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The New Orleans Pelicans suffered a tough blow versus the Utah Jazz on Sunday night, losing All-Stars Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson to injury.
In other news, the LA Lakers squandered a fourth quarter lead to the Portland Trail Blazers, dropping them to a disappointing 0-3 on the season.
On that note, here are the top news stories from around the NBA as of Oct. 24, 2022.
Brandon Ingram (head) and Zion Williamson (hip) exit Pelicans’ overtime loss to the Jazz
The New Orleans Pelicans lost both of their All-Stars during Sunday’s overtime loss to the Utah Jazz.
Forward Brandon Ingram first exited the game in the second quarter after a collision with teammate Naji Marshall. The Pelicans later announced that Ingram is being evaluated for concussion-like symptoms. He finished the game with 10 points in 11 minutes of action.
Forward Zion Williamson later exited the game in the fourth quarter after hitting his back on the floor. This came after Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson blocked his dunk attempt in transition. Williamson did not go to the locker room to receive treatment. However, he also did not re-enter the game.
The Pelicans later announced that Williamson sustained a posterior hip contusion. Williamson finished the game with 25 points in 30 minutes of action.
The Pelicans now fall to 2-1 in the NBA season. Their next game will be on Tuesday at home versus the Dallas Mavericks.
LA Lakers fall to 0-3 following fourth quarter collapse versus Portland Trail Blazers
The LA Lakers have fallen to 0-3 on the NBA season, following a tough fourth quarter collapse versus the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday.
Damian Lillard led the overall scoring with 41 points. This included hitting a clutch go-ahead 3-pointer with just under 15 seconds remaining. LeBron James, who led the Lakers with 31 points, later tied the game with under 10 seconds remaining. However, it was newly-acquired Blazers forward Jerami Grant who hit the game-winning layup with three seconds to go.
James then had a chance to tie the game again with a fadeaway shot at the buzzer but missed, causing the Lakers to lose 106-104. This came after the Lakers had been leading the game by eight points with a few minutes remaining, making the loss all the more painful.
The Lakers' horrendous shooting continued in this game as they shot just 6-for-33 (18.2%) from deep. This brings their 3-point shooting total to a brutal 25-for-118 (21.2%) through three games.
Following the game, LeBron James spoke about his frustration so far.
“I don’t like to lose. I hate to lose, especially the way we had this game. Give credit to Portland,” James said.
However, he refused to put the blame on teammate Russell Westbrook, who has been under criticism for his late-game shot selection. Westbrook finished with just 10 points, six rebounds and six assists on 4-15 (26.7%) shooting.
“You guys can write about Russ … I’m not up here to do that,” James said.
The Lakers will look to bounce back and secure their first win of the season on Wednesday on the road against the Denver Nuggets.
Donovan Mitchell becomes first Cavaliers player to score 30 or more points in their first three games with the team
Donovan Mitchell has been making history during his first few games with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Mitchell scored 31 points in the Cavaliers' tough season-opening loss to the Toronto Raptors. He followed that up with 32 points in the Cavaliers' second game, a blowout win against the Chicago Bulls. In Cleveland’s Sunday home opener, Mitchell was even better scoring 37 points in an overtime win against the Washington Wizards. That gives Mitchell a total of 100 points over his first three games.
Following Cleveland’s second game, Mitchell became the first Cavaliers player to score 30 or more points in their first two games with the team. Likewise, after their third game, Mitchell became the first Cavaliers player to score 30 or more points in their first three games with the team.
The Cavaliers are now 2-1 on the NBA season. Considering All-Star guard Darius Garland is out with an eye injury, it’s been a great start to the season for Cleveland.
The Cavaliers' next game will be at home on Wednesday against the 0-3 Orlando Magic. Mitchell will look to extend his franchise-record streak of 30-point games to four games.
Heat forward Caleb Martin suspended Monday versus Raptors for tackling Christian Koloko
Miami Heat forward Caleb Martin has been suspended for one game by the NBA following his altercation with Toronto Raptors center Christian Koloko on Saturday.
Both Martin and Koloko were originally called for technical fouls and ejected from Saturday’s game. However, the NBA determined that Martin was the instigator in the scuffle, which took place on the baseline near Miami's bench.
Following Saturday’s game, Martin spoke about the altercation.
“Overall, I’ve got to be more professional in the way that I handle those types of situations,” Martin said.
Heat rookie Nikola Jovic is also receiving an automatic suspension from the NBA for leaving the Heat's bench area during the incident. Meanwhile, Koloko was fined $15,000 for grabbing Martin during the altercation.
The Heat and Raptors are set to face off again on Monday night, so Martin and Jovic will miss the teams’ rematch. The Raptors will be looking for some quick redemption following their 112-109 loss last game.
Orlando Magic's Paolo Banchero becomes first teenager to score over 20 points in first three NBA games
Orlando Magic No. 1 pick Paolo Banchero’s NBA career has been off to a terrific start so far.
Banchero debuted with a 27-point outing against the Detroit Pistons. He followed that up with a 20-point performance against the Atlanta Hawks. In his third game against the Boston Celtics on Saturday night, Banchero stayed hot, finishing with 23 points.
In doing so, Banchero became the first teenager in NBA history to score at least 20 points in each of his first three games.
This is an impressive record considering other notable players who made their NBA debuts as teenagers. This includes superstars LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. Overall, between his size (6-foot-10, 250 pounds), strength and scoring ability, Banchero looks like the real deal.
Banchero has previously stated that he'd like to win the NBA Rookie of the Year award this season. If his first three games are any indication, he looks like the favorite to do so.
The Magic’s next game will be on Monday on the road versus the New York Knicks. Banchero will look to continue his record-breaking 20-point game streak to four games.
Guess the Lakers players!
