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The Los Angeles Lakers will be without star center Anthony Davis after he suffered an injury to his right foot.

Per The Athletic and Stadium's Shams Charania, Davis is expected to miss one month.

Davis was able to stay mostly healthy to start this season. He only missed three of the Lakers' first 28 games. The eight-time All-Star suffered the foot injury during their 126-108 win over the Denver Nuggets on Dec. 16.

After favoring his foot early in the game, Lakers head coach Darvin Ham removed Davis in the first quarter to receive medical attention. He did return in the second quarter, but didn't score during that eight-minute stretch.

Davis sat out the entire second half. ESPN's Dave McMenamin reported he was experiencing "discomfort" in his foot and would likely undergo an MRI.

Durability has been a problem for Davis for most of his tenure with the Lakers. He only played in 76 games over the previous two seasons combined.

Davis is off to arguably the best start of his career so far this season. The 29-year-old is averaging 27.4 points, 12.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. He is shooting a career-high 59.3 percent from the field.

During a nine-game stretch from Nov. 13-Dec. 4, Davis averaged 35.3 points and 15.6 rebounds per contest.

The Lakers don't have a lot of depth on their roster anyway, let alone enough to compensate for losing one of their two best players. LeBron James will have to shoulder a heavier burden on the offensive end of the court.

Thomas Bryant will replace Davis in the starting lineup for the time being. He's been effective in a limited role, averaging 9.4 points and 4.2 rebounds in 14 appearances.

The NBA announced Sunday it fined Boston Celtics star Al Horford $25,000 for "unnecessary and excessive contact" to the lower body of Orlando Magic center Moritz Wagner.

The following has been announced by the NBA: pic.twitter.com/WwLIQfh3T7

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) December 18, 2022

Horford was ejected in the third quarter of Boston's 117-109 loss to the Magic on Friday after being assessed with a Flagrant-2 foul. He was jostling for position with Wagner on an inbounds play when he swung his right elbow toward Wagner's groin.

Al Horford got ejected for elbowing Moe Wagner below the belt 😳 https://t.co/cLZOcmVFbB

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 17, 2022

Wagner said after the game he was "a little surprised" by the elbow and pleaded ignorance on what specifically led to the excessive contact.

Moe Wagner on what happened during the play where Al Horford where assessed the Flagrant Foul Penalty 2. pic.twitter.com/Sp8pwnGkuo

— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) December 17, 2022

Celtics star Jayson Tatum criticized the decision to eject Horford and called it "unbelievable," especially since Wagner was whistled for a foul as he was engaged with Horford:

I couldn't believe Al got thrown out of the game. I didn't think that was warranted, especially once they went to go review and they saw that Mo fouled him first. That's why I got to shoot free throws. So I mean, sometimes guy get tired of people grabbing on him and the ref not seeing it, so (expletive) as a grown man, you take it into his own hands and get somebody up off of you, and that's all he did, just got him up off him because he was getting fouled.

Boston and Horford are fortunate to a degree the NBA decided against suspending him and only issued a fine. His ejection already carried a cost to the team, though.

The Celtics trailed by 10 points, 66-56, when the five-time All-Star was sent to the locker room. Wagner sank two free throws for the flagrant foul to make it a 12-point game, leaving Joe Mazzulla's squad with a hefty deficit to overcome without its starting center.

Horford will at least be able to suit up for Sunday's rematch with the Magic at home inside TD Garden.

Former six-time NBA All-Star Amar'e Stoudemire was arrested Sunday on a count of misdemeanor battery, according to David J. Neal and David Ovalle of the Miami Herald.

Ex-New York Knicks, Miami Heat player Amar’e Stoudemire accused of punching his daughter https://t.co/bhBdhCC0mM

— Miami Herald (@MiamiHerald) December 18, 2022

One of Stoudemire's daughters told police he "punched her in the jaw and slapped her hard enough to draw blood."

An officer wrote in their report the daughter had blood stains on her sweater and sweatpants. Her mother also provided authorities with a photo in which her daughter was crying and had blood running down her face.

Stoudemire allegedly took exception to how his daughter addressed her grandmother in his condo, per Neal and Ovalle:

When the daughter denied having such a tone with her grandmother, she said her father "then responded with 'You're talking back again' and punched her on the right side of her jaw.' As a follow up, she said, he slapped her face, bloodying her nose "and continued slapping her on the left side of her body.

The daughter subsequently reached out to her mother, Stoudemire's ex-wife Alexis, to come and pick her up. Stoudemire told officers her daughter "was sad because she received a whooping from him for being disrespectful and a liar."

Stoudemire took to Twitter on Sunday to provide a statement:

https://twitter.com/Amareisreal/status/1604618961919922176

Stoudemire spent 14 seasons in the NBA across spells with the Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat. He also played abroad and suited up in the BIG3 league.

The 40-year-old joined the Brooklyn Nets in a player development role in October 2020. He announced in May he wouldn't return to the franchise for the 2022-23 season.

The Los Angeles Lakers have reportedly showed interest in reacquiring Kyle Kuzma, which Washington Wizards forward believes is a compliment.

"I think it just shows you the grass is not always greener," Kuzma told Melissa Rohlin of Fox Sports. "It's definitely a good thing because at the end of the day, that means I've been playing well and I have value in this league that a team would want to trade for me. It's a blessing."

Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes first reported the Lakers' interest in Kuzma, noting the Wizards don't want to deal away the 27-year-old:

Lakers have "inquired" about trading for Kyle Kuzma, per @ChrisBHaynes

(via B/R live show) https://t.co/RWPcDVG9Hv

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 14, 2022

Kuzma is averaging 21.3 points per game, which would be a career high, to go with 7.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.

Washington acquired Kuzma in the 2021 deal that brought Russell Westbrook to Los Angeles.

Kuzma had spent his first four years with the Lakers, contributing both as a go-to offensive player and as an energy option off the bench. He averaged 15.2 points per game during this time there, helping the team win the NBA title in 2020.

Despite his production, the 6'9" forward was constantly the subject of trade rumors before eventually being dealt to the Wizards.

"I always look back and wish I would've gotten the fairer end of the stick a little bit, just with my role and how much I sacrificed," Kuzma said.

The trade has paid off for him personally, averaging 17.1 points and 8.5 rebounds per game in his first season before breaking out in 29 games this year. The Wizards have struggled as a team with an 11-19 record, although the Lakers haven't fared much better at 12-16. Both squads are 12th in their respective conference.

Kuzma has a $13 million player option for next season, although his improved play in 2022-23 makes testing free agency a smart move.

Haynes reported the Wizards are "open to signing him to a long-term extension," but it's clear there is plenty of interest in Kuzma around the league.

The NBA currently has no plans to add an expansion team in Mexico, though commissioner Adam Silver said Saturday ahead of the league's Mexico City game between the San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat that adding a franchise south of the American border could eventually become reality.

"It's definitely possible," Silver said. "... I don't have a specific timeline right now in terms of expansion, but there's no doubt we will be looking seriously at Mexico City over time."

With an NBA game in Mexico City today, Commissioner Adam Silver addressed a possible expansion team in Mexico. I believe two U.S. cities get expansion teams first but the league is serious about Mexico City and its market as Silver reiterated in his comments: pic.twitter.com/ar7VaPF9dC

— Jeff Zillgitt (@JeffZillgitt) December 17, 2022

Saturday's game between the Spurs and Heat marks the first NBA game in Mexico City since 2019. However, the league has held 30 games in Mexico dating back to 1992, which is more than in any other country outside the United States and Canada.

It only feels like a matter of time before the NBA expands to Mexico, especially because it added the Mexico City Capitanes to the G League in 2019. However, expanding to Las Vegas and/or Seattle has been at the peak of rumors about the league possibly adding more teams.

While the logistics of adding another franchise in America might be slightly easier, NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum told Marc J. Spears of Andscape in November that Mexico City is absolutely a viable option for expansion.

Tatum said:

Expansion is currently not on the docket, but at some point, if we were to turn to expansion, there's no doubt that Mexico City would have to be one the cities that would be in consideration along with a host of other very big and relevant cities in North America. One of the biggest challenges around international expansion has always been the travel issues, the facility issues. But there is a world-class facility in Mexico City in Arena CDMX, which is where we've been playing our games and our global games in Mexico. And that's actually the home of the G League team, the Capitanes. And so that's not an issue.

And the travel is not an issue. It's a pretty short flight for several of our teams, particularly our Texas teams, our Florida teams, our New Orleans team. Arizona actually is a pretty short flight. So, those are all the kinds of things that we would take into consideration, and for those reasons you'd have to consider it. But again, I'd say it's not immediately on the docket right now.

Additionally, NBA Mexico Vice President and Managing Director Raul Zarraga said the league sees "enormous potential for basketball and the NBA to continue to grow in Mexico," per Morten Stig Jensen of Forbes.

Zarraga added there are roughly 30 million NBA fans in Mexico and that basketball "is the second-most played sport among Mexican sports fans." A rise in TV viewership, NBA League Pass subscriptions and digital engagement across the country show a growing interest in the NBA, he said.

If the NBA does eventually expand into Mexico, it likely won't be for at least several years. The last time the league expanded was in 2004 when the Charlotte Bobcats (now the Charlotte Hornets) were founded.

Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo will miss Saturday's game against the Utah Jazz.

Head coach Mike Budenholzer announced before tipoff the two-time NBA MVP is dealing with rest with soreness in his left knee.

While Antetokounmpo has been durable for much of his career and appeared in at least 61 games in each of his first nine seasons, he missed time during EuroBasket in September with knee discomfort and was sidelined with knee soreness in November.

Any health concerns for Antetokounmpo will be amplified, given his overall importance to the Bucks' championship hopes.

The six-time All-Star is arguably the best player in the league and someone who can take over games on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. His ability to overpower defenders on his way to the rim while shutting down the opponent's best players is unmatched in today's game, and much of what Milwaukee does on the court runs through him.

He is averaging 30.6 points, 11.1 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.0 blocks and 0.9 steals in 24 games in 2022-23.

The Bucks can't realistically hope to replicate his impact if he is sidelined, but they can turn to the combination of Bobby Portis, Brook Lopez and Serge Ibaka for more playing time in the frontcourt as they attempt to tread water without their biggest star.

Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Dončić is out for Saturday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers because of a right quad strain, the team announced.

In addition to Dončić, the Mavs (15-14) will be without Spencer Dinwiddie (knee), Josh Green (elbow), Dwight Powell (thigh) and Maxi Kleber (hamstring).

Dončić's absence will be felt the most against the Cavs (19-11), as he's the focal point of the offense and leads the team with averages of 33.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 8.7 assists and 1.6 steals per game.

The 23-year-old missed 17 contests in 2021-22 while dealing with injuries to his ankle. He also missed the first three games of the postseason after he suffered a calf strain in the last game of the regular season. The Mavericks went 10-10 last year when he was out of the lineup, including the playoffs.

One of the best players in the NBA, Dončić is coming off a stellar run while competing for Slovenia in the EuroBasket tournament last summer. He nearly set a EuroBasket record with 47 points in a win over France, the second-highest point total in the history of the European championships. He averaged 26.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 6.6 assists in seven games during the tournament.

While Dončić is out, the Mavericks offense will need multiple players to help replace his production. Power forward Christian Wood, who was acquired over the offseason in a trade with the Houston Rockets, will likely get more touches on the offensive end.

The Los Angeles Lakers are believed to be interested in pursuing trades in hopes of improving their mediocre roster this season, and the team reportedly has some astronomical aspirations.

According to The Athletic's Jovan Buha on Saturday, the Lakers (12-16) have their eyes set on three superstar players as dream trade targets.

"In the ultimate pie-in-the-sky scenario, the Lakers have interest in Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal if any of the three stars were to become available," Buha wrote.

However, Lillard can't be traded until July 9 because he signed a two-year max extension with the Porland Trail Blazers (16-13) this past offseason.

On Dec. 15, players who signed free-agent contracts became eligible to be traded this season. Per Buha, the 74 additional players in the trade pool means "approximately 89 percent" of the league is able to be included in deals going forward.

Durant sent shockwaves through the NBA over the summer when he reportedly requested to be traded away from the Brooklyn Nets.

The 12-time All-Star ultimately decided to move forward with Brooklyn this season, and his decision is starting to pay off. The Nets (18-12) have won five straight games and nine of their last 10 to move up to fourth place in the Eastern Conference. It's unlikely they will be looking to trade Durant any time soon, as he leads the team with 29.9 points per game.

Beal has once again struggled to stay healthy this year and hasn't played since Dec. 4 because of a lingering hamstring injury. In his 18 appearances, he's averaged 22.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 5.4 assists. The Wizards have not been able to put things together this year at 11-18, and they might be willing to move on from their star shooting guard for the right price.

Buha named DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Kuzma, Myles Turner, Buddy Hield, Kyrie Irving and Doug McDermott as other players who have been linked to the Lakers in trade discussions. Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported earlier this week that Los Angeles has also had talks about Bojan Bogdanović of the Detroit Pistons, as well as Evan Fournier and Cam Reddish of the New York Knicks.

It would appear that any of those players would be more realistic pursuits than Durant, Beal or Lillard.

Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving made his first career game-winning buzzer-beater in Friday's thrilling 119-116 victory over the Toronto Raptors, but the original plan wasn't for him to take the shot.

Nets star forward Kevin Durant revealed to reporters after the game that head coach Jacque Vaughn had drawn up a play for him during the team's final timeout, but he suggested that the ball should go to Irving.

"He was already cooking, so I didn't want to get in his way," Durant said. "We kept finding him late in the game. He made some big shots, and I was just like, 'Jacque, I think Ky should take this one."

The suggestion from Durant paid off, as Irving drilled a step-back three-pointer over Raptors guard Fred VanVleet to propel Brooklyn to its fifth straight win and ninth in the last 10 games. Durant explained that he knew Irving would get a good look at the basket "especially" because he was being guarded by VanVleet.

"I'm not saying he's a bad defender, but they're the same size," he said of the 6'2" Irving and the 6'0" VanVleet. "He didn't have a 6'9" [Scottie] Barnes or a 6'5" guy on him that had size, so I felt he could get whatever he want there, and I also felt like they wasn't going to run and double him either at the top of the key because he obviously could just beat that. So they let him play one-on-one, and it was a special, special shot."

Irving finished with a team-high 32 points on 13-of-22 shooting, his third 30-point performance in his last four games. The 30-year-old is now averaging 25.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists this season.

"It just comes with the trust that we're building here," Irving said of his game-winner. "Jacque had a play call that we were about to go execute, and me and K had some dialogue and we decided to run the play for me. A good matchup versus Fred. We just got the better of him that one time."

After some early-season tumult—most notably during Irving's suspension for promoting an antisemitic film and initially refusing to apologize—the Nets appear to have found the form necessary to be a contender in the Eastern Conference. Brooklyn will go for its sixth straight win Sunday against the Detroit Pistons (8-23).

Los Angeles Lakers star point guard Russell Westbrook was once resistant to the possibility of coming off the bench, but after Friday night's performance against the Denver Nuggets, it's clear that he has fully embraced his new role.

Westbrook dropped a triple-double with 15 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists to help lead the Lakers to a 126-108 victory at crypto.com Arena. It's his second triple-double in a week, becoming the only player in franchise history ever to record multiple triple-doubles off the bench in a single season.

LeBron James led the way with 30 points in the victory, his third consecutive 30-point game.

The 2017 NBA MVP brought an unmatched energy in the second half of Friday's game, which the Lakers needed after star big man Anthony Davis left the game at halftime because of a foot injury. Westbrook's effort helped facilitate a 21-point performance from backup center Thomas Bryant.

After a rough start to the season, Westbrook has now earned the respect of NBA Twitter. Fans on social media had no choice but to praise him for his strong showing against the Nuggets:

This has to be the most COMPLETE game that Russ has played in a Lakers uniform tonight. The Brodie is putting on a damn Clinic on both ends of the floor!!! Carry the hell on..,

— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) December 17, 2022

did you apologize to Russell Westbrook yet??

— 73-9 and THEY LIED (@CuffsTheLegend) December 17, 2022

Fill in the blank: This is the ____________-best Russell Westbrook game of his Lakers’ tenure …

— Kyle Goon (@kylegoon) December 17, 2022

There are three triple doubles off the bench in the Lakers 75-year history. Magic has one. Russell Westbrook has the other two. This week.

— Chris Palmer (@ChrisPalmerNBA) December 17, 2022

Westbrook had a triple-double in a Lakers victory they’re never moving him.

— Colb (@___Colb___) December 17, 2022

Love LeBron front-running, stat-padding, after Westbrook did the heavy lifting.

— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) December 17, 2022

Russell Westbrook in 30 minutes: 15 Points, 11 Rebounds, 12 Assists, 2 Steals, +25. He's always made his teammates better & now that he's in the right role under Darvin Ham, Russ is back to doing exactly that.#LakeShow

— Adam (@AdamJoseph____) December 17, 2022

Westbrook off the bench this season:

— 15/6/8
— 1st in triple-doubles
— 1st in assists
— 1st in 10/5/5 games

6th man of the year? pic.twitter.com/I3zeYRyCem

— StatMuse (@statmuse) December 17, 2022

A lot going on tonight for the Lakers but not to be overlooked: A very strong performance from Russell Westbrook in Anthony Davis’ absence. He’s up to 13 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists and two steals and the Lakers are a +23 in his 29 minutes.

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) December 17, 2022

Russell Westbrook with 13-11-11. He's been spectacular.

— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) December 17, 2022

Big second half stat for Westbrook: Zero turnovers. AK

— Kamenetzky Brothers (@KamBrothers) December 17, 2022

Westbrook can make the game so easy when he feels like it.

— Waiting to Oxtail (@ThatDudeMCFLY) December 17, 2022

https://twitter.com/mtplug_grinder/status/1603990550750846976

Russell Westbrook has done an amazing job transitioning to this 6th man role. People don’t realize how hard of a switch that can be for guys who made a first ballot HOF career and millions playing one way and STILL have a lot of that ability.

— Ball Don't Stop (@balldontstop) December 17, 2022

Russell Westbrook is the 1st Laker in history to drop multiple triple-doubles in a single season while coming off the bench. pic.twitter.com/IhmkiijFUt

— NBA History (@NBAHistory) December 17, 2022

Triple double from the bench....give it up for Westbrook 🙌🏾

— Marley (@Ayooluwamarley) December 17, 2022

https://twitter.com/_Talkin_NBA/status/1603985959137296396

https://twitter.com/jay_pea619/status/1603984036715630592

At 12-16, the Lakers are still trying to find consistency this season, but they have now won two of their last three games. With Westbrook settling into a groove, Los Angeles may have found a formula for success going forward.

The Lakers will look to keep the momentum going on Sunday when they host the Washington Wizards (11-18).