Local News
Lakers will honor legend Jerry West with No. 44 jersey patch for 2024-25 season – NBC Los Angeles
The Los Angeles Lakers have always carried a deep reverence for their legends, and for the 2024-25 season, they’ll be honoring one of the greatest to ever wear the purple and gold—Jerry West.
A towering figure in the history of the NBA, West will be commemorated with a No. 44 jersey patch on the left shoulder of every Lakers jersey throughout the season. It’s a fitting tribute to a man who defined an era of basketball, not only as a player but also as a coach and executive, shaping the future of the game.
West, who passed away in June at the age of 86, leaves behind a legacy that few can match.
For 14 seasons, he dominated the court as the Lakers’ floor general, a force who never missed an All-Star game and averaged a staggering 27 points per contest. His contributions led the Lakers to the 1972 NBA title, cementing his place as an icon. But West was more than just a champion. He was named NBA Finals MVP in 1969, an honor even more remarkable given that his team lost the series. His nine trips to the Finals and induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1980 further underscore his status as one of basketball’s all-time greats.
The man who inspired the NBA’s iconic logo didn’t stop influencing the game when he retired. West transitioned into coaching, spending three seasons on the Lakers’ bench before taking the reins in the front office.
There, he built the “Showtime” Lakers, a juggernaut of the 1980s that delivered five championships. His eye for talent didn’t end with Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. West was also the architect of the Lakers’ early 2000s dynasty, anchored by Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, which brought home three consecutive titles from 2000-2002.
West’s impact wasn’t limited to Los Angeles. His genius extended to the Memphis Grizzlies, where he reshaped the franchise as a front-office executive. Later, he served as a board member with the Golden State Warriors, contributing to their rise as an NBA powerhouse, and had a stint with the Los Angeles Clippers.
It’s only fitting that West is set to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame again—this time as a contributor—making him the first individual to enter the Hall in both player and contributor roles. In 2019, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, one of the nation’s highest civilian honors.
The outpouring of love and respect for West since his passing has been immense. The NBA held a commemorative courtside seat in his honor during the Summer League in July, and teams like the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks paid tribute to him during the NBA Finals.
The Lakers’ decision to wear his No. 44 on their jerseys is yet another reminder of how much West meant to the organization and the game itself. Fans can also look forward to a special Jerry West jersey giveaway during the Lakers’ season opener in October—a small token of appreciation for a legend who gave so much to the franchise.
Local News
Officer stabbed, suspected attacker dead outside police station in Santa Monica – NBC Los Angeles
A man was shot and killed after stabbing an officer Saturday outside the doors of a police station in Santa Monica.
At around 5:21 p.m., an officer in front of a police station was confronted by a man in his 30s who pulled out a knife on him and began attacking him unprovoked, according to the Santa Monica Police Department.
The knife-wielding man slashed, stabbed the officer and continued to follow him as the officer attempted to retreat around the corner of the building.
The officer drew his weapon and opened fire. Santa Monica officers gave the suspect medical aid until the fire department arrived but succumbed to his injuries.
The injured officer was transported to a local hospital with serious stab wounds but is expected to survive, police said.
More information on the attacker was not immediately available.
Local News
WWII veteran celebrates 103rd birthday – NBC Los Angeles
Larry Schlesinger, a WWII Army veteran, celebrated his 103rd birthday Saturday surrounded by generations of family and friends, reflecting on over a century of life.
“It feels great to have all these people around me and my whole family going to all this trouble to celebrate my birthday,” said Schlesinger.
The centenarian enlisted in the Army in February of 1942, sailing on the Grey Ghost and the Queen Mary, which served as a troop ship in the war.
Proud of his Jewish heritage, Schlesinger joined the front lines in hopes of putting an end to antisemitism.
“You know at the end of World War Two I came home and thought that will be the end of it. Humanity has learned its lessons. We buried millions of people. We didn’t learn anything. We’ve been at constant war,” said Schlesinger.
The army veteran continues to stay up to date with the current Israel-Hamas war and called the unrest “disturbing.”
He said he never goes to bed without watching the news.
“We live life to enjoy it, stay informed, keep alert to the changes in politics of our country and the rest of the world,” said Schlesinger.
The veteran plans to exercise his American right in the upcoming November election by voting in person.
“We watched the political debates, we pay code attention to the key people involved. And we intend to make our voices heard,” said Schlesinger.
He credits staying interested in the world around him as one of the secrets to a long and healthy life.
“What’s going on in the world is terribly important. Maybe I won’t see if affects me tomorrow or the next day but it will certainly affect my children and grandchildren,” said Schlesinger.
Local News
Shohei Ohtani homers in first postseason start, Dodgers rally to beat Padres 7-5 in Game 1 of NLDS – NBC Los Angeles
Hours before his first career playoff game, Shohei Ohtani, baseball’s active leader in most games played without a postseason appearance, was asked if he was nervous.
“Nope,” he said matter of factly in English without the use of a translator.
Turns out he was right.
In his first ever playoff game, Ohtani performed the same as he has in the nearly 900 games preceding it: like the superstar he is.
Ohtani rocketed a three-run homer in just his second playoff swing, and the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied from two different multi-run deficits to defeat the San Diego Padres 7-5 in Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Saturday Night at Dodger Stadium.
Much like a library book you find in the back of your closet, Ohtani’s first taste of the postseason was long overdue.
After the Dodgers trailed 3-0 in the second inning, Ohtani’s game tying-shot off San Diego starter Dylan Cease sent the blue towel-waving sellout crowd of 53,028 into a feveried frenzy. The Dodgers single-season home run leader, and one and only member of the 50-50 club watched the ball fly as he chucked his bat towards the Padres dugout and let out a guttural scream of exultation as he trotted around the bases.
SHOHEI OHTANI TIES THE GAME!!! #NLDS pic.twitter.com/EkcONeweie
— MLB (@MLB) October 6, 2024
Ohtani’s blast set a tone and a precedent unseen in the last two postseasons; that not only can the Dodgers take a punch, they can get knocked down, and get up off the mat and fight back.
That didn’t happen in the Dodgers last two NLDS exits, but then again, those teams didn’t have Shohei Ohtani on them.
Ohtani’s energy and enthusiasm was contagious, and turned out to be the jolt the Dodgers needed after old friend Manny Machado hit a towering two-run home run into the left field pavilion just a few batters into the game.
MANNY MACHADO KNOWS #POSTSEASON! pic.twitter.com/3Q7OFuP2ul
— MLB (@MLB) October 6, 2024
The two-run homer came off of Ohtani’s countryman, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Dodgers rookie starting pitcher that ironically was also making his postseason debut. However, it didn’t go as good as Ohtani’s.
Just like he did in his MLB debut against the same team, Yamamoto allowed five runs on five hits in Game 1 on Saturday.
After Ohtani’s three-run blast tied the game, Yamamoto gave the lead right back in the top half of the third after surrendering a two-run double to Xander Bogaerts that gave the Padres a 5-3 lead.
With a mentality as hard as bronze, the Dodgers fought back and rallied in the bottom half of the fourth inning. Tommy Edman reached base on a bunt single, Miguel Rojas followed with a single to left-center, and Ohtani hit a broken-bat bloop single to center that loaded the bases. Edman scored on a wild pitch, and two more runs scored on an RBI single by Teoscar Hernandez.
“This is what I dreamed about,” said Hernandez to Fox Sports during the game. “This atmosphere and facing one of the best teams in the National League. I’m enjoying it and we’re going to keep pushing until the final out.”
The @Dodgers lead! #NLDS pic.twitter.com/XeOACxyxj2
— MLB (@MLB) October 6, 2024
The Dodgers added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth inning and reliever Blake Treinen struck out Donovan Solano on an 84MPH slider with the bases loaded in the top of the eighth to secure the lead.
Blake Treinen has the @Dodgers three outs away from a Game 1 victory! #NLDS pic.twitter.com/8mqzraYEyw
— MLB (@MLB) October 6, 2024
The Padres put runners on first and second for Machado in the top of the ninth, but the All-Star third baseman struck out to end the game.
The loss was the first for the Padres this postseason after sweeping the Atlanta Braves in two games in the best-of-three Wild Card series at Petco Park earlier this week.
This is the third meeting between the two division rivals in the NLDS in the last five years.
The Dodgers swept the first playoff meeting between the two teams on a neutral field in Texas during the 2020 COVID-shortened season.
After losing the first game of the series in 2022, San Diego won three straight to stun the 111-win Dodgers and eliminate them just four game into the NLDS.
Saturday’s matchup marked another exciting and dramatic chapter in the playoff trilogy.
Game 2 of the best-of-five division series is Sunday night at 5:08PM at Dodger Stadium.
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