NBA

LeBron's a nightmare to opponents on the court ... but he was even more frightening at the Cavs Halloween party, 'cause the King's Pennywise costume is sure to keep you up at night.

The Cavs always go over-the-top for their annual team gathering ... and Monday night was no exception -- from Kyle Korver's Willy Wonka (complete with Oompa Loompas!!) to J.R. Smith and his wife, Jewel, going as the Coneheads.

But it was Tristan Thompson and Khloe Kardashian taking the best couples costume award for their Khal Drogo and Daenerys Targaryen outfits from "Game of Thrones."

Check it out ... the party was lit.

There's a brand new trick shot challenge -- ya gotta hit 2 tough shots in a row -- and Drake not only pulled it off ... he's challenging two huge NBA stars to follow suit.

It's called the #OneAndDoneChallenge -- first, ya gotta hit a QB style overhand 3-pointer ... then immediately sink a half court shot FROM YOUR BACK (with no video edits)!

Drake got the challenge from the guy who invented it -- rapper/skills guru Dribble2Much -- and hit both shots like a champ.

Now, we're told he's calling out Raptors stars DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry -- who better put some NBA-style flair into their videos!!!

The plane that was carrying the OKC Thunder during a scary in-fight incident that crushed the nose of the plane has been repaired ... and it's ready to get back in the air, TMZ Sports has learned.

The incident took place Saturday morning -- Delta, which was operating the team's chartered flight from Minnesota to Chicago -- says initial reports suggest a possible bird strike smashed the front of the plane.

But Delta works fast ... a rep for the company tells us, "The aircraft, a Boeing 757-200, has since been inspected and its nose cone replaced."

Impressive since the plane was repaired roughly 48 hours after the incident.

"The damaged nose cone has been sent to a maintenance facility to undergo additional evaluation," Delta adds.

NASTY FOOT ALERT!

Turns out, Shaq's not the only NBA star with jacked up feet ... right, Reggie Jackson?!

The Detroit Pistons star put his busted up feet on display in the team locker room -- and Andre Drummond was so impressed, he pulled out his phone and shot footage!

Drummond praises Jackson's dogs as "the feet of a hardworking man."

He's right ... but still, gross.

Not as bad as Shaq's disgusting feet ... seen here for your viewing displeasure.

Happy Halloween!

Welcome to the Lonzo Ball 6-game rookie season breakdown with your host ... LaVar Ball!

So, LaVar ... the Lakers are 2-4, but how do you think Lonzo looks so far?

"How would I rate his first few weeks? Good!"

He took responsibility for that loss to the Jazz ...

"Hey, that ain't nothing new to me. He knows what he's supposed to do. He do it right."

But it's a team sport. It was a team effort, right?

"It can be a team effort, it's all on him. He already know. We built that way. My boy built that way."

So, what happens next for Lonzo? How does LaVar feel about Metta World Peace saying he can't tell if Lonzo will be a star until 3 years into his pro career?

Metta World Peace just casually dropped some BIG basketball news ... telling TMZ Sports he's gonna suit up for Ice Cube's 3-on-3 league next season!!

Metta -- who's already part of Master P's Global Mixed Gender League -- says he's gonna play for BOTH organizations ... on top of being a player developmental coach for the Lakers' G-League affiliate.

It's awesome news for BIG3 fans ... as the rest of next season's new players have yet to be revealed.

Metta World Peace wants all basketball critics to CHILL with the Lonzo Ball takes ... 'cause the ex-Laker says it's way too early to tell if the Big Baller is the real deal.

We spoke with Metta -- who just joined the Lakers' G-League team as a player development coach -- about Zo's first week in the NBA ... and he thinks it'll take 3 YEARS to find out if he's legit.

FYI -- Ball's averaging 11.5 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists through 4 games.

Hornets baller Frank Kaminsky got waaay into the Halloween spirit on Thursday -- owning his "Dark Knight" character for the kids at Hemby Children's Hospital in Charlotte.

The young patients kicked it with other members of the NBA Justice League, too -- Malik Monk as The Flash, Cody Zeller as Superman and Dwayne Bacon as Green Lantern -- but Frank "The Tank" stole the show with his epic Christian Bale impression.

The kids got candy. Kaminsky and his boys got to be kids again.

Justice was served in Buzz City.

John Wall wasn't too bummed out after losing his "No Mercy" game against Lonzo Ball's Lakers -- hitting up Warwick nightclub ... and telling TMZ Sports there's no bad blood.

The Washington Wizards star vowed to punish the rookie for all the trash talk his dad, LaVar Ball, had been spouting off leading up to Wednesday's matchup at Staples Center.

But Wall and the Wizards came up short -- losing to the Lakers in overtime -- and after the game, he took out his frustrations at the club!

Wall says he's not holding a grudge with the Balls -- or anyone for that matter -- and focused his energy on having a good time.

As for LaVar ... he celebrated the victory by taking a bow to the crowd. He's loving this.

Lamar Odom hit up an L.A. strip club Tuesday night -- where he threw money and danced around the place until 2 AM ... which begs the question -- is this a terrible idea for him?!

Odom has been super candid about how drugs, partying and sex all played a huge role in the 2015 drug overdose at a Nevada brothel that nearly killed him.

So, when we saw this video of Odom partying at Crazy Girls ... it made us wonder if a strip club is really the best place for him to be hanging out these days.

Ex-NBA commissioner David Stern says anti-weed rules in pro sports are antiquated -- and he thinks it's time the NBA and other major leagues give the green light to the green stuff.

"I'm now at the point where, personally, I think [weed] probably should be removed from the ban list," Stern told ex-NBA player Al Harrington during an interview for Uninterrupted.

FYI, Harrington is now a marijuana entrepreneur who's invested more than $3 MILLION in his weed business. Harrington says he started using Rx weed during his playing days and saw real results.

So, he asked Stern how he felt about weed -- and the ex-Commish is VERY open to the idea of finally allowing players to smoke.

"I think we have to change the Collective Bargaining Agreement and let you do what is legal in your state," Stern says.

"If marijuana is now in the process of being legalized, I think you should be allowed to do what's legal in your state."

Stern says back when he was the commish, public perception was that weed is a gateway drug to harder stuff ... but Stern says the perception has changed radically.

Ex-NBA star Ben Gordon was sending threatening videos to people in the days before a violent standoff with a woman in his NY gym ... TMZ Sports has learned.

FYI, Gordon was hospitalized for psychiatric evaluation over the weekend after cops responded to his business, Of Our Own -- a sports rehab and recovery center.

According to the police report, Gordon's girlfriend claimed Ben had locked her in the gym -- and was going berserk with a blade. Cops eventually went inside the gym, found Gordon in the bathroom and took him into custody. He was then transported to a nearby hospital.

But we know Ben's strange behavior has been going on for months -- he sent a video to several people he calls "bitch n*****" ... and dared them to "pull up" at his gym. He claims the men are wrongfully taking credit for launching the Of Our Own gym.

Michael Rapaport is finally coming clean about his beef with LeBron James ... saying it all goes back to how The King treated his 2 sons back in the day.

"When they ran into LeBron, he dissed my kids," Rapaport said on The Breakfast Club. "He gave 'em the f**kin' Heisman and turned his back to them."

Mike thinks 'Bron held a grudge against him 'cause their friends of friends had a bad falling out ... and took it out on his boys.

Rapaport couldn't believe it -- and says that makes LBJ the worst celeb he's ever met.

"It has nothing to do with a 10 and an 8-year-old ... don't play me and my kids."

"Out of all the athletes, out of all the celebrities, out of all the rappers I've ever met -- especially with my kids -- that was the only motherf**ker that ever did that. And I was like, 'Hell f**kin' no.'"

Charles Barkley ain't shy about what he'd do to Lonzo Ball if they played in the same era ... saying he'd try to take the kid's head clean off as punishment for his father's antics.

"I would've been goin' at his head, no question. Would've been talkin' to him the whole time about his daddy," Barkley told TMZ Sports.

Chuck actually REALLY likes Lonzo ... but 100% agrees with Kenny Smith, who told us LaVar Ball has put a target on his son's back.

"His dad has put so much pressure on him, he makes people not like him. Now he's got everybody not liking his son and he's gonna have to deal with that."

Sir Charles also had a pretty funny take on Lonzo's 1 big game for the Lakers -- saying it didn't count because it came against the crappy Phoenix Suns.

Speaking of the Suns ... Barkley also trashed Eric Bledsoe for tweeting that he wanted off the squad.

"Someone's paying you $15 million a year -- you shouldn't say, EVER, 'I don't wanna be here.'"

"You don't go on the Internet. You don't do that ... that was just bad."

Marcin Gortat thinks it's hilarious LaVar Ball said his Wizards should be afraid of Lonzo Ball ... telling LaVar that his teammate, John Wall, is gonna "TORTURE" the rookie.

The Big Baller Dad issued a warning to the Wiz -- who are set to play Lonzo's Lakers on Wednesday -- after L.A. dropped to 1-2 on Sunday ...

"They better beware, 'cause Lonzo ain't losin' again. Not in the same week!"

The Polish Hammer wasn't havin' none of that -- letting LaVar know Wall's comin' for 'Zo just like Clippers point guard Patrick Beverley did in the Lake Show's season opener.

Fake Klay Thompson's making fans outta real-life NBA ballers -- 'cause ex-Kings star Hedo Turkoglu says he's on the bandwagon!

"It is ridiculous. It is funny, though," Hedo told TMZ Sports in the Beverly Hills.

FYI, a prankster that looked A LOT like Klay sat courtside for the Warriors' season opener ... and the Internet loved it.

Turkoglu did too ... and told us Thompson ain't alone 'cause he comes across Hedo imposters all the time (he was kidding ... we think).

On a more serious note, we got the former King to talk about his former squad's prospects ... and he had pretty high hopes.