Good morning. The Lakers are 11-2 after a 123-112 win in Milwaukee, their seventh straight, but they’ll spend today waiting on test results. Austin Reaves left in the third quarter with a left heel injury, and Luka Dončić twisted his ankle in the fourth. “I’m fine,” Dončić said. Nashville ended the Ducks’ five-game winning streak, though Cutter Gauthier scored again. The Golden Knights won their fourth straight. UCLA’s men beat Arkansas-Pine Bluff by 69, the largest margin in program history, and USC’s men won at Cal to stay unbeaten. Tonight, the Kings host the Islanders and UCLA’s women host Arizona. Let’s get into it.
🚨 HEADLINES
🏀 11-2. The Lakers won their seventh straight, but Reaves (heel) and Dončić (ankle) both got hurt — Carlos Yakimowich.
🏒 Seven straight games with a goal. Gauthier scored again, but Nashville snapped the Ducks’ winning streak 4-2 — Zach Cavanagh at Honda Center.
🏒 Four straight. Ivan Barbashev scored twice as the Golden Knights beat Utah 5-3 — Steve Carp at T-Mobile Arena.
🏀 By 69. UCLA beat Arkansas-Pine Bluff 106-37, the largest win in program history — Jack Haslett at Pauley Pavilion.
🏈 “A new step.” Fernando Mendoza gets his first NFL start Sunday against Seattle — Derek Hegna.
🏈 Not on IR. Why the Rams are keeping Puka Nacua off injured reserve — Muhammed Asif.
See what else is trending at The Sporting Tribune.
📋 SCOREBOARD — WEDNESDAY
🏀 NBA: Lakers 123, Bucks 112
🏒 NHL: Predators 4, Ducks 2 · Golden Knights 5, Mammoth 3
🏀 MBB: UCLA 106, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 37 · USC 77, Cal 65 · San Diego State 88, Bethune-Cookman 75 · WBB: Colorado 64, San Diego State 55
🏀 SEVEN STRAIGHT, TWO SCARES
The Lakers beat Milwaukee 123-112 for their seventh straight win, and they’re 11-2. Now they wait. Austin Reaves left in the third quarter with a left heel injury after landing awkwardly on a dunk attempt. He tried to play through it but couldn’t. Carlos Yakimowich writes that the X-rays were negative and more imaging is scheduled today. Reaves had 18 points, five assists and three steals.
Then Dončić went down. He made a 3 in the fourth quarter while being fouled by Kyle Kuzma, twisted his ankle on the landing, stayed in to shoot the free throw and then left. He finished with 32 points and five 3-pointers. “I’m fine,” he said. “Obviously it hurts a little, but I’ll be okay.” Collin Sexton also needed stitches near his temple after a head-to-head collision.
The bench carried the night again. Sandro Mamukelashvili scored 23 for the second straight game, going 5 of 8 from 3, and the reserves scored 55. Jake LaRavia didn’t score but had nine rebounds and a team-high six assists. The Lakers forced 18 turnovers. “We managed to win 3 games in a row on the road, so that’s really good,” Dončić said.
GO DEEPER
› Carlos Yakimowich: Reaves exits with injuries in Lakers’ seventh straight win (The Sporting Tribune)
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🏒 ONE STREAK ENDS, ONE KEEPS GOING
Nashville caught the Ducks. Cutter Gauthier scored in the first period, his 14th goal in seven straight games with a goal, which Zach Cavanagh writes ties Corey Perry’s 2013-14 run for the third-longest such streak in Ducks history. But Nashville pulled away on goals by Nils Höglander, Shane Wright and Steven Stamkos and won 4-2 for its sixth straight win. The Ducks’ five-game winning streak, and their run of five-goal games, ended. “We’re not going to score five goals a game through the whole season,” Mikael Granlund said. The Ducks (9-8-1) host the Islanders on Saturday.
The Golden Knights have won four straight. Ivan Barbashev scored twice in the second period, Victor Olofsson had a goal and two assists, and Vegas beat Utah 5-3 to open a five-game homestand. “Tonight was probably our best game,” Olofsson said. Nashville is next on Friday.
The Kings need to turn it around. Alex Hutton writes that after back-to-back losses, the NHL’s oldest team is near the bottom of the West, and Peter Laviolette wants accountability. “The bottom line is that what we’re doing isn’t good enough,” Laviolette said. Kevin Fiala is getting close to returning. The Islanders visit tonight.
GO DEEPER
› Zach Cavanagh: Predators catch Ducks slipping, snap Anaheim streaks (The Sporting Tribune)
› TST Images: Predators at Ducks (The Sporting Tribune)
› Steve Carp: Barbashev, Olofsson lead Knights to fourth straight win (The Sporting Tribune)
› Alex Hutton: Kings look to move their season in the right direction (The Sporting Tribune)
🏀 HISTORY IN WESTWOOD
UCLA won by 69. The Bruins led Arkansas-Pine Bluff 51-9 at halftime, tying the program record for fewest points allowed in a half, and won 106-37, the largest margin in UCLA history. Nikola Kusturica scored 17 on 7-of-9 shooting, and Trent Perry had 11 points and a career-high 11 assists. “Speechless,” Perry said. “That wasn’t something that we are aiming for, but we’ll take it.” UCLA (3-0) hosts Long Beach State on Monday.
USC is 3-0. Jacob Cofie had 13 points, 15 rebounds and six assists in all 40 minutes, Alijah Arenas scored 19, and the Trojans won 77-65 at Cal, their first win at Haas Pavilion since 2022. They outrebounded Cal 53-36.
San Diego State split a doubleheader. Latrell Davis scored a season-high 26, and the Aztecs’ men closed on a 14-2 run to beat Bethune-Cookman 88-75 and go to 3-0. The women turned it over 21 times and lost 64-55 to Colorado, ending their 16-game home winning streak one short of the program record.
GO DEEPER
› Jack Haslett: UCLA makes program history with 69-point blowout of Arkansas-Pine Bluff (The Sporting Tribune)
› TST Images: Arkansas-Pine Bluff at UCLA (The Sporting Tribune)
› Cofie’s double-double helps No. 21 USC beat Cal, stay unbeaten (The Sporting Tribune)
› Eric Evelhoch: Aztecs men lock it down late, hold off Bethune-Cookman (The Sporting Tribune)
› Eric Evelhoch: Turnovers cost Aztecs women against Colorado (The Sporting Tribune)
🍔 THE DEALS BOARD
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🌮 Jack in the Box — two free tacos with any drink after the Lakers’ win in Milwaukee. Code LETSGOLAKERS in the Jack app or online.
Tonight’s trigger: if the Kings score in the final minute of the second period against the Islanders, McDonald’s app users get a free McFlurry tomorrow. The Firehouse Subs Chargers deal expired Wednesday.
🏟️ TWO GAMES, ONE THURSDAY
Islanders at Kings at 7 on ABTV. The Kings (5-9-2) were shut out by Nashville on Tuesday and have lost two straight.
Arizona at UCLA at 7:30 on BTN. The defending national champion Bruins are 2-0.
📌 AROUND THE MARKETS
Mendoza is ready. Derek Hegna writes that Fernando Mendoza, the former Heisman winner and No. 1 overall pick, makes his first start Sunday against a Seattle defense that allows the fewest yards in the NFL, and Denver and Cleveland follow. “I believe starting an NFL game, it is a new step, but a whirlwind, no,” Mendoza said. “Our expectation is for him to lead the offense,” Klint Kubiak said.
Why Nacua isn’t on IR. Muhammed Asif writes that the Rams kept Puka Nacua off injured reserve because they’ve used several of their limited return slots, and their Week 11 bye could let him come back without missing a mandatory four games. “He’s still going to be out for a significant period of time,” Sean McVay said. The Rams (5-4) play Arizona next.
The Clippers’ defense is the problem. Grant Mona writes that the 22 3-pointers Phoenix made on Tuesday showed the Clippers’ biggest issue isn’t injuries. “Defense worries me even more than the injuries,” he writes.
Rivals in the Ring is back. Michael Huezo reports that USC and UCLA boxers meet Saturday at the Los Angeles Athletic Club, on the John R. Wooden Award Court, for the first time since 2019, with a WBC collegiate title on the line in the main event.
GO DEEPER
› Derek Hegna: The dawn of the Fernando Mendoza era has arrived in Las Vegas (The Sporting Tribune)
› Muhammed Asif: Why Puka Nacua isn’t on injured reserve, per Sean McVay (The Sporting Tribune)
› Grant Mona: Phoenix’s bench buries Clippers as the same old problem shows up again (The Sporting Tribune)
› Michael Huezo: Rivals in the Ring returns to downtown LA (The Sporting Tribune)
📺 WATCHLIST — THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12
🏒 NHL: Islanders at Kings — Crypto.com Arena — 7:00 p.m. — ABTV
🏀 WBB: Arizona at UCLA — Pauley Pavilion — 7:30 p.m. — BTN
🎟️ GOING TO A GAME?
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🏒 Islanders at Kings — Crypto.com Arena — $31
🏈 Illinois at UCLA (Fri.) — Rose Bowl — $31
🏈 Seahawks at Raiders (Sun.) — Allegiant Stadium — $343
🌴 TST TRIVIA
Cutter Gauthier’s goal streak tied one of Corey Perry’s. In which season did Perry win the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s MVP with the Ducks?
Answer at the bottom.
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Trivia answer: 2010-11, when he scored 50 goals.
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