LeBron James just turned 38 and he’s not a happy man, as things are looking bleak for the Lakers this 2022-23 NBA season.
Currently, they’re 13th in the West standings with a 14-21 record, and their NBA 2022 odds of making it back to the postseason don’t offer much hope.
Meanwhile, the Mavericks are riding the hot hand of their superstar Luka Doncic, while the Pistons and the Magic got into a skirmish and 11 players are suspended as a result.
Read on below as SBOTOP brings to you the newest NBA 2022 updates.
LeBron James reiterates desire to win
Following their 112-98 loss to the Heat on Wednesday, LeBron James was quizzed on what the future holds for him as he was about to turn 38. He said that he intends to play longer in the NBA, depending on his mental state.
“I know as long as my mind stays in it, I can play at this level for a minute. Now, that’s up to my mind. My body is going to be okay because if my mind is into it, I’ll make sure my body is taken care of and I’ll continue to put in the work,” said James.
“I’m a winner and I want to win. Playing basketball at this level just to be playing basketball is not in my DNA anymore. So we’ll see what happens and see how fresh my mind stays over the next couple years,” he added.
James has reinvented what an NBA player in his prime looks like since he’s having another solid campaign. He leads the team with 27.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game. However, that hasn’t been enough for the Lakers.
Los Angeles have lost nine of its last 13 games. And with Anthony Davis – who gave them life after playing his best ball earlier this month – facing a long spell on the sidelines yet again, it’s likely that they’ll miss out on the postseason once more.
This is not what LeBron James envisioned when he came to LA in 2018. He did win his fourth NBA title with the Lakers back in 2020, but since then they’ve been spiraling down.
The Lakers have James locked in for at least two more seasons after agreeing to a historic contract extension this past offseason. However, it seems that he’s no longer interested in staying after that.
Luka Magic in full display
We’re accustomed to seeing Doncic put up huge numbers, but his performance against the Knicks on Wednesday was of historic proportions as he recorded 60 points, 21 rebounds, and 10 assists – making him the first player in league history to have the said stat line.
The Mavericks were down nine with 33 seconds left in regulation before getting even in a crazy sequence capped by Doncic’s tying basket off his intentionally missed free throw to force overtime. Dallas went on to win 126-121, in what was their fourth consecutive victory.
Doncic then recorded his league-leading eighth triple-double in their 129-114 win against the Rockets few days later as he dropped 35 points, 12 rebounds, and 13 assists in 34 minutes.
Compared to the game against the Knicks, this one was a blowout as the Mavericks built an unassailable lead over the Rockets in the third period.
Detroit averts another “Malice at the Palace”
Two of the league’s worst teams made headlines for the wrong reasons, as the Pistons and the Magic got into a scuffle during their meeting on Thursday.
With the first half winding down, Moe Wagner and Killian Hayes chased an errant Magic pass into the backcourt. Hayes tried to cut past Wagner to get the ball along the sideline, but the Magic center bumped the Pistons guard into the Detroit bench, starting an altercation that involved players from both clubs.
Hayes, who didn’t like the hip-check, got up and hit Wagner behind the head and the Magic center appeared to be unconscious.
The NBA handed out punishments following the incident, as Hayes is banned for three games and Wagner is not allowed to compete in two.
Pistons swingman Hamidou Diallo, along with Magic players Cole Anthony, RJ Hampton, Gary Harris, Kevon Harris, Admiral Schofield, Franz Wagner, Mo Bamba, and Wendell Carter Jr., were all suspended for one game too.
The Pistons built a 17-point lead at halftime and never looked back as they beat the Magic 121-101 to snap their six-game losing streak.
These two teams will meet again on February 23, which is going to be a must-see on TV.
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