Portland Trail Blazers shooting guard Ben McLemore has had a perpetual green light from three-point range throughout his career. But he took that to a new level in Monday's loss to the Thunder, as he recorded 18 three-point attempts, the most during his nine years in the league. Fortunately for McLemore, he tied his season high with 28 points and eight made triples as well. Injuries have slimmed the Blazers' roster significantly, creating opportunity for the veteran after having previously served as a lightly used bench option earlier in the year. McLemore has averaged 18 PPG over his last seven contests and has been the team's No. 1 scoring option among the second unit, a role that is unlikely to change over Portland's final seven outings.

Portland Trail Blazers shooting guard Ben McLemore returned from health and safety protocols with a 28-point effort in Friday's blowout loss to the Lakers, shooting 6-for-14 from downtown and 9-for-22 overall from the field. He added four rebounds in 30 minutes of action off the bench. McLemore now boasts two 28-point outings in his last four appearances. He is capable of racking up points in a hurry from deep, but the playing time isn't there for him on most nights. McLemore is averaging 14 minutes for the season, logging at least 20 minutes just five times in 18 appearances.

Portland Trail Blazers shooting guard Ben McLemore ended up being one of the key figures in Friday's win over the Hornets, contributing 28 points in 27 minutes off the bench with 10-for-16 shooting. He had a fun time from outside, hitting 8-for-13. McLemore also tallied two rebounds with two steals and two turnovers. He exploded after posting back-to-back pointless games, so those who had the 28-year-old in their lineups will feel like lottery winners. Jackpots don't come along very often, though, and it's unlikely that McLemore can repeat his Friday's success in the upcoming games.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anthony Davis is playing like his superstar self again. At the same time, he's reminding everyone just how dangerous the Los Angeles Lakers can be. Davis had 42 points and 12 rebounds and the Lakers never trailed in a 123-110 win over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night. “I feel good, man,” Davis said. “I’m getting my legs back, I’m getting my rhythm back. Getting my steps back on both ends of the floor, so feeling good. I’m getting better each game, getting my wind back each game. We’re headed in the right direction.” Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Alex Caruso each had 17 points and the short-handed Lakers won for just the third time in their past 11 games. Playing without LeBron James, who missed his fourth straight game for Los Angeles because of a sprained right ankle, and Kyle Kuzma, held out because of tightness in his back, an energized Davis led the way for the defending NBA champions as they try to avoid the play-in tournament. Davis set the tone with his one-handed... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anthony Davis had 42 points and 12 rebounds and the Los Angeles Lakers never trailed in a 123-110 win over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Alex Caruso each had 17 points and the short-handed Lakers won for just the third time in their past 11 games. LeBron James missed his fourth straight game for Los Angeles because of a sprained right ankle, and Kyle Kuzma was held out because of tightness in his back. Cameron Payne had 24 points for the Suns, who have lost two of three following a five-game winning streak. Devin Booker added 21 points and Mikal Bridges 15. An energized Davis led the way for the defending NBA champions as they try to avoid the play-in tournament, with his one-handed alley-oop from Andre Drummond setting the tone as Los Angeles scored the first seven points. The Lakers led 30-19 after the first quarter. Los Angeles built its biggest advantage early in the fourth to go ahead by 23 points en route to avoid being swept in... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers signed guard Ben McLemore for the rest of the season Tuesday. The defending NBA champions put the eight-year veteran in their final open roster spot, hoping to improve their poor 3-point shooting performances as they prepare for their push toward the postseason. Los Angeles also picked up center Andre Drummond last week. McLemore was released last weekend by the Houston Rockets after 103 games with the club over two seasons. He averaged 7.4 points and 2.1 rebounds in a reserve role this year. McLemore will be relied upon to provide 3-point shooting accuracy on the Lakers' wing. McLemore is a career 36.3% 3-point shooter, but he hit 40.2% from distance combined during the 2018-19 season with Sacramento and the 2019-20 season with Houston. The Lakers began Tuesday's road game in Tampa against the Toronto Raptors ranked 24th in the 30-team NBA in 3-point percentage, hitting just 35.1%. Only three teams are making fewer 3-pointers per game than the Lakers' 10.7. McLemore was the seventh overall pick in the 2013 draft by the Kings. He has averaged 8.9 points and 2.4 rebounds per game in his eight NBA seasons. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers are signing guard Ben McLemore for the rest of the season, a person with knowledge of the decision said Tuesday. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the defending NBA champions haven't yet announced the signing of the eight-year veteran. McLemore fills the Lakers' final open roster spot after the club picked up center Andre Drummond last week. McLemore was released last weekend by the Houston Rockets after 103 games with the club over two seasons. He averaged 7.4 points and 2.1 rebounds in a reserve role this season. McLemore will be another candidate to provide 3-point shooting accuracy on the Lakers' wing. McLemore is a career 36.3% 3-point shooter, but he hit 40.2% from distance combined during the 2018-19 season with Sacramento and the 2019-20 season with Houston. McLemore was the seventh overall pick in the 2013 draft by the Kings. He has averaged 8.9 points and 2.4 rebounds per game in his eight NBA seasons. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

HOUSTON (AP) — The James Harden soap opera in Houston now comes with a canceled season opener — and a $50,000 fine for the league's leading scorer. Houston's opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night was scrapped after coronavirus cases and Harden's violation of the NBA's COVID-19 protocols left the Rockets without the league-mandated eight players available to start a game. It was a dispiriting blow to the NBA on just the second night of an uncertain season launching with the pandemic still raging. The NBA announced the postponement in a release that said three Rockets players had returned tests that were either positive or inconclusive and that four other players were quarantined because of contract tracing. The release also said that Harden was unavailable for the game because of a violation of health and safety protocols after video of the disgruntled star surfaced on social media where he was without a mask at a crowded party in a private event space Monday night.... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The James Harden soap opera in Houston now comes with a canceled season opener — and a $50,000 fine for the league's leading scorer. Houston's opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night was scrapped after coronavirus cases and Harden's violation of the NBA's COVID-19 protocols left the Rockets without the league-mandated eight players available. It was a dispiriting blow to the NBA on just the second night of an uncertain season launching with the pandemic still raging. The NBA announced the postponement in a release that said three Rockets players had returned tests that were either positive or inconclusive and that four other players were quarantined because of contract tracing. The release also said that Harden was unavailable for the game because of a violation of health and safety protocols after video of the disgruntled star surfaced on social media where he was without a mask at a crowded party in a private event space Monday night. The league later... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The James Harden soap opera in Houston now comes with a canceled season opener — and a $50,000 fine for the league's leading scorer. Houston's opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night was scrapped after coronavirus cases and Harden's violation of the NBA's COVID-19 protocols left the Rockets without the league-mandated eight players available. It was a dispiriting blow to the NBA on just the second night of an uncertain season launching with the pandemic still raging. The NBA announced the postponement in a release that said three Rockets players had returned tests that were either positive or inconclusive and that four other players were quarantined because of contract tracing. The release also said that Harden was unavailable for the game because of a violation of health and safety protocols after video of the disgruntled star surfaced on social media where he was without a mask at a crowded party in a private event space Monday night. The league later... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The James Harden soap opera in Houston now comes with a canceled season opener. Houston's opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night was scrapped after coronavirus cases and Harden's violation of the NBA's COVID-19 protocols left the Rockets without the league-mandated eight players available. It was a dispiriting blow to the NBA on just the second night of an uncertain season launching with the pandemic still raging. The NBA announced the postponement in a release that said three Rockets players had returned tests that were either positive or inconclusive and that four other players were quarantined because of contract tracing. The release also said that Harden was unavailable for the game because of a violation of health and safety protocols after video of the disgruntled star surfaced on social media where he was without a mask at a crowded party in a private event space Tuesday night. Already a distraction to the team amid months of rumors that he wants... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Houston's season opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night has been postponed after coronavirus cases and James Harden's violation of the NBA's COVID-19 protocols left the Rockets without the league-mandated eight players available. The NBA announced the postponement in a release that said three Rockets players had returned tests that were either positive or inconclusive and that four other players were quarantined because of contract tracing. The release also said that Harden was unavailable for the game because of a violation of health and safety protocols after video of the disgruntled star surfaced on social media where he was without a mask at a crowded party in a private event space Tuesday night. Rumors have swirled for months that Harden wants to be traded, but the superstar has refused to address the situation. A ninth player was unavailable for the game because of an injury, leaving the Rockets without enough players to play Wednesday night. Houston's injury report released Wednesday morning that Ben McLemore and rookie KJ Martin were not with the team and were self-isolating and that DeMarcus Cousins was questionable because of a sprained right ankle.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — The Lakers and Bucks exited practice Wednesday to palm trees around them and sunny skies overhead.The weather is good at Walt Disney World. The service is great. The setting seems ideal.For the best NBA teams, it's anything but.The top-four seeds in each conference should be playing in their arenas right now, with home-court advantage in the first two games of their playoff series. They'd have their fans screaming during the action and in many cases families waiting at home afterward.Boy, do some of them miss that at the moment.“If's definitely a difference. You can feel it,” Bucks All-Star Khris Middleton said. "There's times where we really depended on our crowd last year and during the season this year to kind of pull us out of our struggle or whatever it was. And here, there is none of that."We have to bring it every single night. We can't rely on our crowd, our fans to give us that energy. We have to bring it ourselves."Milwaukee and Los Angeles, the No.... [More]

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — The Memphis Grizzlies have acquired guard Garrett Temple from the Sacramento Kings in exchange for guard Ben McLemore, center Deyonta Davis, a future second-round pick and cash considerations.Temple, 32, scored a career-high 8.4 points per game and shot 39.2 percent from 3-point range this past season. The 6-foot-6 guard also averaged 2.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 24.8 minutes.Temple previously has played with Houston, San Antonio, Milwaukee, Charlotte and Washington. He has career averages of 5.5 points, 2 rebounds and 1.7 assists.The trade returns McLemore to Sacramento, which selected the former Kansas star with the seventh overall pick in the 2013 draft. McLemore, 25, spent his first four NBA seasons with the Kings before coming to Memphis last year.The 6-5 guard averaged 7.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 19.5 minutes with the Grizzlies in 2017-18. McLemore has career averages of 9.1 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists.Davis, 21, averaged 5.8 points, 4 rebounds and 15.2 minutes for Memphis this past season.___More AP NBA: www.apnews.com/tags/NBAbasketball

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — The Memphis Grizzlies have acquired guard Garrett Temple from the Sacramento Kings in exchange for guard Ben McLemore, center Deyonta Davis, a future second-round pick and cash considerations.Temple, 32, scored a career-high 8.4 points per game and shot 39.2 percent from 3-poinit range this past season. The 6-foot-6 guard also had 2.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.The trade returns McLemore to Sacramento, which selected the former Kansas star with the seventh overall pick in the 2013 draft. McLemore, 25, spent his first four NBA seasons with the Kings before coming to Memphis last year.The 6-5 guard averaged 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists with the Grizzlies in 2017-18.Davis, 21, averaged 5.8 points, 4 rebounds and 15.2 minutes for Memphis this past season.___More AP NBA: www.apnews.com/tags/NBAbasketball

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ben McLemore will be sidelined close to three months after breaking a bone in his right foot, the team announced Tuesday.The Grizzlies said McLemore suffered a non-displaced fracture of the fifth metatarsal during a pickup game in Los Angeles when he landed on the foot of another player.McLemore underwent surgery to repair the bone.The 24-year-old is entering his initial season with the Grizzlies after playing his first four seasons with the Sacramento Kings. He signed a two-year, $10.7 million deal with Memphis.McLemore averaged 8.1 points last season in 61 games (26 starts) for the Kings. He has a career scoring average of 9.4 in 293 NBA games.

Shooting guard Ben McLemore agreed to a two-year, $10.7 million deal with the Memphis Grizzlies. McLemore became a free agent last month when the Sacramento Kings declined his fifth-year option worth more than $5 million.A first-round pick out of Kansas, McLemore, 24, spent four seasons in Sacramento but did not live up to expectations as the No. 7 overall pick.

Sacramento Kings guard Ben McLemore sustained a non-displaced fracture to his right ring finger during Monday's game in New Orleans, the team announced Tuesday.McLemore underwent an X-Ray earlier Tuesday at Kaiser Permanente medical center in Oakland, Calif. He is listed as day-to-day and is questionable for Wednesday's game against Cleveland.He recorded two points, an assist, and a steal in 13 minutes Monday before departing.The third-year guard is averaging 7.5 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.2 assists through 58 games this season.

McLemore's 2016-17 option has been picked up by the Kings, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo reports.

Going into his 3rd season as a pro, McLemore's yet to miss a game and should continue to develop into a productive player. Playing with Rajon Rondo, a pass first point guard, should be beneficial for Mclemore.

McLemore averaged 12.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.7 three-pointers, 0.9 steals, and 0.2 blocks during 33 minutes per game in 82 regular season games during the 2014-15 season.

McLemore continued to grow in his second year, starting all 82 games of the season. While McLemore showed flashes of brilliance any given night, his inconsistent play showed he is still only 22 years old and adjusting to the NBA style of play. Once new head coach George Karl was hired, McLemore saw an increase in productivity, averaging 12.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.6 three-pointers, 1.3 steals, and 0.2 blocks after the All-Star break. If McLemore can continue to grow and flourish in Karl's system, he may be worth a look in standard fantasy leagues. He is under team control through the 2017-18 season.