Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images Anthony Davis had a game-high 41 points to lead the Lakers to their ninth straight win.
Welcome to the roundup of must-see sports news from Wednesday, highlighted by Anthony Davis’ triumphant return to New Orleans that propelled the Los Angeles Lakers to their ninth consecutive win.
We’ll also take a look at a feel-good story coming out of Stephen F. Austin’s stunning upset over Duke and Kyrie Irving speaks out after he was taunted and heckled by Celtics’ fans without even making an appearance.
All this and more as we get you up to speed with the sports world on this Thanksgiving Thursday!
Anthony Davis Scores 41 Points in Return to New Orleans, Lakers Rally Past Pelicans for 9th Straight Win
Anthony Davis has 41 points tonight.
He is the first player in NBA history to score 40 points in his first game vs a former team. h/t @EliasSports
Anthony Davis didn’t only survive his return to New Orleans on Wednesday night, he thrived in stellar fashion, propelling his new squad to their ninth straight victory.
The six-time All-Star who had played for the Pelicans for seven years made his first appearance back where it all began since being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in the offseason.
Anthony Davis received boos during his introduction in New Orleans.
Davis drowned out the constant boos that he received each time he touched the ball on Wednesday by scoring a game-high 41 points, setting a record for most points in the first game played against a former team in NBA history.
He even drove in the final stake when he stole a Pelicans’ inbounds pass in the final seconds of the game.
“The emotions were high, I’m just happy we got the win.”
@LakersReporter talks with @AntDavis23 after dropping 41 on the Pelicans.
“It just happened to work out that way,” Davis said. “I just wanted to get the win. It was a great game. We competed and I think from my perspective everybody in the world that’s all they want. A game like that. Two good teams going at it. I won’t say tension, but everybody wanted to see. It was fun for me. Had a great time but most importantly I was just glad we got the win.”
💪 @AntDavis23‘s season-high 41 PTS and big steal down the stretch helps the @Lakers outlast NOP for their 9th consecutive W! #LakeShow
The Lakers trailed by as many as 16 points in the third quarter but rallied to outscore the Pelicans by 14 in the fourth.
LeBron James scored 29 points and added 11 assists, putting up 15 points in the final quarter.
With the win, the Lakers notched their ninth consecutive win and improved their NBA-best record to 16-2.
Hurricane Recovery Fundraising Efforts for Stephen F. Austin’s Buzzer-Beating Hero Balloon Over $100K
Nathan Bain’s family saw their island nearly destroyed by Hurricane Dorian this summer.
Now, donations are flowing after the fifth-year senior made the shot of a lifetime to lift Stephen F. Austin over No. 1 Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium: t.co/pZeuGkWbin
What a difference a 24-hour period can make.
Stephen F. Austin and senior forward Nathan Bain jettisoned into the national spotlight after they pulled off a seismic upset of Duke on Tuesday night, knocking off the No. 1-ranked Blue Devils on the road in overtime.
Bain became a household name after he went the length of the floor on a breakaway to hit a buzzer-beating layup that snapped Duke’s 19-year home winning streak against non-conference opponents.
NO. 1 DUKE FALLS TO STEPHEN F. AUSTIN IN A STUNNING ENDING 🤯
The biggest win in Lumberjacks’ program history ultimately may not have been the largest result delivered by Bain’s one shining moment.
An emotional Bain spoke after the game about how he was playing for his family who had lost their home in the Bahamas a few months ago when Hurricane Dorian devastated the island.
Nathan Bain, everyone.
In addition to his family having their home destroyed, Bain’s father, Norris’ Tabernacle Baptist Church and an affiliated K-12 school suffered severe damage during the Category 5 landfall.
A GoFundMe page was set up a couple months ago to help raise funds for Bain’s family to rebuild and with Bain in the spotlight after the epic upset of Duke on Tuesday, the page exploded with donations coming in from all over.
Nathan Bain’s home in the Bahamas was basically destroyed by Hurricane Dorian.
So was the church his family runs.
He just beat Duke at the buzzer.
Here’s the link to help his family:
As of 1 a.m. ET Thursday, more than $105K had been raised – a dramatic increase from the $2K it had raised before Tuesday night’s game.
“We just want to make sure we get the people around us taken care of at the church, at the school,” said Nathan Bain. “That’s really our main focus, to make sure everyone has a place to worship and to make sure the school is taken care of so these kids can get a proper education.”
If you’d like to donate to help the Bain family rebuild, you can visit the fundraising page, here.
DON’T MISS THESE STORIES: Rounding Up the Top Headlines
Kyrie posted this message after missing the Nets-Celtics game Wednesday night.
(via @KyrieIrving)
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- Absent Kyrie Irving taunted by Celtics fans; He fires back with passionate social post
- No. 4 Kansas outlasts Dayton in OT, wins Maui Invitational
- Lions to start undrafted rookie QB David Blough in Thanksgiving day game against Bears
- Brewers acquire Luis Urías in five-player trade with Padres
- Arena Football League ceasing operations
WHAT’S ON TAP IN THE SPORTS WORLD ON THURSDAY
Lions and Bears.
Turkey and stuffing.
Some things just go better together. 🦁🐻🦃
📺: #CHIvsDET — THANKSGIVING 12:30pm ET on FOX
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app
NFL: Thanksgiving Day Tripleheader
What better way to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday then the tradition of family, food and football. We’ll have a triple helping of the NFL today, beginning at 12:30 p.m. ET.
Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions: 12:30 p.m. ET, FOX
Buffalo Bills at Dallas Cowboys: 4:30 p.m. ET, CBS
New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons: 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC
Missed Yesterday’s Roundup? Click here for it.