THOMAS BRYANT

LeBron James hit a career-high nine 3-pointers while scoring 46 points, but the Los Angeles Clippers hit 19 3-pointers of their own on the way to a comfortable 133-115 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Jamal Murray scored a season-high 34 points, Nikola Jokic recorded his 11th triple-double of the season and the Denver Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Lakers 122-109 on Monday night in a game where LeBron James sat out due to a sore left ankle.

The Los Angeles Lakers star plans to begin the "ramp-up process" to return to play later this week, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin . While there isn't a specific timeframe for his return — the Lakers have said Davis is out indefinitely with his right foot injury — his foot is continuing to improve. Though the Lakers will be without Davis for the foreseeable future, Monday’s report is at least a sign of progress. His right leg connected with Nuggets star Nikola Jokic while in the paint, and he immediately started hopping in pain. He had 29 points and 14 rebounds in the Lakers’ win over the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night.

The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Atlanta Hawks 130-114 for their first four-game winning streak in just under a year.

Running up against Los Angeles Lakers like LeBron James and Russell Westbrook, the Orlando Magic were beaten Tuesday night.

Over the past 10 games, he's averaged 32.9 points, 9.7 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.5 blocks. Both teams' MVP candidates are expected to be available, which could make this the most compelling matchup of Christmas Day. However, things were flawed even before that, with Golden State being outscored by 87 points over the past six games. The Nuggets are 5-1 over the past six games, and they have the second-best offense in the NBA on the season. CP3 has looked great over the past five games, averaging 17.8 points, 9.4 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 1.8 steals.

But before we get to this week's waiver pickups, here are the games played by each team in Week 10. Bryant is averaging 13.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.7 threes, 2.4 stocks and one turnover per game in three starts for the Lakers this season. The Lakers play four games in Week 10, and if he can stay healthy, he'll be worth holding onto through mid-January. The Knicks are 10-5 with Grimes as a starter this season, and he's been quite productive in fantasy over the past two weeks. He dropped his first double-double versus the Knicks on Sunday, too, so his arrow is pointing up if you need points, rebounds and threes.

Kawhi Leonard had 14 points and seven rebounds in his first game in 16 months, and the Los Angeles Clippers opened a season of sky-high expectations with a 103-97 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Stephen Curry opened the season with 33 points, seven assists and six rebounds, and the Golden State Warriors beat LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers 123-109 after receiving their championship rings in a pregame ceremony.

Deandre Ayton had 20 points and 16 rebounds in an efficient 24 minutes and the NBA-leading Phoenix Suns rebounded from a streak-ending loss to beat the short-handed Washington Wizards 95-80 on Saturday night.

Wizards Grizzlies Basketball Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) and center Steven Adams (4) react after Morant scored in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards, Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill) (Brandon Dill)MEMPHIS, Tenn. — (AP) — Ja Morant scored 34 points, his sixth straight game of at least 30 points, and the Memphis Grizzlies built an early lead in a 115-95 victory over the Washington Wizards on Saturday night. Desmond Bane had 19 points, and De’Anthony Melton added 13 to help the Grizzlies win their third straight and fourth in five games. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 15 points, and Spencer Dinwiddie had 10 points for Washington. Unseld quickly replied: “Six of ’em.”TIP-INSWizards: Are 4-17 in Memphis since the Grizzlies moved from Vancouver in 2001. ___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsCopyright 2022 The Associated Press.

Ja Morant scored 34 points, his sixth straight game of at least 30 points, and the Memphis Grizzlies built an early lead in a 115-95 victory over the Washington Wizards on Saturday night.

Kyle Kuzma had 19 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, and the Washington Wizards scored the game’s first nine points and never looked back in a 112-106 win over the Orlando Magic.

Russell Westbrook nearly had a triple-double and Bradley Beal scored 25 points in just 29 minutes to help the Washington Wizards reach the NBA playoffs as the Eastern Conference’s No. 8 seed by overwhelming the Indiana Pacers 142-115 in the play-in round.

The NBA says the rate of players needing to miss games because of injuries is down from last season and within the normal range for what the league has seen over the last five seasons.

Washington Wizards center Thomas Bryant, center, lies injured on the court during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)WASHINGTON – The Washington Wizards likely will be without center Thomas Bryant for the remainder of the season because of a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. Bryant is one of only two players who started all 10 games so far this season for the Wizards. He got hurt after incidental contact with two Miami players during the first quarter of the Wizards’ loss to the Heat on Saturday night. The Wizards have not announced when Bryant will have surgery or given an exact timeline for his recovery, but the rehabilitation process following ACL tears and surgery typically take several months at a minimum.

(AP Photo/Chris Szagola)PHILADELPHIA – Joel Embiid scored 38 points and the NBA-leading Philadelphia 76ers overcame a Washington record-tying 60-point performance by Bradley Beal in a 141-136 win over the Wizards on Wednesday night. Beal, who once scored 53 and 55 points in consecutive games, sank a free throw with 4.4 seconds left to hit the mark. He hit seven 3s and reached 57 points through three quarters, and that should have been enough to give the Wizards the lead. They gave up 82 points and trailed by as many as 21 points, Beal outscoring the rest of the Wizards. Russell Westbrook scored 20 points for the Wizards.

Orlando Magic guard Terrence Ross (31) shoots as Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal (3) watches during the third quarter of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Dec. 26, 2020, in Washington. (Geoff Burke/Pool Photo via AP)WASHINGTON – The Orlando Magic beat Washington 130-120 on Saturday night, overcoming another triple-double by Russell Westbrook in his home debut for the Wizards. Nikola Vucevic had 22 points and 17 rebounds, and Markelle Fultz added 21 points to help the Magic win its second straight to start the season. “I just hate losing.”Despite the triple-double from Westbrook and big night from Beal – who had 11 points in the fourth – the Magic were in control for most of the game. UP NEXTThe Magic and Wizards will complete their back-to-back in Washington on Sunday.

Orlando Magic guard Markelle Fultz (20) shoots as Washington Wizards forward Isaac Bonga (17) and forward Deni Avdija (9) defend in the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Dec. 26, 2020, in Washington. (Geoff Burke/Pool Photo via AP)WASHINGTON – The Orlando Magic beat Washington 130-120 on Saturday night, overcoming another triple-double by Russell Westbrook in his home debut for the Wizards. Nikola Vucevic had 22 points and 17 rebounds, and Markelle Fultz added 21 points to help the Magic win its second straight to start the season. ... Two-way rookie guard Cassius Winston (hamstring strain) was inactive but has returned to practice…UP NEXTThe Magic and Wizards will complete their back-to-back in Washington on Sunday. It is the only meeting between the two Southeast division foes in the first half of the NBA schedule release.

The 76ers announced Saturday that Simmons will be leaving the NBAs season-restart bubble at Walt Disney World. Simmons left Philadelphias game against Washington on Wednesday midway through the third quarter because of injury, officially diagnosed as a subluxation of the left patella. Tests performed since revealed a loose body inside the knee, which led to the decision for surgery. After consultation with the 76ers medical staff and several specialists, Ben Simmons will undergo surgery in the coming days to remove a loose body in his left knee, the 76ers said on Saturday in a team release. Simmons is averaging 16.4 points, 8.0 assists and 7.8 rebounds this season, and his 35.4 minutes per game leads the 76ers.

There was no immediate word from the 76ers on the extent of Simmons injury, which occurred as he landed awkwardly after grabbing an offensive rebound. Tobias Harris added 17 points for the 76ers, who pulled within a game of the Pacers for fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings. This was the the second game in a five-game stretch in which the 76ers play opponents currently seeded seventh or lower in their respective conference. Wizards: Bryant recorded his third straight double-double and had three blocks. Wizards: Play Pelicans on Friday.

The Nets moved seven games ahead of ninth-place Washington in the Eastern Conference standings, and now the Wizards hopes of forcing a play-in series are fading. Thomas Bryant had a career-high 30 points and 13 rebounds, and Troy Brown Jr. added 22 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists for the Wizards. The Nets are without DeAndre Jordan, Spencer Dinwiddie and Taurean Prince because of positive coronavirus tests before the restart. His 170 jams last season tied Kenyon Martin (2002-03) for the most in a season since the stat first was kept during the 1997-98 season. He is in his first season with the Nets after signing a two-way contract with the team in January.

WASHINGTON – Evan Fournier scored 31 points, D.J. Augustin added 16 of his 24 in the fourth quarter and the Orlando Magic beat the Washington Wizards 127-120 on Tuesday night. Bradley Beal scored 42 points for the Wizards, who have lost five of six. Davis Bertans added 21 points and Isaiah Thomas scored 20 for Washington. Orlando answered and when Michael Carter-Williams scored five straight points late in the quarter the Magic led 94-84.