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LeBron James continues to defy age and expectations with a stellar start to his 22nd NBA season, particularly excelling in clutch situations. This season, he’s been on fire from beyond the arc in fourth quarters, shooting an impressive 75% on three-pointers, going 6-of-8 in those moments. This level of efficiency is remarkable for any player, let alone a 39-year-old, underscoring just how LeBron has adapted his game to maximize his impact in the later stages of games.
LeBron has averaged 6.7 points, 2.3 assists, and 1.8 rebounds in the fourth quarter through six games this season, stepping up in crunch time to ensure the Lakers remain competitive. His shooting, playmaking, and leadership have provided the Lakers with much-needed stability in tight situations. His high shooting percentage from three in the fourth quarter not only showcases his precision but also his smart shot selection, as he’s choosing the right moments to pull the trigger.
Throughout his career, LeBron has been known more for his ability to drive to the basket than for his three-point shooting. However, he has evolved his game significantly, especially in recent years, incorporating a reliable outside shot to extend his career and add a new dimension to his offense.
This season, he’s shooting 44.1% (15-34) from deep overall, an impressive figure that shows his commitment to improving his perimeter game. In a league increasingly dominated by three-point shooting, LeBron’s continued success from beyond the arc has allowed him to keep pace with younger, more three-oriented players.
LeBron’s effectiveness from three-point range has given the Lakers more flexibility late in games, allowing them to space the floor and keep defenses honest. His high percentage from deep in the fourth quarter has also forced defenders to guard him closely on the perimeter, which can open up opportunities for other Lakers players. His three-point success has thus not only added points directly but has also created spacing that benefits his teammates and improves the team’s overall offensive rhythm in critical moments.
Through six games, LeBron has averaged 22.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 7.2 assists while shooting 49.5% from the field. These numbers are impressive on their own, but his fourth-quarter performances add another layer of excellence to his season. With the Lakers currently sporting a 4-2 record, LeBron’s clutch shooting has been instrumental in their early success. When the pressure is on, he’s consistently been able to deliver, leading by example and showing younger players the value of composure and experience in closing out games.
As the Lakers navigate a challenging Western Conference, LeBron’s ability to remain calm under pressure and hit big shots in the fourth quarter will be crucial for their success. Head coach JJ Redick has emphasized attention to detail this season, and LeBron’s smart shot selection in crunch time exemplifies this philosophy. Redick’s focus on three-point shooting aligns well with LeBron’s current form, as the Lakers aim to improve their three-point efficiency across the board.
LeBron’s fourth-quarter shooting is a testament to his commitment to evolving his game and his understanding of what his team needs from him as a veteran leader. As the season progresses, fans can expect more clutch moments from LeBron, who shows no signs of slowing down.
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Luka Doncic dominates Mavericks, spoils Anthony Davis' revenge game as Lakers storm into NBA Cup knockout round
Luka Doncic scored 35 points with 11 assists against his former team and the Los Angeles Lakers finished perfect in NBA Cup group play with a 129-119 victory over the visiting Dallas Mavericks on Friday. Austin Reaves scored 38 points with eight rebounds, Deandre Ayton scored 17 points with eight rebounds, and LeBron James had 13 points with seven assists in his fourth game of the season after returning from sciatica. Doncic improved to 3-0 against Dallas after his surprising trade from the Mavericks in February. Los Angeles, which had already advanced to the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup, finished 4-0 in West Group B. Anthony Davis' L.A. return didn't go as planned P.J. Washington scored 22 points with nine rebounds and Anthony Davis added 12 points for the Mavericks in his first game on his former home court after he was traded to Dallas in the Doncic deal. He was making his return after missing the previous 14 games with a calf injury. Ryan Nembhard scored 17 points, Naji Marshall added 16, and Max Christie and Cooper Flagg each scored 13 as the Mavericks lost for the fifth time in six games and finished NBA Cup group play with a 1-3 record. Dallas already was eliminated from advancing to the knockout round. The Mavericks grabbed a 110-109 lead on a floater from Davis with 7:52 remaining before the Lakers took charge. Rui Hachimura capped an 8-0 run on a three-pointer with 5:55 remaining to take a 117-110 lead. The Lakers extended the run to 13-1 for a 122-111 lead with 4:24 remaining after three free throws from Doncic and cruised to the victory from there. The Lakers used a 38-32 advantage in the third quarter to take a 98-94 lead into the final period. The Lakers shot 65.2% from the floor in the third to leave them at 61.0% overall through 36 minutes. They finished the game at 59.2%. The Mavericks were the team in charge in the second quarter when they used a 40-32 advantage to take a 62-60 lead into halftime. Washington and Christie, a former Laker, had 11 points for Dallas in the first half, while Reaves had 19 and Doncic 18 for the Lakers.
Details emerge on Francisco Lindor's alleged incident with Mets teammate
Mr. Smile apparently wasn’t smiling too much about one of his teammates last season. New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor had a "heated confrontation" with teammate Jeff McNeil last June, Mike Puma of the New York Post reported on Friday. Puma writes that Lindor began verbally attacking McNeil on June 20 over a defensive lapse that McNeil had during that day’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies. The confrontation, which was only verbal and never got physical, came in the midst of a seven-game losing streak by the Mets at the time. Puma also reports that the flashy Lindor clashed personalities during the year with the business-like Juan Soto during the season as well. Interestingly enough, the five-time All-Star Lindor also had a confrontation with McNeil in the dugout during a game in the 2021 MLB season. That confrontation did turn physical, and Lindor later offered an extremely unconvincing excuse for the incident. Meanwhile, the incident last June underscored the Mets’ struggles to get on the same page with one another during the 2025 campaign. Despite having a mammoth $342 million payroll, the Mets completely collapsed in the final weeks of the season and missed the playoffs altogether. Now there are rumors that the Mets could make some big changes this offseason, including a potential trade of McNeil. After another apparent confrontation between the veteran utilityman and the four-time Silver Slugger Award winner Lindor, it is clear that something is not quite working right now in that clubhouse.
Dallas Cowboys' chances of beating Lions just increased with an update the NFL world will hate to hear
The 6-5-1 Dallas Cowboys are looking to extend their win streak to four in a row next Thursday when they take on the 7-5 Detroit Lions on primetime television. Though the Lions are known as one of the best teams in the conference, they are struggling to be consistent on offense, and the defense has serious problems, too. There are a lot of factors that go into Detroit's biggest issues on offense, which was known as one of the scariest units in the league not that long ago. But it all starts with the trenches, where they simply haven't been the same. The Lions' offensive line's struggles reached the point where they had to draw former second-team All-Pro center Frank Ragnow out of retirement. However, Ragnow's return is over before it even got a chance to get going. Lions announce Ragnow failed his physical ahead of Cowboys matchup On Saturday, the Lions announced Ragnow's activation to the 53-man roster isn't happening after he failed his physical. "The medical exam revealed a Grade 3 hamstring strain that will keep him from participating for the remainder of the regular season," the team's statement reads. "For that reason, Frank will not be rejoining the Lions." It was already unlikely Ragnow would play in Week 14 due to his inactivity this year. However, the Lions are reaching must-win territory, so it wasn't out of the question. This update confirms it. It's a disappointing update even though it helps the Cowboys' chances of winning. You never want to see a star's return get ruined before it even starts. But it is what it is in football. With that being said, there's no denying it's an objectively positive development for a Dallas team starving for any break it can get as it tries to make the playoffs. Cowboys' rising DL will face struggling Lions OL Over the last few years, the motor driving the Lions' success was its offensive line. Now that it's struggling, Jared Goff's play is showing flaws, and the run game has been inconsistent. On the other side, the Cowboys' defense is quickly improving. Since Quinnen Williams' arrival via trade, Matt Eberflus' unit has shown an ability to pressure the quarterback and stop the run. While it hasn't been perfect, it's that interior defensive line that's sparked quality play. The Cowboys are 3.5-point underdogs against the Lions heading into Week 14 but this advantage in the trenches could position them to pull off a third consecutive upset. window.addEventListener('message', function (event) {if (event.data.totalpoll event.data.totalpoll.action === 'resizeHeight') {document.querySelector('#totalpoll-iframe-375').height = event.data.totalpoll.value;}}, false);document.querySelector('#totalpoll-iframe-375').contentWindow.postMessage({totalpoll: {action: 'requestHeight'}}, '*'); This story was originally published by A to Z Sports on Nov 29, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add A to Z Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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Eagles' grip on NFC East suddenly in danger of slipping away amid spiral, Cowboys' resurgence
Life comes at you fast in the NFL, and the Philadelphia Eagles are finding that out right now. Now they are in a position where what looked to be a runaway lead in the NFC East is rapidly shrinking, and it could be in danger of completely slipping away after an ugly 24-15 loss to the Chicago Bears on Friday. Especially after the Dallas Cowboys won again on Thursday, continuing to narrow the gap in the division. Could the Eagles actually lose the division? The odds are still in the Eagles' favor, but given the way both teams are playing right now, nothing should be considered a given. Dallas has rapidly become one of the hottest teams in the NFL with three consecutive wins, and boasts one of the league's best offenses. The Cowboys' much-maligned defense has also been given a massive boost thanks to the trade-deadline addition of defensive lineman Quinnen Williams from the New York Jets. Dallas really started to get some belief for itself when it rallied to beat the Eagles in a massive NFC East game a week ago. It continued on Thanksgiving with another big win over the Kansas City Chiefs. With Philadelphia's loss on Friday, the gap in the division is now down to just a game-and-a-half with five weeks to go in the season. Hardly insurmountable. Are the Eagles still in the driver's seat? Sure. Would they trade positions with the Cowboys right now? No way. But that doesn't mean anybody in Philadelphia has to be feeling good about any of this given the way the Eagles are playing. Especially when it comes to the team's offense. The Eagles offense has been a struggle for much of the season, and it is getting progressively worse with each game. The passing game has been non-existent. They entered play on Friday with the 23rd-ranked passing offense in the league, and it looked worse than that against the Bears. Quarterback Jalen Hurts has struggled with consistency, the team's best wide receiver — A.J. Brown — seems perpetually miserable with his role and usage, and the play-calling has become shockingly conservative and bland. The running game that carried the Eagles to the Super Bowl a year ago has struggled to build any sort of a rhythm, and Saquon Barkley has been a shell of what he was last season. Even worse, they have almost completely eliminated any designed runs for Hurts, something that was a major X-factor for the offense in recent years. If all of that is not concerning enough, a new issue emerged on Friday — the defense that has helped keep the Eagles afloat this season and lift up the inconsistent offense was completely dominated by the Bears' running game. They were pushed around, bullied and could not get off the field on important third downs. It just looks like a team that has no confidence and nothing going for it. Conversely, the Cowboys all of a sudden look like a team that can do nothing wrong and they are suddenly breathing right down the Eagles' necks. Philadelphia still has games against the Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders, Buffalo Bills and Washington Commanders (twice) remaining. The Cowboys still have the Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Chargers, Commanders and New York Giants. The schedules are pretty similar. But the division might not come down to the opponents. It might come down to what the Eagles and Cowboys can do on their own. The Cowboys should be very confident right now, and the Eagles should not be.
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