Mirjam Swanson

Commentary: Booooo! Lakers fans know Bam Adebayo cheated his way past Kobe Bryant with 83 points Bam Adebayo scored 83 points in a game, surpassing Kobe Bryant's iconic 81-point effort, against the tanking Wizards, who helped inflate his stats.

There’s magic, and then there are magic tricks, manufactured illusions, sleight-of-hand acts of pseudo-sorcery. That’s how we should remember Bam Adebayo’s 83.

Column on Bam’s highly offensive 83-point game topping Kobe's iconic 81.

www.latimes.com/sports/laker...

Commentary: Mick Cronin's cleverly brutal criticism of his team isn't disrupting UCLA's surge UCLA coach Mick Cronin's courtside demeanor and postgame bluntness make him no stranger to controversy, but his players say they are fine with his methods.

Mick Cronin has a funny way of showing it, but he likes this team. He really, really likes it.

And from what the Bruins say, and how they've played lately, the feeling is mutual.

Now, can the good vibes travel?

From Galen last night:
www.latimes.com/sports/story...

The reverberations of other people Tanking, the prism of context, and America's latest forever war.

wrote about tanking and the taboo of not caring about it, russell westbrook and the prism of context, and america's latest forever war

❤️🙏🏻

Jazzy Davidson to get MRI after USC Big Ten tournament loss to Washington Jazzy Davidson suffered a shoulder injury and USC could not solve Washington's defense, falling to Washington during the Big Ten tournament on Thursday.

“Send us wherever. You usually get what you earn.”

USC lost its Big Ten tournament opener and now Jazzy Davidson might be hurt too | @latimes.com

www.latimes.com/sports/usc/s...

I love this so much. 🤗

The world is a dumpster fire but here is some VERY GOOD NEWS: @mirjamswanson.bsky.social and I have been reunited in the same newsroom for the first time in a minute. Go follow her!

m.youtube.com/watch?v=aMh3...

Same!

🙏🏻❤️📰

Feels like yesterday for sure! Thanks, Dennis. ❤️

Coming out of school, I turned down an agate job at the L.A. Times. Needed to write, see? Figured I’d get there soon enough.

Twenty-six years later…

I’m writing sports columns for the L.A. Times. Surreal.

I love L.A. and I love sports. Let’s rock:

🔗 www.latimes.com/sports/laker...

A drawing of three speed skaters (by me!) One is wearing red and white with black accents and the caption "Guy who is either Canadian or Swiss or Austrian or Japanese or Polish or Danish" One is wearing red white and blue and is labeled "Guy who is either American or Norwegian or French or Czech or Slovakian or Slovenian or British" One is wearing neon orange and labeled Guy who is UNDENIABLY DUTCH

God bless the Dutch for this

Leonard steals show, shines brightest among stars at All-Star Weekend The forward delivered for the home fans.

🚨NEW: In an All-Star Game hosted solely by the LA Clippers for the first time in franchise history, Kawhi Leonard rose to the occasion and delivered a performance fans will remember for years. Because, as usual with Leonard, of course he did. 🔗 justinrusso.substack.com/p/kawhi-leon...

Swanson: Thank you, Victor Wembanyama, for a fantastic All-Star Game Wembanyama brought the energy from the outset, and it proved infectious, with some crediting the 7-foot-5 Spurs star for doing more to save the midseason showcase in mere minutes than anything the …

You know what that was like? The world’s greatest pickup game. 💜

Let me add to the chorus and say: Thank you, Victor Wembanyama, for a fantastic All-Star experience.

www.ocregister.com/2026/02/15/s...

‘I don’t know’ – Lakers star LeBron James remains unsure of retirement James, 41, said he was still uncertain on if he’d retire following his 23rd NBA season during his All-Star media availability on Sunday afternoon, hours before his record 22nd All-Star Game.

LeBron James doesn't know. Midway through his 23rd season, the Lakers and the league's elder statesman is still unsure on retirement.

“I want to live. When I know, you guys will know. I don’t know. I have no idea. Just want to live."

On @ocregister.bsky.social: www.ocregister.com/2026/02/15/i...

I can't even imagine what tanking is doing to the psyche of the players and coaches. It has to make them very cynical. In the words of the great Vince Lombardi: "Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing."

🙏🏻

AWM, Always Read Mirjam! Great article, the first I've seen making this connection

Thank you — as always! 👊

Read. This. Article. NBA fans. #NBASky

Heh. Thanks.

Swanson: In a tanking world, NBA investigating Clippers for trying too hard Commissioner Adam Silver finds himself at an intersection with cars stalled up and down the street on one side and the possibility of a Bugatti blowing through a flashing stop sign on the other.

The hottest topics circling the NBA are tanking and the opposite – trying too hard to win, allegedly, in the Clippers’ case.

But one of those things is not like the other; one is worse: It’s tanking. Mass tanking is much worse for the health of the NBA.

www.ocregister.com/2026/02/14/s...

Keshad Johnson claims 1st dunk contest; Damian Lillard wins 3rd 3-point contest Miami’s Johnson jumps over rapper E-40 as a part of his dunk routine, while Portland’s Lillard, sidelined for the season with an injury, edges Phoenix star Devin Booker in the 3-point final.

Keshad Johnson knew he wanted to bring the “West Coast flair” to the NBA’s dunk contest. Bay Area rapper E-40 trailed the Miami Heat forward as the pair jived to music echoing across the arena.

He wanted to live the dream. Johnson sure did Saturday night: www.ocregister.com/2026/02/14/k...

Feel all that.

Swanson: LeBron James – all-time overachieving All-Star The Lakers’ 41-year-old superstar, playing in his 22nd All-Star Game in his 23rd season Sunday at Intuit Dome, exceeded his potential and others’ expectations.

Pity the prodigies. All the gifts and none of the experience. The bigger they are, the further they’ll fall - but not all-time All-Star LeBron. He rolled over even the greatest expectations like a kid driving a Hummer.

Ahead of All-Star Game *No. 22.*

www.ocregister.com/2026/02/13/s...

Thank you so much.

Swanson: LeBron James – all-time overachieving All-Star The Lakers’ 41-year-old superstar, playing in his 22nd All-Star Game in his 23rd season Sunday at Intuit Dome, exceeded his potential and others’ expectations.

Great article by @mirjamswanson.bsky.social on the overachieving of Lebron. As someone who loves basketball to an irrational degree, I am so grateful I got to watch LeBron's career. #NBA #NBASky #NBAAllStar www.ocregister.com/2026/02/13/s...

Swanson: Clippers inspire by making basketball more accessible The ‘All-Star Homecourt Hoops’ initiative encourages an 8-year-old in Tarzana to give the game another shot after receiving one of the 5,600-plus free baskets.

Every basketball team is trying to get buckets, but the Clippers are the most invested team I know in *giving* buckets.

One sweet story of the 5,600-plus from the team's “All-Star Homecourt Hoops” project:

www.ocregister.com/2026/02/10/s...

Swanson: Clippers inspire by making basketball more accessible The ‘All-Star Homecourt Hoops’ initiative encourages an 8-year-old in Tarzana to give the game another shot after receiving one of the 5,600-plus free baskets.

Week-by-week in @ocregister.bsky.social, you can read a masterclass in sports column writing.

This latest from @mirjamswanson.bsky.social is on a Clippers initiative and the impact it has had on a neurodivergent 8-year-old from Los Angeles. Read ➡️:

www.ocregister.com/2026/02/10/s...

Swanson: San Clemente always super-proud of Super Bowl QB Sam Darnold The mantra in San Clemente is ‘One Town, One Team,’ and nobody’s surprised to see the humble star reach this moment.

San Clemente has Sam Darnold's back - no matter what happens Super Bowl Sunday.

A column on the one-team town that's "as close to Texas football as you’re gonna find in California," and the resilient NFL quarterback it helped raise.

www.ocregister.com/2026/02/06/s...

Darius Garland introduced; Clippers throttled by Cavs Meet the new point guard.

🚨NEW: Darius Garland is now the face of a franchise looking to change on the fly. If the LA Clippers, who lost on Wednesday, are to be successful, they’ll need the Fun Guy and their new “Silly Guy” to hit the ground running in this new Tyronn Lue system. 🔗 justinrusso.substack.com/p/darius-gar...