Doncic: ‘Chemistry ... getting better’

Now, that’s what the Lakers had in mind when they pulled off their shocking trade for Luka Doncic earlier this month. After going 1-2 and averaging 14.7 points in his first three games with the Lakers, the 25-year-old superstar had by far his best game with his new team on Saturday night in Denver. Doncic scored 32 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, dished out seven assists and stole four passes while leading the Lakers to a 123-100 wipeout of the Nuggets, who had won nine consecutive games. “Finally feel like myself a little bit,” Doncic said. “Playing this game, this is what I love. Just finally being myself a little bit, that’s why I was smiling all game.” So was LeBron James, who chipped in 25 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three blocks — and several times was on the receiving end of Doncic’s long passes for fast-break buckets. “I am a natural-born wide receiver and he’s a natural-born quarterback,” cracked James. Doncic said his chemistry with the Lakers, James included, is still budding. “This is my fourth game,” Doncic said. “Chemistry takes time. You saw today that it’s getting better.”

Hat trick boost to Ovechkin’s chase

Alex Ovechkin scored his 880th, 881st and 882nd career goals to record a hat trick and move 13 goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record and give the Capitals a 7-3 victory over Connor McDavid and the Oilers on Sunday in Washington, moving back atop the league standings. Ovechkin beat Calvin Pickard clean with a wrist shot just before the midway mark of the second period off a pass from linemate Dylan Strome for his first of the game. He got his second on the power play 10 minutes later and put the puck into an empty net with 2:38 left for his third. Pickard became the 181st goaltender he has scored on, already the most of any player after Ovechkin broke Jaromir Jagr’s mark earlier last month. With his 134th game-winning goal, the 39-year-old Russian also tied Jagr for the most in NHL history. Tom Wilson, Jakob Chychrun, Connor McMichael and Strome also scored and Charlie Lindgren made 22 saves for the Capitals. The Oilers lost their third in a row dating to before the break, despite Leon Draisaitl scoring his league-leading 42nd goal this season.

Yin secures 2nd LPGA Tour victory

Angel Yin won for the second time on the LPGA Tour, making birdie on the 18th hole Sunday for a 7-under 65 that was just enough to hold off hard-charging Akie Iwai of Japan in the LPGA Thailand. Yin started the final round on the Pattaya Old Course at Siam Country Club in Pattaya with a five-shot lead. She played bogey-free. She had four birdies on the last six holes. And it was barely enough to capture the title. “I wasn’t that comfortable because Akie shot 10 under the first day and this course is very gettable. So I just had to keep my head down,” Yin said. Akie, who along with twin sister Chisato are LPGA rookies this year, was dynamic to the very end when she made eagle on the par-5 closing hole to momentarily tie for the lead. Yin got her birdie to finish at 28-under 260. There have been only six lower 72-hole scores in LPGA history, with Sei Young Kim holding the record of 257, set at the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic in 2018. The 26-year-old is the fourth American to capture the LPGA Thailand title, joining Lilia Vu (2023), Jessica Korda (’18) and Lexi Thompson (’16). —AP