Los Angeles Times - 13.11.2019

SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2019:: LATIMES.COM/SPORTS

D

The answer was delivered without
anger or frustration. It arrived in a
matter-of-fact tone.
After the Rams’ 17-12 defeat to the
Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, a
game in which Todd Gurley inexpli-
cably did not touch the ball in the
fourth quarter, the star running back
was asked if he wished he would see
the ball more in the second half or get
more carries.
“Not really,” he said. “I mean, kind
of used to it.”
With the Rams having won two
games in a row and returning from a
week off, the stage appeared set for
coach Sean McVay to finally turn loose
one of the NFL’s most dynamic and
well-compensated playmakers.
It did not happen.

Backup Malcolm Brown got

fourth-quarter carries. Gurley did not.

As the Rams prepare for Sunday’s

game against the Chicago Bears at the

Coliseum, McVay has given no indica-

tion that he plans to stray from how he

has deployed Gurley, a player who be-

fore the 2018 season received an exten-

sion that includes $45 million in guar-

antees.

McVay has insisted that there is no

“pitch count” or workload manage-

ment plan for Gurley and his much-

scrutinized left knee. But the Steelers

game was the latest example that told

another story. In the first half, Gurley

carried six times for 35 yards, averag-

ing 5.8 yards per carry. By the end of

the third quarter, he had 12 carries for

73 yards, an average of 6.1 yards per

carry. He had broken free for a 22-yard

gain, and then a five-yard gain that

helped set up a pass to Robert Woods

on the next play.

Gurley, to the delight of Rams fans,

looked much like the back who won

the 2017 NFL offensive player of the

year award, and the Rams’ offense fi-

nally resembled the unit that mostly

dominated in 2017 and 2018.

Brown replaced Gurley and carried

twice before Gurley returned for the

final two carries of a drive that ended

TODD GURLEY(30) looked like the 2017 Todd Gurley for three quarters against the Pittsburgh Steelers
on Sunday, then Malcolm Brown (34) got the carries. “Great game, but just gotta finish,” Gurley said.

Wally SkalijLos Angeles Times

Rams, Gurley have

become out of touch

Star back wasn’t involved in fourth quarter against Steelers

By Gary Klein

PHOENIX — Just a few

feet away from the Lakers

bench, three players stood.

Two superstars beaming

with pride, bumping their

chests and shoulders

against Kyle Kuzma, who

smiled radiantly.

“I just told him, ‘Welcome

back,’ ” Anthony Davis said.

“... He came up huge for us,

made some big shots, time

after time. We were so happy

for him.”

Said LeBron James:

“Only a matter of time and it

came at the right time. ... It

was great to have the Kuz

that we know he’s capable

of.”

Said Kuzma: “Every sin-

gle game I felt rhythm and

timing getting more and

more back. I think tonight,

just felt like how I usually

play.”

Kuzma’s 23 points on

nine-for-16 shooting, many of

them at critical moments,

helped the Lakers beat the

Phoenix Suns 123-115 on

Tuesday. It gave the Lakers

a glimpse of what they are

like when Kuzma, who

missed the first four games

of the season, joins James

and Davis as a scoring

threat.

“He’s a heck of a scorer,”

Coach Frank Vogel said. “It

adds a lot of firepower that

we didn’t have in the lineup

when we first started.”

Only Davis scored more

points than Kuzma, with 24

Kuzma’s star

shining again

His breakout game

gives Lakers third

scoring threat they

need to beat Suns.

LAKERS 123

PHOENIX 115

By Tania Ganguli

KYLE KUZMAhits a

three-pointer en route to

a season-high 23 points.

Christian PetersenGetty Images

[SeeLakers,D4]

Four months after they

took the stage for their intro-

ductory news conference,

Kawhi Leonard and Paul

George could play alongside

each other for the first time

as Clippers this week upon

George’s expected debut

and, in the process, provide

the first look at how the

superstar offseason addi-

tions will mesh.

George will make his sea-

son debut either in Houston

on Wednesday or in New Or-

leans the following day, a

person with knowledge of

the plans confirmed. He has

missed 10 games while recov-

ering from offseason shoul-

der surgeries. A decision on

which day was not finalized

but the team officially listed

George as “questionable” to

play against the Rockets,

and the person added his de-

but was “trending” toward

Thursday’s matchup with

the Pelicans.

The only Clippers con-

tributor definitively ruled

Wait for George

is nearing an end

Clippers forward, who

has missed the first 10

games, is expected to

make debut this week.

By Andrew Greif

Jonah Mathews and Nick
Rakocevic first crossed
paths at age 16. They were
just AAU players then, imag-
ining how their college ca-
reers might unfold. They’re
not sure whether they ever
pictured this, though.
Mathews and Rakocevic
both eclipsed 1,000 career
points Tuesday night in an
84-66 victory over South Da-
kota State at Galen Center,
becoming the 41st and 42nd
Trojans, respectively, to
reach the milestone. The
seniors entered USC to-
gether, and they relished the
opportunity to share the
achievement together.
“Once we committed, we
pictured doing something
big,” said Mathews, who fin-
ished with 14 points. “It hap-
pened tonight, but we’re not

It’s senior night for Trojans

Rakocevic, Mathews

surpass 1,000 points

and guide USC to win.

By Thuc Nhi Nguyen

[SeeUSC,D6]

NICK RAKOCEVIC,who equaled a career high with

27 points and added 16 rebounds, goes up for a shot.

Gina FerazziLos Angeles Times

USC 84
SOUTH DAKOTA ST. 66 SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. —

The general managers meet-

ings, the first of Major

League Baseball’s two off-

season summits, began this

week. They will double as the

ignition for a rumor mill

that, based on the last few

years, could extend into

spring training. Minor

moves will be made. Nego-

tiations for bigger deals will

get underway. Most will be

drawn out over the winter.

The Dodgers’ offseason

activity in recent years has

been steady, if not splashy.

Trades have been executed

with payroll in mind. They

haven’t given a free agent

from another club a contract

worth more than $60 million.

They’ve operated with disci-

pline.

But Andrew Friedman,

the team’s president of base-

ball operations, insisted the

organization has not shied

from acquiring expensive, FREE-AGENTthird baseman Josh Donaldson is

coming off a 37-home run season with Atlanta.

John AmisAssociated Press

Dodgers are pursuing

third baseman Donaldson

By Jorge Castillo

[SeeDodgers,D3]

NBA TODAY

Clippers at

Houston

4:30 PST at Toyota

Center, Houston

TV:ESPN, Prime

Lakers vs.

Golden State

7 at Staples Center

TV:ESPN, SpecSN

[SeeClippers,D5]

Christon won’t

redshirt for USC

Malepeai and Carr

return but freshman

will still play out the

season for USC. D2

Being left out

by the Kings

Kovalchuk is a healthy

scratch for the team in

a 3-1 victory over the

Minnesota Wild. D6

Chargers’ challenge

Coach Lynn defends practicing at

Colorado altitude to prepare to

play the Chiefs in Mexico City. D5

Kaepernick workout

Former 49ers quarterback will

have private session in Atlanta. D5

[SeeRams, D5]