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Deadspin | Wild, riding 6-game win streak, finish road back-to-back at Utah

Deadspin | Wild, riding 6-game win streak, finish road back-to-back at Utah

Sports news

Feb 26, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Minnesota Wild left wing Matt Boldy (12) skates with the puck towards an open net in the third period against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The Utah Mammoth will look to play with more pace in their game when they oppose the Minnesota Wild on Friday night in Salt Lake City.

Utah opened its post-Olympic-break portion of the schedule with a 4-2 home loss against the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday.

Dylan Guenther scored twice and Karel Vejmelka made 22 saves for Utah, which had won back-to-back games prior to the break.

“We played a good team, but I didn’t like our grind. I didn’t like our physicality,” Utah coach Andre Tourigny said. “I thought we didn’t have the pace we should have in our zone and on the forecheck. I don’t think we were the fastest team tonight, and that’s what makes us special. We need to realize that and be much better next game.”

Mammoth forward Logan Cooley returned to the lineup after missing 28 games with a lower-body injury, and he chipped in an assist in the loss.

“It’s good to be back out there with the guys,” Cooley said. “It’s no fun sitting in the stands watching them. It kind of felt like a long journey. There was a lot of hard work that went into it. … It felt good to be back.”

Captain Clayton Keller paces Utah with 38 assists and 55 points in 58 games, while Guenther has a team-leading 27 tallies in 56 games.

The Mammoth, who sit fourth in the Central Division, hold the top Western Conference wild-card spot. They are 11-4-1 in their past 16 games and 17-9-2 on home ice this season.

“You haven’t played for a while, so you want to make nice plays,” Guenther said of the Wednesday loss. “You don’t really have your A-game yet, so just playing your B-game solid, and I thought we did that better in the third (period).”

The Friday game will be the second of three meetings between the Mammoth and Wild. Utah upended Minnesota 6-2 on Oct. 25 in Saint Paul, Minn.

The Wild travel to Utah for the second game of a back-to-back set following a 5-2 win over the Avalanche on Thursday in Denver.

“I thought the guys did a good job preparing, whether they were at the Olympics or not at the Olympics,” Wild coach John Hynes said. “I thought everyone came together as a group and played well. Now we got another big one (on Friday) against Utah. I think to get a win was obviously nice and important for us, and now we can build from there.”

Matt Boldy scored twice and added two assists, Joel Eriksson Ek netted a pair and Mats Zucccarello added the other for the Wild, who have won six straight and are 9-1-1 over their past 11.

Kirill Kaprizov chipped in a pair of assists as the Wild improved to 18-8-3 on the road while moving into second place in the Central Division.

Filip Gustavsson made 44 saves before being replaced late in the third period after vomiting in the goal crease. Jesper Wallstedt took over and allowed one goal on two shots in 1:04 of relief.

Wallstedt, the likely starter on Friday, is 14-5-4 with a .913 save percentage and a 2.76 goals-against average in 24 games (23 starts) this season. He has never opposed Utah in his career.

–Field Level Media

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When Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves were both ruled out ahead of Round 1’s Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets playoff matchup, many had written off the purple and gold.

But LeBron James pulled off another unthinkable playoff victory, defeating the Rockets in six games.

Of course, the Rockets only had superstar Kevin Durant for one game this series. But James only had Reaves for one game, and new reports indicate that Doncic isn’t anywhere near a return for the Lakers.

“I’m kicking (Father Time’s) ass,” James told the Prime Video studio crew following Game 6.

He’s not wrong.

James averaged 23 points, eight assists and seven rebounds against the Rockets in the first round. Without Doncic and Reaves, James proved that he’s still capable of winning in the NBA Playoffs almost singlehandedly. The 41-year-old averaged 38.7 minutes per game in this series.

We’ve never seen longevity like this in the history of the NBA.

Until the end of time, basketball fans will debate if James was better than Michael Jordan, who won six championships and was undefeated in the NBA Finals. But one thing that’s not up for debate is that Jordan was not doing this. At 41, Jordan was retired. He took on a management position with the Washington Wizards and only served a few seasons as President of Basketball Operations.

At 41, James isn’t playing a Udonis Haslam role for the Lakers. This isn’t an old man at the end of his career holding onto the glory days. Sure, it might be an old man at the end of his career. But even though James isn’t the same player that dragged teams to eight consecutive NBA Finals, he’s playing some damn good basketball and looks to have a lot more in the tank.

His actual son is playing meaningful minutes in this series, as Bronny James has gotten some run due to Doncic’s absence. Around the NBA, “great” teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics are struggling against lower-seeded opponents. At 41, James is dragging an undermanned Lakers team through the first round somewhat easily.

After a reverse dunk earlier in the series, James said he “needed to sit down somewhere.” After handling business against the Rockets in six games, James thanked the Toronto Raptors for forcing a Game 7 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, buying the Lakers an extra day of rest.

There’s no denying that James is probably physically dealing with the taxes of playing elite basketball into his 40s. But hopefully he understands how much this greatness is being appreciated from basketball fans everywhere.

What’s next for LeBron?

The Oklahoma City Thunder, the No. 1 seed in the NBA, await James and the Lakers.

It’s a good thing Reaves is back, because the Thunder will pose more of a challenge than the Durant-less Rockets did.

Even if the Thunder take down the Lakers, LeBron’s future in the NBA will be under a microscope. Recent reports have indicated that he doesn’t want to deal with the pressure of a farewell tour. However, he just displayed that he’s capable of playing at a very high level. He has nothing left to prove, but walking away from the game now would somehow feel premature, even at age 41.

Prediction markets like Kalshi are giving the Thunder a 91% chance of winning this series. A contract on Los Angeles to upset this series would payout 10.4x the initial stake.

But if James has one more miracle in him, this could be a series for the ages. Literally.

#LeBron #James #Hes #Kicking #Father #Times #Ass #Hes #Deadspin.com">LeBron James Says He’s Kicking Father Time’s Ass – And He’s Right | Deadspin.com When Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves were both ruled out ahead of Round 1’s Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets playoff matchup, many had written off the purple and gold.But LeBron James pulled off another unthinkable playoff victory, defeating the Rockets in six games.Of course, the Rockets only had superstar Kevin Durant for one game this series. But James only had Reaves for one game, and new reports indicate that Doncic isn’t anywhere near a return for the Lakers.“I’m kicking (Father Time’s) ass,” James told the Prime Video studio crew following Game 6.He’s not wrong.James averaged 23 points, eight assists and seven rebounds against the Rockets in the first round. Without Doncic and Reaves, James proved that he’s still capable of winning in the NBA Playoffs almost singlehandedly. The 41-year-old averaged 38.7 minutes per game in this series.We’ve never seen longevity like this in the history of the NBA.Until the end of time, basketball fans will debate if James was better than Michael Jordan, who won six championships and was undefeated in the NBA Finals. But one thing that’s not up for debate is that Jordan was not doing this. At 41, Jordan was retired. He took on a management position with the Washington Wizards and only served a few seasons as President of Basketball Operations.At 41, James isn’t playing a Udonis Haslam role for the Lakers. This isn’t an old man at the end of his career holding onto the glory days. Sure, it might be an old man at the end of his career. But even though James isn’t the same player that dragged teams to eight consecutive NBA Finals, he’s playing some damn good basketball and looks to have a lot more in the tank.His actual son is playing meaningful minutes in this series, as Bronny James has gotten some run due to Doncic’s absence. Around the NBA, “great” teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics are struggling against lower-seeded opponents. At 41, James is dragging an undermanned Lakers team through the first round somewhat easily.After a reverse dunk earlier in the series, James said he “needed to sit down somewhere.” After handling business against the Rockets in six games, James thanked the Toronto Raptors for forcing a Game 7 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, buying the Lakers an extra day of rest.There’s no denying that James is probably physically dealing with the taxes of playing elite basketball into his 40s. But hopefully he understands how much this greatness is being appreciated from basketball fans everywhere.What’s next for LeBron?The Oklahoma City Thunder, the No. 1 seed in the NBA, await James and the Lakers.It’s a good thing Reaves is back, because the Thunder will pose more of a challenge than the Durant-less Rockets did.Even if the Thunder take down the Lakers, LeBron’s future in the NBA will be under a microscope. Recent reports have indicated that he doesn’t want to deal with the pressure of a farewell tour. However, he just displayed that he’s capable of playing at a very high level. He has nothing left to prove, but walking away from the game now would somehow feel premature, even at age 41.Prediction markets like Kalshi are giving the Thunder a 91% chance of winning this series. A contract on Los Angeles to upset this series would payout 10.4x the initial stake.But if James has one more miracle in him, this could be a series for the ages. Literally. #LeBron #James #Hes #Kicking #Father #Times #Ass #Hes #Deadspin.com

only had superstar Kevin Durant for one game this series. But James only had Reaves for one game, and new reports indicate that Doncic isn’t anywhere near a return for the Lakers.

“I’m kicking (Father Time’s) ass,” James told the Prime Video studio crew following Game 6.

He’s not wrong.

James averaged 23 points, eight assists and seven rebounds against the Rockets in the first round. Without Doncic and Reaves, James proved that he’s still capable of winning in the NBA Playoffs almost singlehandedly. The 41-year-old averaged 38.7 minutes per game in this series.

We’ve never seen longevity like this in the history of the NBA.

Until the end of time, basketball fans will debate if James was better than Michael Jordan, who won six championships and was undefeated in the NBA Finals. But one thing that’s not up for debate is that Jordan was not doing this. At 41, Jordan was retired. He took on a management position with the Washington Wizards and only served a few seasons as President of Basketball Operations.

At 41, James isn’t playing a Udonis Haslam role for the Lakers. This isn’t an old man at the end of his career holding onto the glory days. Sure, it might be an old man at the end of his career. But even though James isn’t the same player that dragged teams to eight consecutive NBA Finals, he’s playing some damn good basketball and looks to have a lot more in the tank.

His actual son is playing meaningful minutes in this series, as Bronny James has gotten some run due to Doncic’s absence. Around the NBA, “great” teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics are struggling against lower-seeded opponents. At 41, James is dragging an undermanned Lakers team through the first round somewhat easily.

After a reverse dunk earlier in the series, James said he “needed to sit down somewhere.” After handling business against the Rockets in six games, James thanked the Toronto Raptors for forcing a Game 7 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, buying the Lakers an extra day of rest.

There’s no denying that James is probably physically dealing with the taxes of playing elite basketball into his 40s. But hopefully he understands how much this greatness is being appreciated from basketball fans everywhere.

What’s next for LeBron?

The Oklahoma City Thunder, the No. 1 seed in the NBA, await James and the Lakers.

It’s a good thing Reaves is back, because the Thunder will pose more of a challenge than the Durant-less Rockets did.

Even if the Thunder take down the Lakers, LeBron’s future in the NBA will be under a microscope. Recent reports have indicated that he doesn’t want to deal with the pressure of a farewell tour. However, he just displayed that he’s capable of playing at a very high level. He has nothing left to prove, but walking away from the game now would somehow feel premature, even at age 41.

Prediction markets like Kalshi are giving the Thunder a 91% chance of winning this series. A contract on Los Angeles to upset this series would payout 10.4x the initial stake.

But if James has one more miracle in him, this could be a series for the ages. Literally.

#LeBron #James #Hes #Kicking #Father #Times #Ass #Hes #Deadspin.com">LeBron James Says He’s Kicking Father Time’s Ass – And He’s Right | Deadspin.com

When Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves were both ruled out ahead of Round 1’s Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets playoff matchup, many had written off the purple and gold.

But LeBron James pulled off another unthinkable playoff victory, defeating the Rockets in six games.

Of course, the Rockets only had superstar Kevin Durant for one game this series. But James only had Reaves for one game, and new reports indicate that Doncic isn’t anywhere near a return for the Lakers.

“I’m kicking (Father Time’s) ass,” James told the Prime Video studio crew following Game 6.

He’s not wrong.

James averaged 23 points, eight assists and seven rebounds against the Rockets in the first round. Without Doncic and Reaves, James proved that he’s still capable of winning in the NBA Playoffs almost singlehandedly. The 41-year-old averaged 38.7 minutes per game in this series.

We’ve never seen longevity like this in the history of the NBA.

Until the end of time, basketball fans will debate if James was better than Michael Jordan, who won six championships and was undefeated in the NBA Finals. But one thing that’s not up for debate is that Jordan was not doing this. At 41, Jordan was retired. He took on a management position with the Washington Wizards and only served a few seasons as President of Basketball Operations.

At 41, James isn’t playing a Udonis Haslam role for the Lakers. This isn’t an old man at the end of his career holding onto the glory days. Sure, it might be an old man at the end of his career. But even though James isn’t the same player that dragged teams to eight consecutive NBA Finals, he’s playing some damn good basketball and looks to have a lot more in the tank.

His actual son is playing meaningful minutes in this series, as Bronny James has gotten some run due to Doncic’s absence. Around the NBA, “great” teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics are struggling against lower-seeded opponents. At 41, James is dragging an undermanned Lakers team through the first round somewhat easily.

After a reverse dunk earlier in the series, James said he “needed to sit down somewhere.” After handling business against the Rockets in six games, James thanked the Toronto Raptors for forcing a Game 7 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, buying the Lakers an extra day of rest.

There’s no denying that James is probably physically dealing with the taxes of playing elite basketball into his 40s. But hopefully he understands how much this greatness is being appreciated from basketball fans everywhere.

What’s next for LeBron?

The Oklahoma City Thunder, the No. 1 seed in the NBA, await James and the Lakers.

It’s a good thing Reaves is back, because the Thunder will pose more of a challenge than the Durant-less Rockets did.

Even if the Thunder take down the Lakers, LeBron’s future in the NBA will be under a microscope. Recent reports have indicated that he doesn’t want to deal with the pressure of a farewell tour. However, he just displayed that he’s capable of playing at a very high level. He has nothing left to prove, but walking away from the game now would somehow feel premature, even at age 41.

Prediction markets like Kalshi are giving the Thunder a 91% chance of winning this series. A contract on Los Angeles to upset this series would payout 10.4x the initial stake.

But if James has one more miracle in him, this could be a series for the ages. Literally.

#LeBron #James #Hes #Kicking #Father #Times #Ass #Hes #Deadspin.com

When Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves were both ruled out ahead of Round 1’s Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets playoff matchup, many had written off the purple and gold.

But LeBron James pulled off another unthinkable playoff victory, defeating the Rockets in six games.

Of course, the Rockets only had superstar Kevin Durant for one game this series. But James only had Reaves for one game, and new reports indicate that Doncic isn’t anywhere near a return for the Lakers.

“I’m kicking (Father Time’s) ass,” James told the Prime Video studio crew following Game 6.

He’s not wrong.

James averaged 23 points, eight assists and seven rebounds against the Rockets in the first round. Without Doncic and Reaves, James proved that he’s still capable of winning in the NBA Playoffs almost singlehandedly. The 41-year-old averaged 38.7 minutes per game in this series.

We’ve never seen longevity like this in the history of the NBA.

Until the end of time, basketball fans will debate if James was better than Michael Jordan, who won six championships and was undefeated in the NBA Finals. But one thing that’s not up for debate is that Jordan was not doing this. At 41, Jordan was retired. He took on a management position with the Washington Wizards and only served a few seasons as President of Basketball Operations.

At 41, James isn’t playing a Udonis Haslam role for the Lakers. This isn’t an old man at the end of his career holding onto the glory days. Sure, it might be an old man at the end of his career. But even though James isn’t the same player that dragged teams to eight consecutive NBA Finals, he’s playing some damn good basketball and looks to have a lot more in the tank.

His actual son is playing meaningful minutes in this series, as Bronny James has gotten some run due to Doncic’s absence. Around the NBA, “great” teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics are struggling against lower-seeded opponents. At 41, James is dragging an undermanned Lakers team through the first round somewhat easily.

After a reverse dunk earlier in the series, James said he “needed to sit down somewhere.” After handling business against the Rockets in six games, James thanked the Toronto Raptors for forcing a Game 7 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, buying the Lakers an extra day of rest.

There’s no denying that James is probably physically dealing with the taxes of playing elite basketball into his 40s. But hopefully he understands how much this greatness is being appreciated from basketball fans everywhere.

What’s next for LeBron?

The Oklahoma City Thunder, the No. 1 seed in the NBA, await James and the Lakers.

It’s a good thing Reaves is back, because the Thunder will pose more of a challenge than the Durant-less Rockets did.

Even if the Thunder take down the Lakers, LeBron’s future in the NBA will be under a microscope. Recent reports have indicated that he doesn’t want to deal with the pressure of a farewell tour. However, he just displayed that he’s capable of playing at a very high level. He has nothing left to prove, but walking away from the game now would somehow feel premature, even at age 41.

Prediction markets like Kalshi are giving the Thunder a 91% chance of winning this series. A contract on Los Angeles to upset this series would payout 10.4x the initial stake.

But if James has one more miracle in him, this could be a series for the ages. Literally.

#LeBron #James #Hes #Kicking #Father #Times #Ass #Hes #Deadspin.com">LeBron James Says He’s Kicking Father Time’s Ass – And He’s Right | Deadspin.com When Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves were both ruled out ahead of Round 1’s Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets playoff matchup, many had written off the purple and gold.But LeBron James pulled off another unthinkable playoff victory, defeating the Rockets in six games.Of course, the Rockets only had superstar Kevin Durant for one game this series. But James only had Reaves for one game, and new reports indicate that Doncic isn’t anywhere near a return for the Lakers.“I’m kicking (Father Time’s) ass,” James told the Prime Video studio crew following Game 6.He’s not wrong.James averaged 23 points, eight assists and seven rebounds against the Rockets in the first round. Without Doncic and Reaves, James proved that he’s still capable of winning in the NBA Playoffs almost singlehandedly. The 41-year-old averaged 38.7 minutes per game in this series.We’ve never seen longevity like this in the history of the NBA.Until the end of time, basketball fans will debate if James was better than Michael Jordan, who won six championships and was undefeated in the NBA Finals. But one thing that’s not up for debate is that Jordan was not doing this. At 41, Jordan was retired. He took on a management position with the Washington Wizards and only served a few seasons as President of Basketball Operations.At 41, James isn’t playing a Udonis Haslam role for the Lakers. This isn’t an old man at the end of his career holding onto the glory days. Sure, it might be an old man at the end of his career. But even though James isn’t the same player that dragged teams to eight consecutive NBA Finals, he’s playing some damn good basketball and looks to have a lot more in the tank.His actual son is playing meaningful minutes in this series, as Bronny James has gotten some run due to Doncic’s absence. Around the NBA, “great” teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics are struggling against lower-seeded opponents. At 41, James is dragging an undermanned Lakers team through the first round somewhat easily.After a reverse dunk earlier in the series, James said he “needed to sit down somewhere.” After handling business against the Rockets in six games, James thanked the Toronto Raptors for forcing a Game 7 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, buying the Lakers an extra day of rest.There’s no denying that James is probably physically dealing with the taxes of playing elite basketball into his 40s. But hopefully he understands how much this greatness is being appreciated from basketball fans everywhere.What’s next for LeBron?The Oklahoma City Thunder, the No. 1 seed in the NBA, await James and the Lakers.It’s a good thing Reaves is back, because the Thunder will pose more of a challenge than the Durant-less Rockets did.Even if the Thunder take down the Lakers, LeBron’s future in the NBA will be under a microscope. Recent reports have indicated that he doesn’t want to deal with the pressure of a farewell tour. However, he just displayed that he’s capable of playing at a very high level. He has nothing left to prove, but walking away from the game now would somehow feel premature, even at age 41.Prediction markets like Kalshi are giving the Thunder a 91% chance of winning this series. A contract on Los Angeles to upset this series would payout 10.4x the initial stake.But if James has one more miracle in him, this could be a series for the ages. Literally. #LeBron #James #Hes #Kicking #Father #Times #Ass #Hes #Deadspin.com

only had superstar Kevin Durant for one game this series. But James only had Reaves for one game, and new reports indicate that Doncic isn’t anywhere near a return for the Lakers.

“I’m kicking (Father Time’s) ass,” James told the Prime Video studio crew following Game 6.

He’s not wrong.

James averaged 23 points, eight assists and seven rebounds against the Rockets in the first round. Without Doncic and Reaves, James proved that he’s still capable of winning in the NBA Playoffs almost singlehandedly. The 41-year-old averaged 38.7 minutes per game in this series.

We’ve never seen longevity like this in the history of the NBA.

Until the end of time, basketball fans will debate if James was better than Michael Jordan, who won six championships and was undefeated in the NBA Finals. But one thing that’s not up for debate is that Jordan was not doing this. At 41, Jordan was retired. He took on a management position with the Washington Wizards and only served a few seasons as President of Basketball Operations.

At 41, James isn’t playing a Udonis Haslam role for the Lakers. This isn’t an old man at the end of his career holding onto the glory days. Sure, it might be an old man at the end of his career. But even though James isn’t the same player that dragged teams to eight consecutive NBA Finals, he’s playing some damn good basketball and looks to have a lot more in the tank.

His actual son is playing meaningful minutes in this series, as Bronny James has gotten some run due to Doncic’s absence. Around the NBA, “great” teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics are struggling against lower-seeded opponents. At 41, James is dragging an undermanned Lakers team through the first round somewhat easily.

After a reverse dunk earlier in the series, James said he “needed to sit down somewhere.” After handling business against the Rockets in six games, James thanked the Toronto Raptors for forcing a Game 7 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, buying the Lakers an extra day of rest.

There’s no denying that James is probably physically dealing with the taxes of playing elite basketball into his 40s. But hopefully he understands how much this greatness is being appreciated from basketball fans everywhere.

What’s next for LeBron?

The Oklahoma City Thunder, the No. 1 seed in the NBA, await James and the Lakers.

It’s a good thing Reaves is back, because the Thunder will pose more of a challenge than the Durant-less Rockets did.

Even if the Thunder take down the Lakers, LeBron’s future in the NBA will be under a microscope. Recent reports have indicated that he doesn’t want to deal with the pressure of a farewell tour. However, he just displayed that he’s capable of playing at a very high level. He has nothing left to prove, but walking away from the game now would somehow feel premature, even at age 41.

Prediction markets like Kalshi are giving the Thunder a 91% chance of winning this series. A contract on Los Angeles to upset this series would payout 10.4x the initial stake.

But if James has one more miracle in him, this could be a series for the ages. Literally.

#LeBron #James #Hes #Kicking #Father #Times #Ass #Hes #Deadspin.com">LeBron James Says He’s Kicking Father Time’s Ass – And He’s Right | Deadspin.com

When Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves were both ruled out ahead of Round 1’s Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets playoff matchup, many had written off the purple and gold.

But LeBron James pulled off another unthinkable playoff victory, defeating the Rockets in six games.

Of course, the Rockets only had superstar Kevin Durant for one game this series. But James only had Reaves for one game, and new reports indicate that Doncic isn’t anywhere near a return for the Lakers.

“I’m kicking (Father Time’s) ass,” James told the Prime Video studio crew following Game 6.

He’s not wrong.

James averaged 23 points, eight assists and seven rebounds against the Rockets in the first round. Without Doncic and Reaves, James proved that he’s still capable of winning in the NBA Playoffs almost singlehandedly. The 41-year-old averaged 38.7 minutes per game in this series.

We’ve never seen longevity like this in the history of the NBA.

Until the end of time, basketball fans will debate if James was better than Michael Jordan, who won six championships and was undefeated in the NBA Finals. But one thing that’s not up for debate is that Jordan was not doing this. At 41, Jordan was retired. He took on a management position with the Washington Wizards and only served a few seasons as President of Basketball Operations.

At 41, James isn’t playing a Udonis Haslam role for the Lakers. This isn’t an old man at the end of his career holding onto the glory days. Sure, it might be an old man at the end of his career. But even though James isn’t the same player that dragged teams to eight consecutive NBA Finals, he’s playing some damn good basketball and looks to have a lot more in the tank.

His actual son is playing meaningful minutes in this series, as Bronny James has gotten some run due to Doncic’s absence. Around the NBA, “great” teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics are struggling against lower-seeded opponents. At 41, James is dragging an undermanned Lakers team through the first round somewhat easily.

After a reverse dunk earlier in the series, James said he “needed to sit down somewhere.” After handling business against the Rockets in six games, James thanked the Toronto Raptors for forcing a Game 7 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, buying the Lakers an extra day of rest.

There’s no denying that James is probably physically dealing with the taxes of playing elite basketball into his 40s. But hopefully he understands how much this greatness is being appreciated from basketball fans everywhere.

What’s next for LeBron?

The Oklahoma City Thunder, the No. 1 seed in the NBA, await James and the Lakers.

It’s a good thing Reaves is back, because the Thunder will pose more of a challenge than the Durant-less Rockets did.

Even if the Thunder take down the Lakers, LeBron’s future in the NBA will be under a microscope. Recent reports have indicated that he doesn’t want to deal with the pressure of a farewell tour. However, he just displayed that he’s capable of playing at a very high level. He has nothing left to prove, but walking away from the game now would somehow feel premature, even at age 41.

Prediction markets like Kalshi are giving the Thunder a 91% chance of winning this series. A contract on Los Angeles to upset this series would payout 10.4x the initial stake.

But if James has one more miracle in him, this could be a series for the ages. Literally.

#LeBron #James #Hes #Kicking #Father #Times #Ass #Hes #Deadspin.com

Sanjay Manjrekar has suggested that representing India in Test cricket may have led to confusion over how to best utilise Washington Sundar’s abilities in the shorter formats of the game.

Washington – who has represented Rising Pune Supergiants, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Gujarat Titans (his current franchise) – has 680 runs at an average of 17.43 and 40 wickets at 37.17 in his 75 IPL appearances. 

More notably, he has only bowled his complete allocation of four overs in 27 of those 75 appearances, and teams have often struggled to fully utilise his skillset.

The 26-year-old first broke through in the IPL for Rising Pune Supergiants in 2017, primarily bowling in the PowerPlay, and former India international Sanjay Manjrekar noted that teams have tended not to use him in the same way since.

“He burst on the scene for the first time, just like Ravichandran Ashwin as a T20 bowler, and bowled with the new ball in the first six overs, which I thought was remarkable. People saw this very interesting tall off spinner who kept it simple. And then played for a couple of other franchises, but he was more a bowler who could contribute with the bat,” Manjrekar remembered on Sportstar’s Insight Edge podcast.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58JRdBRAbIk[/embed]

Manjrekar pinpointed his appearances for the Indian Test side as a pivotal point in his trajectory, saying, “I think his whole trajectory of his career changed when he played for India as a Test player, and everyone saw the batting side of Washington Sundar in tough conditions in Australia. He would bat down the order and get you 60, 70 runs.

”And then we had a very excited Indian coach called Gautam Gambhir, who wanted him to be everywhere. So I look at Washington Sundar, and at the moment in white ball cricket, I don’t see him. He’s not really there as a pure bowler, nor does he have the pedigree or the performances to play as a pure batter.”

ALSO READ: T20 cricket may not be Shubman Gill’s natural format: Sanjay Manjrekar

Manjrekar suggested that entrusting Washington with a more regular bowling workload could be key to unlocking his talents.

“His exceptional showing at the Test level has got people excited with what he can offer with bat and ball. He’s got seven wickets in a Test match, he can play as a pure spinner, plus bat down the order and bat like a proper batter, which got Gautam Gambhir sometimes to promote him to number three.” he said.

“But I think that’s just getting a little too carried away. He has to be a bowling all-rounder in T20 cricket. I would like to extract that and make him that guy who will bowl the four overs, but four overs of off-spin, it’s a tough one to get away.”

Published on May 02, 2026

#Representing #India #Test #cricket #changed #Washington #Sundars #whiteball #trajectory #Sanjay #Manjrekar">Representing India in Test cricket changed Washington Sundar’s white-ball trajectory: Sanjay Manjrekar Sanjay Manjrekar has suggested that representing India in Test cricket may have led to confusion over how to best utilise Washington Sundar’s abilities in the shorter formats of the game.Washington – who has represented Rising Pune Supergiants, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Gujarat Titans (his current franchise) – has 680 runs at an average of 17.43 and 40 wickets at 37.17 in his 75 IPL appearances. More notably, he has only bowled his complete allocation of four overs in 27 of those 75 appearances, and teams have often struggled to fully utilise his skillset.The 26-year-old first broke through in the IPL for Rising Pune Supergiants in 2017, primarily bowling in the PowerPlay, and former India international Sanjay Manjrekar noted that teams have tended not to use him in the same way since.“He burst on the scene for the first time, just like Ravichandran Ashwin as a T20 bowler, and bowled with the new ball in the first six overs, which I thought was remarkable. People saw this very interesting tall off spinner who kept it simple. And then played for a couple of other franchises, but he was more a bowler who could contribute with the bat,” Manjrekar remembered on Sportstar’s Insight Edge podcast.[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58JRdBRAbIk[/embed]Manjrekar pinpointed his appearances for the Indian Test side as a pivotal point in his trajectory, saying, “I think his whole trajectory of his career changed when he played for India as a Test player, and everyone saw the batting side of Washington Sundar in tough conditions in Australia. He would bat down the order and get you 60, 70 runs.”And then we had a very excited Indian coach called Gautam Gambhir, who wanted him to be everywhere. So I look at Washington Sundar, and at the moment in white ball cricket, I don’t see him. He’s not really there as a pure bowler, nor does he have the pedigree or the performances to play as a pure batter.”ALSO READ: T20 cricket may not be Shubman Gill’s natural format: Sanjay ManjrekarManjrekar suggested that entrusting Washington with a more regular bowling workload could be key to unlocking his talents.“His exceptional showing at the Test level has got people excited with what he can offer with bat and ball. He’s got seven wickets in a Test match, he can play as a pure spinner, plus bat down the order and bat like a proper batter, which got Gautam Gambhir sometimes to promote him to number three.” he said.“But I think that’s just getting a little too carried away. He has to be a bowling all-rounder in T20 cricket. I would like to extract that and make him that guy who will bowl the four overs, but four overs of off-spin, it’s a tough one to get away.”Published on May 02, 2026 #Representing #India #Test #cricket #changed #Washington #Sundars #whiteball #trajectory #Sanjay #Manjrekar

T20 cricket may not be Shubman Gill’s natural format: Sanjay Manjrekar

Manjrekar suggested that entrusting Washington with a more regular bowling workload could be key to unlocking his talents.

“His exceptional showing at the Test level has got people excited with what he can offer with bat and ball. He’s got seven wickets in a Test match, he can play as a pure spinner, plus bat down the order and bat like a proper batter, which got Gautam Gambhir sometimes to promote him to number three.” he said.

“But I think that’s just getting a little too carried away. He has to be a bowling all-rounder in T20 cricket. I would like to extract that and make him that guy who will bowl the four overs, but four overs of off-spin, it’s a tough one to get away.”

Published on May 02, 2026

#Representing #India #Test #cricket #changed #Washington #Sundars #whiteball #trajectory #Sanjay #Manjrekar">Representing India in Test cricket changed Washington Sundar’s white-ball trajectory: Sanjay Manjrekar

Sanjay Manjrekar has suggested that representing India in Test cricket may have led to confusion over how to best utilise Washington Sundar’s abilities in the shorter formats of the game.

Washington – who has represented Rising Pune Supergiants, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Gujarat Titans (his current franchise) – has 680 runs at an average of 17.43 and 40 wickets at 37.17 in his 75 IPL appearances. 

More notably, he has only bowled his complete allocation of four overs in 27 of those 75 appearances, and teams have often struggled to fully utilise his skillset.

The 26-year-old first broke through in the IPL for Rising Pune Supergiants in 2017, primarily bowling in the PowerPlay, and former India international Sanjay Manjrekar noted that teams have tended not to use him in the same way since.

“He burst on the scene for the first time, just like Ravichandran Ashwin as a T20 bowler, and bowled with the new ball in the first six overs, which I thought was remarkable. People saw this very interesting tall off spinner who kept it simple. And then played for a couple of other franchises, but he was more a bowler who could contribute with the bat,” Manjrekar remembered on Sportstar’s Insight Edge podcast.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58JRdBRAbIk[/embed]

Manjrekar pinpointed his appearances for the Indian Test side as a pivotal point in his trajectory, saying, “I think his whole trajectory of his career changed when he played for India as a Test player, and everyone saw the batting side of Washington Sundar in tough conditions in Australia. He would bat down the order and get you 60, 70 runs.

”And then we had a very excited Indian coach called Gautam Gambhir, who wanted him to be everywhere. So I look at Washington Sundar, and at the moment in white ball cricket, I don’t see him. He’s not really there as a pure bowler, nor does he have the pedigree or the performances to play as a pure batter.”

ALSO READ: T20 cricket may not be Shubman Gill’s natural format: Sanjay Manjrekar

Manjrekar suggested that entrusting Washington with a more regular bowling workload could be key to unlocking his talents.

“His exceptional showing at the Test level has got people excited with what he can offer with bat and ball. He’s got seven wickets in a Test match, he can play as a pure spinner, plus bat down the order and bat like a proper batter, which got Gautam Gambhir sometimes to promote him to number three.” he said.

“But I think that’s just getting a little too carried away. He has to be a bowling all-rounder in T20 cricket. I would like to extract that and make him that guy who will bowl the four overs, but four overs of off-spin, it’s a tough one to get away.”

Published on May 02, 2026

#Representing #India #Test #cricket #changed #Washington #Sundars #whiteball #trajectory #Sanjay #Manjrekar

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