NBA News Today: LeBron James passes Magic Johnson in career assists list, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George returns to practice, and more

LeBron James is now sixth on the NBA's all-time assists list after passing Magic Johnson on Friday. James continued his record-breaking campaign by helping the LA Lakers defeat the Milwaukee Bucks.

Meanwhile, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are closer to returning for the LA Clippers. Leonard and George, who have missed several games, will practice with the team before determining their return to the court.

Here is the latest NBA news today, Dec. 3, brought to you by Sportskeeda.

Mavs GM worried about Kemba Walker's injury history

Kemba Walker played for the New York Knicks last season.

Kemba Walker is the newest member of the Dallas Mavericks. However, team president and general manager Nico Harrison is worried about Walker's health. The 32-year-old guard has been plagued by injuries since leaving the Charlotte Hornets in 2019.

In an interview with Callie Caplan of the Dallas Morning News, Harrison was straightforward in his concerns for Walker. He's not setting high expectations for the four-time NBA All-Star, but is happy about having a veteran presence on the roster.

"I don't think there's any expectations, really," Harrison said. "One, I hope his body holds up. I think that's the first and foremost thing. I hope his body holds up. If it does, he’s a veteran guy."

Also Read: Anthony Davis and Giannis Antetokounmpo put on a battle for the ages and NBA fans were HYPED: "AD owned him", "Giannis is better"

LeBron James passes Magic Johnson in NBA career assists list

LeBron James reached another milestone on Friday and overtook Magic Johnson on the NBA's career assists list. James is now in sixth place behind John Stockton, Jason Kidd, Chris Paul, Steve Nash and Mark Jackson.

"The King" did it with 8:41 remaining in the game against the Milwaukee Bucks. It was his ninth assist of the game and 10,142 of his career. He finished the game with 10,144 assists as the LA Lakers triumphed over the Bucks 133-129.

James praised Johnson's ability as a point guard. He's often compared to the Lakers legend because of their basketball IQ, size and playmaking skills.

"The way Magic approached the game, it was very infectious," James said. "His teammates loved playing with him because of the joy he played with and the ability to pass the ball and get other guys involved. He was always excited about seeing his teammates be great. I always admired that in him."

Khris Middleton scores 17 points in first game of the season

Khris Middleton finally made his season debut for the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday against the LA Lakers. He had 17 points in 27 minutes, shooting 6-for-11 from the field and hitting 3-for-from beyond the arc.

Middleton missed the first two months of the season after undergoing wrist surgery. Friday's game was his first since the first round of the playoffs against the Chicago Bulls. He missed the remainder of the postseason due to a sprained MCL in his left knee.

"It felt really good to be back out there with the guys competing, playing," Middleton said. "Just a range of emotions. Been through a lot these last couple months, happy, sad, anxious, nervous. To finally get out there and play and get a lot of those nerves past me, it felt pretty good."

Also Read: Anthony Davis and Giannis Antetokounmpo put on a battle for the ages and NBA fans were HYPED: "AD owned him", "Giannis is better"

Kawhi Leonard and Paul George returns to practice

Paul George and Kawhi Leonard of the LA Clippers

Injured LA Clippers superstars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George returned to practice on Friday. The duo fully participated in scrimmage, but are both questionable for Saturday's game against the Sacramento Kings.

Leonard has only played in five games this season due to lingering issues with his knee and ankle. George, on the other hand, has missed the last six games because of a right hamstring tendon strain. Clippers head coach Ty Lue is excited to finally have a healthy roster.

"I'm excited to get guys back, PG and Kawhi, get Luke (Kennard) back, but now we gotta wait on Norm (Powell) so, hopefully, he feels better soon," Lue said. "But I am very excited just to kind of see what we have."

Complete NBA scores for Dec. 2

The NBA had 11 games on Friday night, headlined by the Golden State Warriors against the Chicago Bulls. The LA Lakers defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in what could be the game of the year, while the Houston Rockets earned a shocking win over the Phoenix Suns.

The Charlotte Hornets, Brooklyn Nets and Atlanta Hawks were among the victorious teams. The Miami Heat outlasted the Boston Celtics in overtime for their best win of the season. Here are the complete results for Dec. 2: