But did it help reduce the fire danger that fueled this month’s unprecedented firestorm?
Fire conditions
Forecasters say the amount of rainfall isn’t quite enough to keep Los Angeles’ fire season from dragging into February. It would take 2 to 4 inches of rain to comfortably consider the wildfire season over, said Ryan Kittell, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Oxnard. This storm dropped, generally, half an inch to 1.5 inches across the L.A. Basin.
“It’s not quite where we’d be comfortable to say we’d be good for the season, but certainly providing relief for the next couple weeks,” he said.
Amid the wet weather, containment grew on all of Southern California’s wildfires.
The Palisades, Eaton and Hughes fires in L.A. County were 95%, 99% and 98% contained, respectively, as of Tuesday morning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Containment of the Border 2 fire in San Diego County was listed at 74%.
What SoCal got
Rainfall in Los Angeles County peaked in Porter Ranch, with its three-day rain total hitting 1.62 inches as of 10 a.m. Monday, according to the National Weather Service. Sepulveda Canyon wasn’t far behind with 1.45 inches, and Santa Monica Pier got 1.38 inches. Some areas, however, didn’t top half an inch: Agoura Hills and Castaic saw a third of an inch; Alhambra got 0.49 of an inch.
Snowfall in the mountains accumulated to more than a foot in some of the highest elevations, including Mountain High in Wrightwood and at Arrowbear Lake. Other peaks saw 1 to 10 inches: Mt. Wilson recorded 10 inches, Frazier Park got 2 to 4 inches and Mt. Baldy got 5 to 10 inches, according to the National Weather Service.
Although the much-anticipated rainfall had many fire-weary Angelenos hopeful, forecasters had also been worried that the system would create thunderstorms or strong storm cells that would inundate the regions’ fresh burn scars, wreaking more havoc on the disaster-fatigued region. But luckily, Kittell said, the heaviest rain missed those areas.
“This was a largely beneficial rain. … I think we dodged a bullet,” he said. “It helped with the firefights and definitely gives us a break from fire weather.”
Some areas saw significant downpours, with heavy rain falling in a short amount of time, causing some minor flooding and road closures from mud and debris, especially in the Santa Monica Mountains. But the worst-case scenario didn’t play out, Kittell said.
Forecasts show the next few days relatively dry, but there are some chances for rain this weekend or next week, which could continue to ease the fire threat if it materializes, Kittell said.
There are “a few signals for one or two rain events,” he said.
Reigning UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili and former 135-pound titleholder Petr Yan will face off as opposing coaches on the next season of Hype Reality, Russia’s TUF-inspired reality show that previously featured Arman Tsarukyan and Khamzat Chimaev.
“The world is not ready yet,” wrote Internet personality Alfredo Auditore, who is sort of like Russia’s version of the Nelk Boys.
I think he meant “the world is not interested yet,” since we already saw Dvalishvili defeat Yan at UFC Las Vegas back in early 2023. In the nearly two years that followed, Dvalishvili went on to capture (and defend) the bantamweight title.
Yan rebounded with consecutive wins over Song Yadong and Deiveson Figueiredo.
No word yet on when or where Hype Reality will stream online. As of this writing, both “The Machine” and “No Mercy” remain unbooked though it’s likely Yan — dormant since last November — will be tapped first as Dvalishvili waits for this rival to recover.
Scientists have made a stunning Parkinson’s disease breakthrough after a man fitted with an incredible new device said he feels “cured” of the brutal disease.
Kevin Hill, 65, was the first patient to be fitted with Brainsense, a groundbreaking new “adaptive” technology.
A year ago, surgeons from Newcastle Hospital installed an implant into Mr Halls’ brain. It is linked to a tiny computer in his chest that sends vital electrical signals.
An update to the device now means scientists can closely read the patient’s brain activity.
It means they can provide a much more tailored and personalised treatment, using his body signals to adapt and adjust to meet his needs on a potentially minute-by-minute basis.
Now, Mr Hill forgets about Parkinson’s “for days and days and days”, telling the BBC he feels “cured”.
The 65-year-old Sunderland resident first began feeling Parkinson’s symptoms in his forties, including shakes and trembling in his thumbs and later his arms and legs. He suffered countless sleepless nights and nightmares as a result.
Mr Hill did not receive a diagnosis until 2017. He was told there was no cure but was informed about a new treatment being trialed, known as deep brain stimulation (DBS)
He enrolled and had the rice grain-sized chip planted into his brain which links up to wires threading up to the back of his neck.
Mr Hill said his body tremors stopped “stopped instantly”, leaving his wife in disbelief.
He said: “Before the implant I suffered badly with tremors which affected my sleep and gave me terrible pains in my shoulders, arms and legs. It also affected me mentally – I became really self-conscious and withdrew from socialising or seeing other people.
“The medication I was on wasn’t really working and I also had to give up my job.When I was referred for deep brain stimulation, I was told it could take a while to have an impact but I had a great response and the improvement was instant.”
Now, Mr Hill is even back on his bike, seeing friends and playing snooker.
He added: “To know that I’m going to benefit even more from having the latest version of the technology is just fantastic.”
The technology was developed by Medtronic, a company which specialises in developing technology solutions for complex health conditions.
Amaza Reitmeier, vice president, Neuromodulation marketing and strategy at Medtronic, said: “Medtronic remains the only company in the world to offer a complete sensing-enabled deep brain stimulation system, and now we have enhanced this innovation to allow patients with Parkinson’s to spend less time thinking about their disease.”
Around 153,000 people in the UK are living with Parkinson’s disease, a progressive neurological disorder affecting the brain and nervous system, in particular movement and balance.
This number is expected to soar in coming years due to population growth and ageing.
According to the NHS, symptoms include:
Symptoms can be life-changing or life-limiting and include:
Tremors or involuntary shaking in the hands, arms, legs or head.
Muscle and joint stiffness and tension, making it hard to move around and which can cause pain.
Impaired balance and coordination, slowness of movement.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
What separates a good manager from a great leader? It’s not just results; it’s the ability to inspire, adapt and bring out the best in others. Great leaders don’t simply oversee work; they set the tone, create the vision and foster an environment where individuals and teams thrive.
When I founded ButterflyMX, I quickly learned that effective leaders can transform workplace culture, elevate team performance and drive long-term success. Whether you’re leading a startup or managing a team within a larger organization, understanding and cultivating core leadership traits is essential for achieving these outcomes.
Great leaders aren’t born; they’re made through intentional practice and a commitment to growth. While every leader brings their own unique style, there are core traits that consistently drive success, build trust and inspire teams to perform at their best.
Visionary thinking
Effective leaders think beyond the immediate. They have a clear vision of the future and can articulate it in a way that excites and aligns their team. Visionary leaders inspire others to see the bigger picture and their role in it.
Prioritize explaining your goals and why they matter. Watching your team embrace your vision and seeing the pride in their contributions can be one of the most rewarding moments of your career. It wasn’t just about achieving milestones but building something meaningful together.
Empathy and emotional intelligence
Leadership is all about connections. Empathy enables leaders to understand their team members’ perspectives and challenges, which creates a culture of trust and support. Emotional intelligence helps leaders navigate complex interpersonal dynamics and ensures that every voice feels heard.
An empathetic leader takes the time to check in with their team and recognizes personal and professional challenges. This connection builds trust and loyalty and empowers your team to perform at their best.
Adaptability
In today’s fast-paced world, adaptability is non-negotiable. Whether you’re responding to unexpected challenges or seizing new opportunities, adaptable leaders inspire confidence through their calm and resourcefulness.
Think of the managers who successfully guide their teams during times of change. Their ability to pivot quickly and guide their teams through uncertainty turns potential disruption into growth opportunities.
Accountability
Great leaders own their decisions, celebrate wins and take responsibility for failures. Accountability fosters trust and shows your team that you’re committed to fairness and growth.
When a project doesn’t go as planned, an accountable leader addresses the missteps openly and focuses on solutions, modeling the behavior they want to see in their team.
Communication skills
The best leaders are exceptional communicators. They provide clarity, give constructive feedback and motivate their teams through every interaction.
Regular one-on-one check-ins, transparent updates and clear expectations ensure every team member feels informed and aligned with organizational goals.
Being an effective leader is about embodying the qualities that create lasting impact.
Fostering growth
The best managers are also mentors. They invest in their team members’ development and help them acquire new skills and achieve their goals.
For instance, a manager encouraging employees to lead a new project builds their confidence while strengthening the team’s capabilities.
Building a positive culture
A thriving workplace culture doesn’t happen by accident. Effective leaders create an environment of respect, recognition and collaboration.
When employees feel valued and supported, they’re more motivated to contribute to the team’s success. It can be easy to get caught up in chasing the next milestone without pausing to reflect on small achievements.
Take a few minutes out of each company meeting to highlight the small wins, like a successful demo or an especially thoughtful customer review. These moments of recognition brought the team closer together and reminded us all why we do what we do. Building a positive culture is about consistently showing people their work matters.
Balancing authority and approachability
Great leaders strike the perfect balance between authority and approachability, maintaining professionalism while remaining open and accessible. They also encourage open dialogue and collaboration.
Approachable leaders make it easy for team members to voice concerns, share ideas and seek guidance, fostering trust and transparency.
Common challenges and how to overcome them
Even the most effective leaders face challenges that test their abilities and resilience.
Here’s how to overcome them:
Imposter syndrome: Focus on continuous learning. Leadership isn’t about being perfect; it’s about growth. Seek mentorship, read widely and remember that confidence comes with experience.
Delegation struggles: Trust your team. Delegation is about empowering others, not relinquishing control. Start small and build confidence as you see your team succeed.
Navigating conflict: Approach conflict with curiosity, not defensiveness. Great leaders see disagreements as opportunities to strengthen relationships and find creative solutions.
Becoming a great leader doesn’t happen overnight. Instead, it’s a journey of continuous learning and intentional effort. By taking practical steps to refine your skills and connect with your team, you can start building the foundation for lasting leadership success.
Actionable steps:
Identify your leadership style: Are you a visionary leader, a hands-on leader or a mix? Understanding your style helps you lean into your strengths and address weaknesses.
Build a feedback loop: Ask your team for honest feedback about your leadership. This shows you value their input and are committed to growth.
Commit to continuous development: Leadership is a lifelong journey. Read books, attend workshops and seek out mentors to sharpen your skills.
Practice active listening: Make time to understand your team’s needs and concerns. Listening builds trust and creates a foundation for strong relationships.
Becoming the leader your team deserves
Leadership is about progress, not perfection. By cultivating these core traits and striving for growth, you’ll inspire your team and set the foundation for long-term success.
Your vision, empathy and ability to bring out the best in others will drive the right decisions and, ultimately, the team’s success.
The Minneapolis-based discount chain has suffered swift backlash after announcing last week that it was axing its DEI policies in a stark reversal for a retailer long known for its outspoken support of LGBTQ and minority rights.
Black-owned brands are telling customers to ignore calls to boycott Target over its DEI policy reversal. REUTERS
But founders of black-owned companies urged customers to continue shopping at the retailer, arguing that a boycott would only hurt their own sales and get them kicked off Target shelves.
Tabitha Brown, an actress who also sells kitchenware at Target, said black-owned brands have the most to lose from the boycotts.
“I get it, but so many of us will be affected, and our sales will drop,” Brown said in a video posted to Instagram. “Our business will be hurt, and if any of you know business, it doesn’t just happen overnight where you can just go take all your stuff and pull it off the shelves.”
Target did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Brown, who also sells cookbooks and seasonings at Walmart, another company that recently revoked its DEI policies, said the boycott could unintentionally yank black-owned brands from store shelves.
“If we all decide to stop supporting said businesses…you take all our sales and they dwindle down, and then those companies get to say, ‘Oh, your products are not performing,’ and they can remove them from the shelves and then put their preferred businesses on the shelves,” Brown said.
Some critics called for shoppers to avoid Target stores and instead purchase products directly from black-owned brands’ websites.
But business owners said this could still do damage, since Target’s website and its nearly 2,000 stores give their brands more visibility and millions of additional customers.
“If you don’t buy our products in Target, they will cancel us from their shelves and make us buy back the products they already purchased from us,” black-owned doll brand Beautiful Curly Me said in a post on Instagram.
“We have dolls on our websites, but having your dolls in mass retail stores gives you a different kind of visibility to millions and really helps us expand,” the brand added.
Target last week announced it was axing its DEI policies in a major reversal for a retailer long known for its outspoken support of LBGTQ and minority rights. REUTERS
Melissa Butler, founder of Lip Bar, Target’s largest black-owned makeup company, said she was not shocked by the DEI rollback.
“Even though I’m disappointed, I’m not that surprised. I always thought that the 2020 commitments were a farce,” she said in an Instagram video, referencing the widespread diversity policies implemented by companies after George Floyd’s murder in 2020 and the Black Lives Matter protests.
“Anything that is forced is going to be a farce, and I think part of it is because Trump is emboldening companies to reverse commitments that they never wanted to do in the first place,” she added.
On Friday, the retailer said it is “concluding its three-year diversity, equity and inclusion goals” and will stop its reports to the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, according to an internal memo obtained by The Post.
Target also said it was trashing a program focused on carrying more products from black- and minority-owned businesses.
In 2022, the retailer set a goal of making a $2 billion commitment to black-owned businesses by 2025 and to have more than 500 black-owned brands in its stores.
The company previously said it was on track to meet these goals.
Many brand owners said they were hoping to get more clarity from Target and were operating business as usual in the meantime.
Black-owned brands said the boycott would hurt their sales and could get their businesses pulled from shelves. REUTERS
On Tuesday, Target’s website still included featured sections boosting women-owned brands, Asian-owned brands and an LGBTQ shop, as well as a layout highlighting black-owned brands ahead of Black History Month, which starts Saturday.
Since President Trump won the White House in November, and conservative activists have taken aim at DEI policies, more companies have been revoking their diversity policies.
On his first day in office last week, Trump argued in favor of “merit-based” programs and signed an executive order that aims to end all DEI policies across the federal level.
He also encouraged private firms to begin rolling back their diversity initiatives.
Want to send lib “journalists” into a frenzy? Tell them the truth.
That’s what Sen. John Fetterman did on “The View.”
In the course of chatting about the current political landscape, the Pennsylvania Dem told the hosts that he thinks President Trump’s NYC “hush money” trial was “politically motivated. That wouldn’t otherwise have been prosecuted if it was someone else.”
Obviously true: Trump was convicted of expired business-records misdemeanors elevated to spurious felonies under the guise of a dubious conspiracy theory about supposed federal crimes that the feds never charged — a completely new legal doctrine minted especially to prosecute the ex-prez.
Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg’s prosecution was political from the start, part of a wide-scale effort by local, state and national Democrats to hobble Trump’s re-election chances.
Indeed, prominent Biden lackey Matthew Colangelo actually quit his Justice gig to come help out with it, and even some lefty commentators found it unsavory.
But for “The View” host Sunny Hostin, a proud woke racistand shrill Resistance freak, calling out this scheme was cause for her trademark outrage.
“Just for clarification,” she spluttered. “Did you mean that the 34-count case in which Donald Trump was found guilty of various financial crimes was politically motivated here in New York?”
She, and most of the left elite, literally can’t see the line between reality and ideology.
And while the GOP victory in November has prompted some reassessment, reality denial is still endemic among Democrats.
That’s a shame, since plenty of prominent Democrats are not certifiable and want to actually govern the country for the best (even if we disagree with them about how).
Fetterman’s one; Massachusetts Rep. Seth Moulton is another; others are emerging as well.
But as long as the delusional caucus predominates, sane Dems don’t have a hope in heck.
Admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery. The wider Democratic Party needs to understand that before it can move forward.
The FTSE 250 is home to a large number of real estate investment trusts. And for a lot of them, their income is not dependent on the value of the real estate they hold.
Today I’m looking at possibly my top FTSE 250 choice, coupled with a FTSE 100 favourite. Let’s check the bigger one first.
Please note that tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each client and may be subject to change in future. The content in this article is provided for information purposes only. It is not intended to be, neither does it constitute, any form of tax advice.
Business boom
Land Securities (LSE: LAND) owns offices, shopping centres, and retail parks. Some investors will judge it based on the values of those properties. Others will look at where it gets its income and how its per-earnings figures look.
I see an attractive forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio. With the shares down 41% in five years, it’s just 7.7. And it could drop to 6.3 by 2027 if forecasts are close to the mark. We’re looking at a predicted dividend yield for this year of 6.9% too. I think that could be one of the most attractive on the FTSE 250.
Property valuation
Land Securities looks good to me on property valuation too. With November’s interim results, the company put its net asset value (NAV) at 873p per share.
That can be an uncertain measure to estimate, and we don’t know where it might have gone since. But with the shares at 558p at the time of writing (28 January), that’s a 36% discount. It seems a bit like buying £1 coins for 64p. There’s no guarantee of value, but I see it as a bonus attraction.
The economy, interest rates, business outlook, commercial property market… are all very uncertain in 2025. But for investors with at least a five-year horizon, I think this has to be one to consider.
Oh, and Land Securities “acquired a 92% stake in Liverpool ONE, one of the premier shopping centres in the UK” in December. I think the board knows a bargain when they see one.
Cheap as frozen chips?
Supermarket Income REIT (LSE: SUPR) rents out supermarket properties. After a tough 2024, it looks like it faces an uphill battle in 2025 with a projected P/E of around 35. But, expecting a strong recovery, analysts have that falling to only around 8.5 by 2027.
Since 2022, the tight economic squeeze coupled with high inflation has put pressure on supermarkets. And it’s helped push the investment trust’s share price down 37% in five years.
Another discount
There’s another discount to NAV here too. The company put its NAV per share at 90p at 30 June 2024. With a 68p share price as I write, that’s a 24% discount. It’s not as big a buffer, but it helps.
At FY results time, chair Nick Hewson reckoned “the improving interest rate environment should provide positive tailwinds“. And he added: “We are pleased to recommend another increased dividend of 6.12 pence per share for FY25 and remain focused on delivering a progressive dividend for shareholders.”
The same threats largely apply, especially as inflation is annoyingly stubborn. And I reckon the share price could struggle for a while yet. But that’s a 9% dividend yield. It’s got to be another to consider for a five-year buy-and-hold.
PHILADELPHIA — A week later, with their team on the verge of possibly playing in the Super Bowl, Philadelphia Eagles fans apparently have nothing but respect for Rams rookie Jared Verse.
Verse, the Rams’ boisterous edge rusher, riled the Eagles faithful before the NFC divisional round playoff game by saying he hated them and found them annoying. Verse subsequently embraced verbal abuse before and during a 28-22 defeat, in which he recorded two sacks. Verse said afterward that playing the role of villain hyped him up.
Before Sunday’s game between the Eagles and Washington Commanders, a Times reporter navigated Eagles tailgates outside Lincoln Financial Field to ask fans their before and after reactions to Verse, a finalist for NFL defensive rookie of the year.
“He was trying to do something to fire up his team,” said Mike Carter, wearing a No. 20 Eagles jersey. “I don’t know if it backfired or not, but he kind of came clean after the game and said that he enjoyed the atmosphere.
“He kind of knew what he was doing. He knew what he was going to get and we gave it to him. After the game he showed respect, and we showed respect. It’s all good.”
Joe Friel, a season ticket-holder since 1971, said Verse was a good player.
“I respect the guy for what he did,” Friel said. “I think he tried to get his team going.”
Eagles fans Jay Vignetti, left, and Tal Sims said Jared Verse should have used different words, but he earned fans’ respect by backing up his comments with good play.
(Gary Klein / Los Angeles Times)
Said Kevin Fitzpatrick: “He kind of realized that we’re much nicer than everyone says, and we recognize when a guy is sticking up for his team.”
Down a row of gatherings, Tal Sims said he would have picked different words than Verse chose.
“I would probably say, ‘Hey, I’m not really crazy about playing in Philly,’ but he said what he said and I think it was more of an in-the-moment kind of thing.”
Jay Vignetti said that when Verse’s comments were displayed on the stadium video board, “‘it fuels us.”
Still, Verse impressed Sims and Vignetti.
“If you’re going to say something like that, come out and say it to our face and we’ll respect you a lot more — and he did,” Sims said.
Eagles fan Ted Holloway said he respects Jared Verse but he got the same treatment at Lincoln Financial Field as Santa Claus.
(Gary Klein / Los Angeles Times)
As Ted Holloway leaned into the back of pickup, he said he gave Verse “a tiny bit” of respect because like Verse he’s a Florida State man.
“But he should know better than that,” Holloway said. “Ask everybody in the league: Before you play the Eagles, dude, do not talk trash because we’re going to make you eat those words.”
Holloway said he was in the stands for the game against the Rams. Verse got the same treatment Santa Claus received at halftime of an infamous 1968 game at Franklin Field.
“We threw snowballs at him,” Holloway said. “So he gets the same thing Santa gets.”
NEW ORLEANS — Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht, still sweaty from the career-high 27 points that helped bury the Pelicans on Saturday night, wanted a minute. His Tennessee Volunteers were driving against Georgia, and as he stared down at his phone, he asked for one more play before he began his postgame interview.
Tennessee committed a penalty and was forced to punt, an opportunity squandered.
Despite being an all-American at the university a year ago, Knecht couldn’t relate. Because when he’s gotten chances, like the one in front of him with the Lakers, he doesn’t move backward.
After Knecht put his phone down, he talked about the confidence the Lakers have in him, about how, after drafting him 17th, they’ve empowered him to let it fly, with coach JJ Redick drawing up specific plays for Knecht to shoot.
“It’s always good to have a coach like that, that’s super confident in you, always wanting you to shoot the ball,” Knecht said. “So when I go out there and I do shoot some crazy shots or something that I shouldn’t be shooting, it’s always good that JJ will have my back.”
Despite the greenest possible light, at least one of his 93 NBA field-goal attempts have had to cross Knecht’s “crazy or something like that” threshold, right?
“No, not at all,” he said with a grin. “I think every time I shoot the ball, I think it’s a great shot.”
It’s exactly the mindset the Lakers had hoped for.
In Redick’s first official act as Lakers head coach, the team prepped for the NBA draft, a group of players including Tristan Da Silva and Yves Missi the likely targets for the Lakers, according to people with knowledge of the plans.
Yet Knecht, projected by some to be taken inside the top five, found himself in a draft-night freefall. Concerns about his age (he’s 23) and his ability to execute NBA defensive concepts were pushing him down the board and, suddenly, right into the Lakers’ laps.
One year after passing on the draft’s big slider, Cam Whitmore, and on an established veteran like Jaime Jaquez Jr., the Lakers didn’t make the same mistake twice — grabbing the scorer even if the Lakers hadn’t actually done any extensive homework on him as a prospect.
Whether it was at Northeastern Junior College, Northern Colorado or Tennessee, Knecht could score.
The fit was ideal for both. The Lakers, desperate to add shooting for seemingly the 100th consecutive offseason, got one of the best available in college basketball. And Knecht landed in a situation where there would be early opportunity to play for Redick, a player Knecht’s college coach, Rick Barnes, tried to model his game after.
“We didn’t think Dalton would be available at 17,” Redick said after the Lakers picked Knecht. “But he provides something we just don’t have. He’s a movement shooter, he can obviously play off the bounce. We viewed him very highly on our draft board, and he can score at all three levels. He’s got size, there was a lot of things to be excited about with Dalton. And I’m excited to coach him.”
Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht talks with coach JJ Redick along the sideline during a break in play earlier this season at Crypto.com Arena.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
The excitement didn’t fade as the two started working together, Redick quickly anointing Knecht as an elite shooter, even to NBA Hall of Famer Reggie Miller before Knecht scored 25 points in the fourth quarter and overtime in a preseason win against Phoenix.
He finished with 35 points. The last Lakers rookie with that many points in the preseason was Kobe Bryant.
“The thing about him is just the mentality,” Redick said. “It’s been very obvious in pickup before the season. In training camp, thus far in games, he’s got no fear. He’s not afraid of the moment. That was a show that he put on.”
And then, the show stalled.
The game in Phoenix gave Lakers fans a taste of what Knecht could do, a shooter and scorer who, at any time, could burn up the nets with a flurry of buckets. Preseason or not, people were excited.
Snoop Dogg nicknamed him “Westside Knecht” on ESPN the day after the preseason explosion against the Suns.
Yet rookies rarely avoid adversity, and Knecht was no exception. Despite beginning the season in Redick’s rotation, he was mostly on the fringes of their early wins, and by the time the Lakers hit the road for the first time, Knecht was almost in a full-fledged slump.
He scored 18 in a blowout loss to Cleveland, but the bulk of that came with the game already over. He made just four of18 shots from three-point range over the next five games.
“I am undeterred in my thinking that he is a tier one, top-one percent shooter,” Redick said after the Cleveland game. “I see it almost every day.”
Lakers fans didn’t have to wait long to see it for themselves.
Knecht’s shooting flipped a game later in the third quarter against the Grizzlies on Wednesday, when he made all five of his threes on his way to 19 points.
Lakers guard Dalton Knecht, hanging on the rim after dunking against the Pelicans on Saturday in New Orleans, has shown the ability to score at all three levels as a rookie.
(Gerald Herbert / Associated Press)
Then, with Rui Hachimura dealing with an ankle injury, Redick moved Knecht into the starting lineup and he scored 14 against the Spurs on Friday, setting the stage in New Orleans on Saturday when he finished with a career-high 27 points — three straight games in which Knecht showed that the Lakers might’ve gotten a draft night bargain.
“It’s no surprise to me,” LeBron James said Saturday.
Redick said as Knecht’s role has expanded, so has his rookie’s feel and timing.
“He’s getting comfortable,” Redick said. “But I would also say when you are an offensive player, when you’re a guy who is a high-level shooter, getting more extended runs and getting more minutes, you’re naturally just going to be more in the flow of the game. I think maybe I called a play or two, for him. But he just kind of got it through our offense and our passing and ball movement. So it’s just, I think the flow of the game for him is there when he gets extended runs.”
Opposing teams have targeted Knecht on the defensive end, and the results have been about as expected. Redick said at times, he’s held up. Sometimes, he hasn’t. Generally, though, Knecht has played with the kind of competitiveness and toughness that can overcome some of the deficiencies on the defensive end.
And on offense, the Lakers think they’ve got themselves something special.
“He’s already pro ready. It’s kinda how like [Damian Lillard] was. You go through college for so long, you mature, get older,” Anthony Davis said in New Orleans. “He doesn’t need the confidence. But when you have guys telling you to shoot the ball, that usually shows that we have the utmost confidence in you to go out there and make shots. He takes big-time shots, he makes big-time shots.
“And, like I said, it gives us a boost, especially when, two or three go in. We’re looking for him. We’re looking for him to shoot the basketball and it just opens up everything else for us.”
Over the last three games, Knecht has emerged as an X factor for the Lakers, the type of rookie weapon teams don’t normally draft midway through the first round.
After Knecht’s preseason show in Phoenix, Redick was asked about making sure Knecht wasn’t going to get too far ahead of himself.
“Dalton’s easy,” Redick said. “He’s not going to get too high or too low. He’s, in the best possible way, has like a short-term memory with stuff. He’s just onto the next thing. It’s represented in his background and the way he’s come up and his path and journey to get to the stage. He’s just onto the next thing. He’s got a growth mindset.”
Thirteen games into his NBA career, Knecht has showed that — and there’s time to show a lot more.
The controversy came on Sunday night when Leones found itself one out away from winning the championship when Gustavo Nunez — a former Mets minor leaguer — hit a two-run homer that tied the game for Tigres, who eventually won in 13 innings to force a Game 7.
Pujols, a three-time NL MVP, questioned the legitimacy of the home run and requested that Nunez’s bat be checked to make sure he wasn’t using an illegal bat to hit the homer.
Albert Pujols managing Leones del Escogido. AFP via Getty Images
Several posts on social media showed just how thoroughly the bat was inspected, with one video showing workers chopping the bat up into little pieces in order to determine if it had been corked.
Momento en el que abren bate de Gustavo Núñez, jugador de los Tigres del Licey, para verificar si estaba adulterado o no tras llamada a confiscación por parte del dirigente de los Leones del Escogido Albert Pujols.
The bat in question is sawed to see if it’s corked. X/@Shawn_Spradling
The posts clearly showed that it was indeed clean.
Regardless of the outcome in Game 6, Pujols still led Leones del Escogido to a championship in Game 7 with the ballclub coming away with a 6-5 victory on Monday night.
Nunez was in the Mets farm system at Double-A Binghampton for the 2017 season.
