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Thursday 9 January 2020
Davis bruises lower back in Lakers' 117-87 win over Knicks

By The Associated Press straight game with at least
LOS ANGELES (AP) — An- 30 points, which extends his
thony Davis left in the third franchise record.
quarter after bruising his Deandre Ayton added 21
lower back on a painful points and nine rebounds.
fall during the Los Angeles Kelly Oubre Jr. had 17
Lakers' sixth straight victory, points.
117-87 over the New York TRAIL BLAZERS 101, RAP-
Knicks on Tuesday night. TORS 99
Davis bruised his sacrum TORONTO (AP) — Carmelo
— the bottom part of his Anthony made the winning
spine above the tailbone basket with four seconds
— when he attempted to remaining and Portland ral-
block Julius Randle's driving lied to beat Toronto.
shot. He got knocked off Anthony scored 28 points,
balance and fell awkward- Damian Lillard had 20 and
ly to the court, landing hard Hassan Whiteside added
on his back with 2:45 left in 14 points and 16 rebounds
the third. for the Trail Blazers, who
The six-time All-Star pound- snapped a four-game los-
ed the court in pain and ing streak in Toronto and
stayed down for roughly won for the second time in
two minutes, but eventually 10 meetings with the Rap-
rose with his teammates' tors.
help and then slowly Anfernee Simons scored 12
walked off unaided. points and C.J. McCollum
X-rays were negative, but Portland Trail Blazers forward Carmelo Anthony (00) reacts after sinking a go-ahead basket had 10. Kyle Lowry had 24
Davis didn't return to the against the Toronto Raptors during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 7, points and 10 rebounds,
game. His agent, Rich Paul, 2020, in Toronto. and Serge Ibaka added 17
said his client felt extremely Associated Press points and 11 rebounds as
sore. the injury-ravaged Raptors
LeBron James scored 31 had 15 points and 10 re- 19 and Sacramento ral- Dedmon finished with 12 lost for just the second time
points and Kentavious bounds against his former lied from a 21-point deficit points and 10 rebounds in 16 games against oppo-
Caldwell-Pope added 15, team. New York dropped in the third quarter to beat and Ariza — who played nents with losing records.
but the Lakers (30-7) didn't to 0-3 on its four-game West Phoenix. for Phoenix part of last sea- Oshae Brisett scored a ca-
exactly celebrate becom- Coast trip. The Kings — who have won son — added 15 points. reer-high 12 points for To-
ing the second team to win KINGS 114, SUNS 103 three of their last four — The Suns were led by Devin ronto. and Chris Boucher
30 games this season. PHOENIX (AP) — De'Aaron got big contributions from Booker, who scored 34 also had 12, including 10
R.J. Barrett scored 19 points Fox scored 27 points, bench players Dewayne points and had seven as- straight Raptors points in
for the Knicks, and Randle Nemanja Bjelica added Dedmon and Trevor Ariza. sists. It was Booker's seventh the fourth.q

Walt Hopkins hired as

New York Liberty coach

since 2017. Before that, he that are really nice, I didn't This was the first coaching
was the academic coach need to hem to help make hire for the Liberty under
at Cal. He previously was the decision; it was more owner Joe Tsai's group,
director of basketball op- about the people." which bought the team
erations and player de- Former coach Katie Smith's last year. Tsai also owns the
velopment for the Tulsa contract wasn't renewed Brooklyn Nets.
Shock. after the season ended Kolb said the Liberty spoke
The 34-year-old coach is in September. The Liberty with more than 20 people
New York Liberty WNBA basketball team new head coach
Walt Hopkins poses for photographers after a news conference excited for the bright fu- have the first pick in the about the opening.
at Barclays Center, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020, in New York. ture the Liberty have on WNBA draft in April. Neither "It was a large pool and
Associated Press and off the court and said Kolb nor Hopkins would we did that on purpose.
that was a big reason why say who they were taking ... All had different lev-
By DOUG FEINBERG "Walt's a genius. He has this he decided to take the first, although the consen- els of backgrounds and
NEW YORK (AP) — It's been humble confidence about job. sus top pick is Oregon star qualities. We looked every-
a busy offseason for the him,'" Liberty general man- "The ownership, the No. 1 guard Sabrina Ionescu. where far and wide," Kolb
New York Liberty and now ager Jonathan Kolb said. pick, the new arena, the "We need to get it right, just said. "Needed someone
the franchise has a new "He's a person of charac- move to Brooklyn, all of it like this coaching search," who coaches women and
coach — Walt Hopkins. ter. He's a person of high are factors," Hopkins said. Kolb said. "We'll be doing can relate to them. Some-
The team held a news basketball intellect. He's "Had this team been in our homework there. We're one who can motivate,
conference Wednesday an elite level communica- Westchester with this own- excited about the possibili- worked with elite level ath-
at Barclays Center, its new tor." ership, I still would have ties. Having the No. 1 pick is letes. The more we looked
home for the coming sea- Hopkins had been an assis- jumped at it. Those are a huge blessing and we're at that, the more Walt's
son, to introduce Hopkins. tant for the Minnesota Lynx icing on the cake. Things excited to get to work." name made sense."q