Luka and the Lakers believe they can win a championship after wrapping up the Pacific title

LOS ANGELES (AP) — After the Los Angeles Lakers beat Houston on Friday night to clinch the Pacific Division title and the third seed in the playoffs with their 50th victory of the season, their postgame celebration was both wild and wet.

The jubilant shouts and roars from their locker room could be heard through the cement walls of the tunnel in their downtown arena. The aquatic element of the festivities became obvious moments later when coach JJ Redick emerged with damp hair and wearing a green Philadelphia Eagles sweatshirt, which he called “the only dry item of clothing I have.”

“Hopefully, in the next nine days, the $17,000 in damage to the carpet can get fixed," Redick said jokingly. “There was about eight ice buckets put on me.”

Redick and his players had earned a few moments of fun. A team led by a rookie head coach and LeBron James has navigated through a massive midseason trade, survived several recent setbacks and emerged as a clear contender for a deep playoff run.

And perhaps even a title challenge for a franchise with 17 banners already in the rafters?

“I feel like we can win a championship, to be honest with you,” Austin Reaves said. “The reason for that is I know everybody in that locker room believes that.”

James didn't speak to the media after the game, but Luka Doncic echoed Reaves' assessment of the Lakers' belief in their championship quality after they wrapped up the division with their seventh win in 10 games down the stretch.

“I think we have the team to do it,” said Doncic, who scored 39 points in three quarters against the Rockets. “When everybody is locked in, we’re a hard team to beat, so that’s our goal.”

The goal seems increasingly realistic, which is even more impressive because this version of the Lakers has only been together for two months.

Doncic played his first game for Los Angeles on Feb. 10, several days after the Dallas Mavericks shocked the basketball world by dealing the Slovenian superstar in a package for Anthony Davis. The Lakers are 19-12 since then — not a jaw-dropping record, but one that stands out given the upheaval they've faced.

“The guys that have been here all along, they went through every single peak and valley,” Redick said. “I think even this third iteration of this team has gone through a bunch of peaks and valleys. Just incredibly proud of our team. It’s an accomplishment to win 50 games in the regular season in any year, particularly in this year, in this Western Conference.”

The Lakers now have one of the NBA's best scorers in their lineup next to the top scorer in basketball history, and the partnership is increasingly enticing.

Doncic and James combined for 53 points in 53 minutes against the Rockets in what was probably their final outing before the playoffs begin next weekend. Los Angeles also finished 31-10 at home, posting the third-best home record in the league.

Clinching the No. 3 seed means the Lakers can rest their top players Sunday in Portland, and everyone can get some time off next week while the play-in tournament occurs. Los Angeles had to slog through the play-in games in each of the previous two seasons after finishing seventh in the West with James and Anthony Davis.

When the Lakers finally learn their first-round matchup Sunday, they can begin mentally preparing for the final chapter in a season full of drama — but still lacking a Hollywood ending.

“I was joking with my best friend the other day, talking about how I feel like this year has been five years in total, but then again, it feels like it just started at the same time,” Reaves said. “As much as this group has been through, every time we hit any type of adversity, we bounce right back, and that’s all you can ask of a group.”

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James shoots during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves celebrates after hitting a three-point shot during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves, left, and forward LeBron James celebrate at the bench during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets Friday, April 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, left, celebrates from the bench after the Lakers scored during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets Friday, April 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick looks on during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, center, celebrates from the bench after the Lakers scored during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets Friday, April 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic over its bloody crackdown on protesters, a move coming as activists said Monday the death toll in the nationwide demonstrations rose to at least 544.

Iran had no immediate reaction to the news, which came after the foreign minister of Oman — long an interlocutor between Washington and Tehran — traveled to Iran this weekend. It also remains unclear just what Iran could promise, particularly as Trump has set strict demands over its nuclear program and its ballistic missile arsenal, which Tehran insists is crucial for its national defense.

Meanwhile Monday, Iran called for pro-government demonstrators to head to the streets in support of the theocracy, a show of force after days of protests directly challenging the rule of 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian state television aired chants from the crowd, who shouted “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”

Trump and his national security team have been weighing a range of potential responses against Iran including cyberattacks and direct strikes by the U.S. or Israel, according to two people familiar with internal White House discussions who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

“The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night. Asked about Iran’s threats of retaliation, he said: “If they do that, we will hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before.”

Trump said that his administration was in talks to set up a meeting with Tehran, but cautioned that he may have to act first as reports of the death toll in Iran mount and the government continues to arrest protesters.

“I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States,” Trump said. “Iran wants to negotiate.”

He added: “The meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting. But a meeting is being set up. Iran called, they want to negotiate.”

Iran through country's parliamentary speaker warned Sunday that the U.S. military and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if America uses force to protect demonstrators.

More than 10,600 people also have been detained over the two weeks of protests, said the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in previous unrest in recent years and gave the death toll. It relies on supporters in Iran crosschecking information. It said 496 of the dead were protesters and 48 were with security forces.

With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the toll. Iran’s government has not offered overall casualty figures.

Those abroad fear the information blackout is emboldening hard-liners within Iran’s security services to launch a bloody crackdown. Protesters flooded the streets in the country’s capital and its second-largest city on Saturday night into Sunday morning. Online videos purported to show more demonstrations Sunday night into Monday, with a Tehran official acknowledging them in state media.

In Tehran, a witness told the AP that the streets of the capital empty at the sunset call to prayers each night. By the Isha, or nighttime prayer, the streets are deserted.

Part of that stems from the fear of getting caught in the crackdown. Police sent the public a text message that warned: “Given the presence of terrorist groups and armed individuals in some gatherings last night and their plans to cause death, and the firm decision to not tolerate any appeasement and to deal decisively with the rioters, families are strongly advised to take care of their youth and teenagers.”

Another text, which claimed to come from the intelligence arm of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, also directly warned people not to take part in demonstrations.

“Dear parents, in view of the enemy’s plan to increase the level of naked violence and the decision to kill people, ... refrain from being on the streets and gathering in places involved in violence, and inform your children about the consequences of cooperating with terrorist mercenaries, which is an example of treason against the country,” the text warned.

The witness spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing crackdown.

The demonstrations began Dec. 28 over the collapse of the Iranian rial currency, which trades at over 1.4 million to $1, as the country’s economy is squeezed by international sanctions in part levied over its nuclear program. The protests intensified and grew into calls directly challenging Iran’s theocracy.

Nikhinson reported from aboard Air Force One.

In this frame grab from video obtained by the AP outside Iran, a masked demonstrator holds a picture of Iran's Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi during a protest in Tehran, Iran, Friday, January. 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran shows protesters taking to the streets despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.(UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran showed protesters once again taking to the streets of Tehran despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Saturday Jan. 10, 2026. (UGC via AP)