Top NBA players showcase outstanding performances; NFL season kicks off with historic matchups tonight

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🏀 Good morning to all, but especially to …

LeBRON JAMES … 

In November 2019, the basketball world marveled when a 34-year-old LeBron James became the oldest player to record triple-doubles in three straight games. Fast forward five years, and the 39-year-old LeBron James has replicated the feat following the Lakers‘ 128-123 win over the Grizzlies last night in Los Angeles.

With Anthony Davis in foul trouble for much of the night, James was doing it all (35 points, 12 rebounds, 14 assists) and for long stretches. James logged 37 minutes, the second-most he’s played this season, after notching triple-doubles in the Lakers two previous games, also wins, last Sunday against the Raptors and last Friday versus the 76ers.

Let’s face it. Trying to explain how James, in his 22nd season, is competing — no, excelling — against some players literally half his age night even has Father Time stumped at this point. Suffice it say that training and preparation matter a lot, but so to does the situation. And, to that end, our Sam Quinn has a thought on how some tinkering by JJ Redick likely has a hand in James’ triple-double streak.

• Quinn: “Of course, the first-year Lakers coach does deserve a bit of credit for James’ historic streak. After a Nov. 6 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, Redick benched former starting point guard D’Angelo Russell in favor of Cam Reddish. James has posted a triple-double in every game since, acting as a point guard for the offense for the first time since that 2019-20 season.”

… AND VICTOR WEMBANYAMA …

Even now, just over a year into his NBA career, we’re used to seeing Victor Wembanyama do things that are supposed to be impossible.

But we’d never seen this before. Wembanyama scored a career-high 50 points in a 139-130 win over the Wizards, becoming the fourth-youngest player in league history with a 50 burger.

1. Brandon Jennings (20 years, 52 days)
2. LeBron James (20 years, 80 days)
3. Devin Booker (20 years, 145 days)
4. Victor Wembanyama (20 years, 314 days)

It’s not just how many points but how he got them. Wembanyama made eight 3-pointers, one shy of tying the franchise record. After an ice-cold start from deep this season, Wembanyama is now the first center in league history to make at least five 3-pointers in three straight games.

Wembanyama turned in this performance without Hall-of-Fame coach Gregg Popovich patrolling the sideline. Popovich, 75, has been away from the team since Nov. 2, and Wednesday, the Spurs announced that’s because he had a mild stroke that day.

Popovich, whose 1,393 wins are most all-time, is in a rehabilitation program and is expected to make a full recovery. There is no timeline for him returning to the sideline.

… AND GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO

From one athletic marvel to another, Giannis Antetokounmpo strapped the Bucks to his back again, scoring 59 points in a 127-120 overtime win over the Pistons.

• Antetokounmpo’s supporting cast has underwhelmed this season, and it was no different early on: He had 22 of the team’s 24 points — and was the only Bucks player to make a shot from the field — in the first quarter.
• The 59 points are second-most in franchise history, only behind his 64-point effort last year, and the league’s high mark for any player this season.
• Including playoffs, this was Antetokounmpo’s 10th 50-point game, tying Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for most in franchise history.

👍 Honorable mentions

😕 Not so honorable mentions

🏈 Biggest questions entering loaded NFL Week 11

How’s this for the headliners of a loaded Week 11 slate?

It’s the first time ever there are at least three games featuring multiple seven-win teams this early in the season, and our Cody Benjamin examines reasons for and against all six teams being Super Bowl contenders.

Of course, there are other teams that will have a say in the postseason, and Cody assessed the teams with the most deceiving records, including …

• Benjamin: “49ers (5-4) — Offensive drives have stalled too often, and special teams has been streaky. Even with injuries to basically every premium skill weapon, however, they boast the league’s No. 2-ranked offense — and No. 8-ranked scoring group — under Kyle Shanahan and Brock Purdy, who’s leaned even more into his off-script athleticism. Now Christian McCaffrey is back in the fold, and rookie wideout Ricky Pearsall is settling in. They may not carry the same ‘juggernaut’ label that’s rightly followed them in recent years, but to count them out as an NFC force would be perilously foolish.”

I voted the 49ers the most likely breakout team down the stretch in Josh Edwards’ midseason superlatives, and I wasn’t alone.

Here’s more:

🏈 NFL, CFB QB Power Rankings

Much like one week ago, Joe Burrow is chasing Lamar Jackson. After the Bengals‘ 35-34 loss to the Ravens, Burrow is up to No. 2 in Cody’s NFL QB Power Rankings.

1. Lamar Jackson (previous: 1)
2. Joe Burrow (3)
3. Josh Allen (2)
4. Jayden Daniels (4)
5. Jared Goff (5)

Tonight is another premier Thursday night showdown, with Daniels facing Jalen Hurts, who climbed to sixth in Cody’s rankings. Kyler Murray was the biggest riser, going from 16th to 10th, and I broke down Murray’s play in “Five things we liked and didn’t like in Week 10.”

• Pereles: “I am especially impressed with how Murray has progressed in Drew Petzing‘s offense, which places a greater emphasis on traditional play-action concepts and more varied formations. On Sunday, Murray used play action on 40% of his dropbacks and went 10 for 10 for 143 yards. His accuracy was off the charts overall. … This season, Arizona is sixth in success rate … and second in explosive play rate.”

As for more quarterback news, the Colts reinstalled Anthony Richardson as starter. It comes two weeks after it looked like Richardson might never play for Indianapolis again and three days after coach Shane Steichen said Joe Flacco would continue to start.

I cannot even begin to understand the process from the powers that be, whether it’s Steichen, GM Chris Ballard, owner Jim Irsay, others in the organization or some combination. But I can say this is the right decision. Crucially, Steichen said Richardson is the starter for the remainder of the season, a refreshing and much-needed endorsement for a player who needs any boost he can get.

• Steichen said Richardson “made big-time strides” and was working at a “higher standard” behind the scenes during his benching.
• Richardson, 22, is the definition of a boom-or-bust player. His 44.4% completion rate is on pace to be the worst since 2000, this as his 16.2 yards per completion is on pace to be the best since 1998.

I said this when he was benched, and I’ll say it again: Richardson needs the reps. He played just four games as a rookie before season-ending shoulder surgery. This was after he was the full-time starter for just one year at Florida. The misfires and mistakes are frustrating, but that’s part of the deal.

Moving to college football, Ole Miss‘ win over Georgia over the weekend vaulted the Rebels into the College Football Playoff picture and vaulted Jaxson Dart to No. 1 in Tom Fornelli’s College QB Power Rankings.

• Fornelli: “I can’t promise he’ll be here again next week because the overall performance on the season hasn’t justified it, but he deserves it for now. I’ve long been a skeptic about Ole Miss’ candidacy as a playoff team because it so often failed against playoff-caliber competition. Now it’s proven it can beat a top program, and Dart’s a big reason why.”

Here’s the top five:

1. Jaxson Dart (previous: 5)
2. Dillon Gabriel (1)
3. Jalen Milroe (not ranked)
4. Shedeur Sanders (3)
5. Will Howard (7)

🏈 How Georgia can get back in the playoff, and a big decision for Tennessee

Speaking of quarterbacks, the biggest game of the weekend features a fascinating scenario for both signal callers when No. 7 Tennessee visits No. 12 Georgia.

Nico Iamaleava‘s status is reportedly “undetermined” after the Volunteers star missed the second half of the team’s win over Mississippi State with an “upper body injury.” He’s been in the concussion protocol this week. As such, Tennessee has a tough and multi-layered decision on its hands, David Cobb writes.

• Cobb: “Iamaleava’s health should absolutely factor in to how the committee views the Vols moving forward. … Given the Volunteers’ health situation and given their ultimate aspirations, a cautious approach may be warranted. … The worst-case scenario would be that Iamaleava plays against Georgia and the Volunteers take a beating anyway. Then, Tennessee would be dealing with an ugly loss at Arkansas and a blowout loss at Georgia that has no asterisk.”

Georgia, meanwhile, has to get something figured out offensively, and it’ll start with Carson Beck. The much-maligned passer and his team have their backs against the wall, but Shehan Jeyarajah explains how they can get back among the top 12 seeds.

📺 What we’re watching Thursday

⚽ Jamaica vs. USMNT, 8 p.m. on truTV/TNT
🏈 Commanders at Eagles, 8:15 p.m. on Prime Video
🏀 Mavericks at Jazz, 9 p.m. on NBA TV