Comment on 9 must-read N.J. stories on Monday morning

Observations and other notes of interest from Wednesday night’s 117-108 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers: – As Heat coach Erik Spoelstra spoke before this one, he spoke of the opportunity to return home with a 4-2 trip. – “We’ve talked about it before. You have to have this finish mentality and be present,” he said.

This wasn’t anything as dramatic as a passing of the torch from one Miami Heat leading man to another. LeBron James was long gone from the Heat before Tyler Herro arrived in 2019. But Heat past and present both had their moments Wednesday night at Crypto. Com Arena, with James and the Los Angeles Lakers pushing past Herro and the Heat 117-108. The loss ended the Heat’s western swing at 3-3, with a 3-4 record over the course of the seven-game team suspension of forward Jimmy Butler, which ended with Wednesday night’s game. While Herro closed with 34 points, his career high against the Lakers, it was James who stepped up with his late scoring to lift the Lakers. James filled the boxscore with 22 points, nine assists and five rebounds, with the Lakers also getting 22 points and 11 rebounds from Anthony Davis. Herro essentially found himself standing alone on a night he closed 12 of 18 from the field, including 7 of 12 on 3-pointers.

Trump’s pick for national security adviser, Florida Rep. Mike Waltz, said in an interview on Wednesday that the president-elect is exploring options to “preserve” TikTok. Related Articles National News | The ‘things,’ saved from fire, that have made LA houses into Jewish homes | COMMENTARY National News | For LA water issues, misinformation spreads nearly as fast as the wildfires National News | Rubio says Cuba is state sponsor of terrorism, suggests quick Trump reversal of Biden decision National News | Congressman Ro Khanna calls for ‘full and transparent’ investigation into death of OpenAI whistleblower Suchir Balaji National News | US government sues Southwest Airlines and fines Frontier for chronically delayed flights Waltz made the comment when Fox News anchor Bret Baier asked him about a report from The Washington Post that said Trump was considering an executive order to suspend enforcement of a federal law that could ban the popular platform nationwide by Sunday. Last week, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a legal challenge to the statute brought by TikTok, its China-based parent company ByteDance, and users of the app.

Michael McClenton is excited about being Scott Frost’s first commitment since returning to coach at UCF. The 6-foot, 200-pound linebacker from Ocoee High School announced his decision in a post on social media on Tuesday, less than two weeks after receiving an offer from the school. As it turns out, the decision to join the Knights’ 2026 recruiting class was an easy one. “I decided to commit to UCF because it’s always been a dream of mine,” McClenton told the Orlando Sentinel.

‘Grave Danger: A Jack Swyteck Novel’ by James Grippando. Harper, 329 pages, $30 James Grippando’s propensity for latching on to current events and weaving these issues into brisk, in-depth thrillers are a mainstay of his novels about Miami attorney Jack Swyteck. “Grave Danger,” Grippando’s 19th novel about Jack, is full of believable twists with attention to details, as he mixes a personal story with an international focus that works well. Jack’s 9-year marriage to FBI agent Andie Henning is going through a rough patch, brought on mainly because of friction that arises from their individual careers.

By CHRIS MEGERIAN WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will deliver a farewell address to the nation Wednesday night, seizing what may be his final opportunity to reshape Americans’ grim views on his term before he departs the White House. Related Articles National Politics | Trump’s outsider Cabinet picks are rapidly gaining support for confirmation National Politics | Here’s how to watch Biden’s farewell address from the Oval Office National Politics | Rubio says Cuba is state sponsor of terrorism, suggests quick Trump reversal of Biden decision National Politics | Trump’s pick for budget director won’t say whether he would release Ukraine aid National Politics | Key takeaways from Trump’s energy secretary pick’s confirmation hearing He plans to deliver the speech at 8 p.m.