, Knicks 101
In New York, Jayson Tatum had 24 points and 14 rebounds, and the Boston Celtics withstood his careless foul with 1.9 seconds left to beat the New York Knicks.
Tatum had just given the Celtics a three-point lead with two free throws with 7.9 seconds left and the Knicks called their final timeout.
They had trouble getting the ball inbounded from the sideline, and Knicks guard Trey Burke had to race into the backcourt to retrieve it as the clocked ran down. He pulled up for a 3-pointer from well beyond the arc and Tatum jumped to contest it, fouling Burke for three free throws that could have tied it.
But he missed the first and the Knicks couldn’t grab the rebound when he intentionally missed the third.
Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 24 points for the Knicks, who lost rookie Kevin Knox to a sprained left ankle in the first quarter. Enes Kanter had 17 points and 15 rebounds before fouling out of their second two-point loss in two nights.
76ers 116, Magic 115
In Philadelphia, JJ Redick hit a 3-pointer with 17 seconds left to lift the 76ers over the Magic.
Redick had his best game since moving to Philadelphia’s bench at the start of the season, scoring 31 points on 10-of-20 shooting, including eight 3pointers. OTHER RESULTS: Raptors 117, Wizards 113; Pacers 132, Nets 112; Hornets 113, Heat 112; Pistons 118, Bulls 116; Mavericks 140, Timberwolves 136; Nuggets 119, Suns 91; Trail Blazers 121, Spurs 108