News Lakers Team Notes

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: JJ Redick Credits LeBron James For Speaking Up In Film Session

The Los Angeles Lakers began the 2025-26 season with a loss to the Golden State Warriors, which wasn’t a huge surprise considering LeBron James was not in the lineup on Opening Night for the first time in his career.

There were a lot of takeaways from the loss, but one of them was James’ body language on the bench with many people believing he wasn’t engaged.

It appears that wasn’t the case on Wednesday morning’s film session though as head coach JJ Redick discussed what the team went over and credited James for being vocal.

“I thought our intent on a lot of game-plan stuff was there,” Redick said of what the film session showed. “That team is a very unique team and it starts with Steph Curry. He just bends you in different ways and so, you never are going to have a perfect game in terms of game-plan execution against them. You’re just not. But I thought our intent was really good. Things we cleaned up in film and the things we cleared up in practice was very simple. Our intent to run back in transition defense and establish our first priority, which was the basket, was overall pretty good.

“We did a poor job of locating the lasers in transition, which was a point of emphasis for our defense. Buddy Hield got two 3s off in the second half. Steph got one right in front of our bench in the first half. That was literally the second priority of the game, was locating those guys in transition. So, clean that up and again talk through that.

“LeBron was very helpful. All of us kind of talked about that in film. And then the second thing was our shift. We need to, I think as a coaching staff, for the guys returning need to re-enforce and repeat some things from our shifts and what that looks like, what our close-out looks like and for the new uys creating clarift for that for them. Saw it on film. It wasn’t good. So that stuff is really controllable. So, I think… I did a 10-minute teach/talk and we drilled it just to shift and close-out clarity I think is going to be helpful for us going forward. Sometimes as a coach you say things and you drill things, but then you realize that if it’s not showing up in a game then it’s not clear. We just got to continue to re-enforce things on a clear basis.”

Redick added that James and other players speaking up during film sessions will be good for the team in the long run.

“Well I told them him asking questions, him giving his input, us having a back-and-forth is so healthy,” Redick said. “I would like to have dialogue and back-and-forth and questions every single time we do film and teach. You got a question, speak up. If you want to make a point, speak up. It was good.”

James isn’t expected back in the lineup until mid-November, but until then, he can still be a valuable resource to the team as a coach on the bench. He has arguably the highest basketball IQ of all-time, so the hope is that he will stay engaged and help out his teammates until he is able to suit up.

Austin Reaves: Lakers third quarter issues are on players​

The Warriors outscored the Lakers 19-4 to begin the third quarter, which was the difference in the game. This has been a problem for this team for years and Austin Reaves puts that blame on the players themselves, not the Lakers coaches.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-news-jj-redick-credits-lebron-james-for-speaking-up-in-film-session/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Luka Doncic & Austin Reaves Not On Lakers’ Injury Report Vs. Timberwolves

The Los Angeles Lakers released their injury report for Friday night’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves and Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic are both not on it despite getting banged up in the season opener.

LeBron James (right sciatica), Adou Thiero (left knee surgery recovery) and Maxi Kleber (abdominal muscle strain) continue to be ruled out due to their injuries. James, in particular, isn’t expected to make his season debut until the middle of November.

Doncic hurt his groin and Reaves hurt his ankle in the Lakers’ season opening loss to the Golden State Warriors. Lakers head coach JJ Redick expressed caution with Reaves after Thursday’s practice, although with him not being listed on the injury report that is obviously a good sign.

“Luka was a full participant. Austin was a modified participant. He kind of tweaked his ankle,” Redick said after practice on Thursday. “Yesterday was no live so he was able to do everything. Today, he did everything but live. It’s not really like a thing where I can say he’s gonna be out a couple games or he’s gonna play tomorrow. It literally will be how he feels tomorrow. I know Austin, I’m gonna expect him to play.”

As Redick alluded to, Reaves doesn’t like to miss games and will surely do whatever he can to be on the court against Minnesota. He played 36 minutes in the Lakers’ season opener and finished with 26 points, five rebounds, nine assists and two steals on 9-of-16 shooting and 1-of-5 from deep.

With James already out of the lineup, the Lakers can’t really afford to be without Reaves and/or Doncic. They scored or assisted on 97 of the team’s 109 points against the Warriors. Others will need to step up regardless, but the Lakers’ backcourt not being on the injury report for the big matchup with Minnesota is good to see.

JJ Redick credits LeBron James for speaking up in Lakers film session​

There were a number of issues that the Lakers have to correct after their season opener and they addressed them in a film session. Head coach JJ Redick credited LeBron James for his involvement despite currently being out with an injury.

“Well I told them him asking questions, him giving his input, us having a back-and-forth is so healthy,” Redick said of James. “I would like to have dialogue and back-and-forth and questions every single time we do film and teach. You got a question, speak up. If you want to make a point, speak up. It was good.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/luka-doncic-austin-reaves-not-on-lakers-injury-report-vs-timberwolves/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

NBA To Return To Painting Larry O’Brien Trophy & Script Logo On Home Court During NBA Finals

Last season’s NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers was one of the best and most competitive series’ in recent memory. The two teams battled it out for seven games with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the Thunder to their first championship in franchise history.

One of the things that was noticeable during the Finals, however, was the aesthetic, or rather the lack of it. As opposed to in the past when the courts had custom things added on so that it looked different from the regular season, the Thunder and Pacers’ home courts looked just like any other game and it was noticeable to many watching.

But that is now set to change back to how it was in prior years as, for the first time since the 2009 NBA Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Orlando Magic, the NBA will return to painting the Larry O’Brien trophy as well as the Finals script logo on home courts, via Shams Charania of ESPN:

The NBA will return to painting the Larry O'Brien trophy at center court and Finals script logo on the home team's floor for the Finals starting this season, per sources. The last time the large trophy was painted on court was 2009. pic.twitter.com/QsFOTFZCSa

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 22, 2025

It may not seem like a big deal, but this move by the NBA shows that they are listening to the people when they speak. There is a certain feel and aura that should be surrounding the NBA Finals and differentiating the court and making it clear that this is the biggest stage in basketball really matters.

As some have pointed out, the league goes out of its way to change up the courts during the Emirates NBA Cup both during the group stages on each team’s home court, as well as the tournament semi-finals and finals in Las Vegas. That really adds to the feel of these games and to not make that effort for the NBA Finals just makes no sense.

Of course, the last time the Larry O’Brien trophy was on the court for the NBA Finals, the Lakers raised that trophy and yet another banner behind the late, great Kobe Bryant. Perhaps with the return, the Lakers will be able to replicate that feeling behind Luka Doncic and LeBron James.

LeBron James, Lakers involved in NBA gambling scandal?​

The NBA world was shocked at news coming down of arrests being made of current and former NBA players and coaches as part of an FBI investigation into gambling. The Lakers were mentioned as one of the teams that were bet on with LeBron James’ playing status being part of it, but it sounds as if both LeBron and the team were unaware of what was going on.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/nba-to-ret...-script-logo-on-home-court-during-nba-finals/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Recap: Luka Doncic Drops 49 To Lead Lakers To Revenge Victory Over Timberwolves

After dropping their season opener, the Los Angeles Lakers were back in action on Friday night, hosting the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena.

This, of course, was a rematch of last year’s playoffs when the Lakers were eliminated in five games. They were looking for some revenge on the Timberwolves, and they were able to get it with a 128-110 victory to improve to 1-1 on the season.

The Timberwolves jumped out to a quick 10-4 start, although Luka Doncic scored seven straight points for the Lakers to keep it from getting out of hand early. Minnesota was unconscious from deep though as they immediately responded with another run, forcing JJ Redick to use a timeout with his team trailing 21-13.

Anthony Edwards kept the Timberwolves run going out of the timeout to get the lead to double digits before Austin Reaves got going to join Doncic offensively. Despite the hot shooting from Minnesota, the Lakers cut their deficit to 40-36 at the end of the first thanks to a 23-point quarter from Doncic.

The lack of defense continued for both teams in the second quarter, but back-to-back triples by Rui Hachimura and Reaves tied the game at 52.

JJ Redick challenged a foul call on Gabe Vincent and was unhappy that it was unsuccessful, picking up a technical in the process. That seemed to give the Lakers some energy though as Marcus Smart and Jarred Vanderbilt were making plays on the defensive side of the ball.

Meanwhile, Doncic continued his red-hot first half and went into the locker room with 32 points and the Lakers leading 68-63.

Third quarters have been a struggle for the Lakers, but they came out strong this time, outscoring the Timberwolves 8-5 to force a timeout. Doncic and Deandre Ayton then found some chemistry in the pick-and-roll and then Reaves completed a three-point play to extend the lead to double digits. They kept the pressure on to close the third and took a 108-94 lead into the fourth.

It was more domination from Doncic to begin the final quarter, scoring five straight points to effectively put the game out of reach. He continued pouring it on an finished the night with 48 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists on 14-of-23 shooting.

What’s next for the Lakers​

After playing their first two games at home, the Lakers will now hit the road for the first time for a matchup with the Sacramento Kings on Sunday evening. They will then return home and host the Portland Trail Blazers in the second night of a back-to-back on Monday.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/recap-luka...-lakers-to-revenge-victory-over-timberwolves/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Deandre Ayton Letting Game Come To Him

Deandre Ayton was the subject of a lot of criticism after the Los Angeles Lakers’ season opening loss to the Golden State Warriors due to his lack of aggression.

He was able to flip the script in the Lakers’ second game though, finishing with 15 points and eight rebounds on 7-of-11 shooting to help the team earn its first victory of the year against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

While everyone wants Ayton to be more aggressive though, he explained how he takes a different approach.

“I’m super poised when it comes to the game,” he said after the win. “Everybody wants me to be this number guy, but I let the game come to me. These teams are watching some film on us and they know what we want and they’re making us play a different way. I’m glad they’re showing coverages like this early in the season as well where we can’t just get to a pick-and-roll and execute it. We have to move the ball quite a bit and Luka has to really dissect their defense to really open up the floor.

“So being poised is really all I can do and getting my guards open and rolling to the rim. Seeing shooters like my guy Rui really makes teams be honest. I’m just glad they’re respecting the roll still though, I’m seeing how much gravity me and Luka pull as well, including AR. That’s Lakers basketball right now, running the pick-and-roll and getting the ball moving.”

The Lakers didn’t have a true center when they lost to the Timberwolves in the playoffs last year and after just one matchup between them this season, it’s clear how big of an impact Ayton can make.

Deandre Ayton still building chemistry with Luka Doncic & Austin Reaves​

Deandre Ayton looked good on Friday night, but him building chemistry with Lakers guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves is admittedly still a work in progress.

“I was realizing, I’m probably a confusing big whether I can roll and stand in the pocket, probably gets a little difficult for them sometimes,” Ayton recently said. “I’m so used to having that low man on me. Sometimes I can’t even finish a roll, and I tiny bit linger around the free-throw area just to be available for him.

“There’s times where I can finish my roll. We just gotta play some more and play against some more great teams, like how we did [on Tuesday], to really see what’s the common coverage of these teams, really trying to put us on their personnel, what they got on us.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-news-deandre-ayton-letting-game-come-to-him/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Dirk Nowitzki Predicts Luka Doncic Will Lead NBA In Scoring This Season

Expectations were high for Luka Doncic coming into his first full season with the Los Angeles Lakers. A core component behind this was him getting into the best shape of his career and the solid performances for Slovenia in EuroBasket that followed.

On Opening Night, Doncic set the tone with 43 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists. Unfortunately, L.A. suffered a loss to the Golden State Warriors, but it was clear that the 26-year-old was motivated to put together an MVP-caliber season.

On Friday night, the All-NBA guard followed up his 43-point performance with 49 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists to lead L.A. to its first victory. Seeing these two scoring outputs, Doncic’s mentor and close friend Dirk Nowitzki predicted that the Lakers star would lead the NBA in scoring this year, via NBA on Prime:

“He’s been looking incredible the first two games. I’m gonna call it now: He’s gonna be the top scorer of the league this year. He’s gonna lead the league in scoring. What are you gonna do about it?”

The Minnesota Timberwolves, as showcased last year in the postseason, are a physical team and one of the top defenses in the league. They had nothing for Doncic though as opposing teams will find themselves in predicaments trying to stop him all season due to his ability to score and pass.

With LeBron James expected to miss time due to injury, L.A. is seeing what it would be like with Doncic solely in charge. Obviously, it is only two games, but this is the ceiling of the five-time All-Star.

Parity is a driving point in today’s NBA and multiple players have already dropped 40 or more points so far on the young season. Most of those have been in the Western Conference, so the Lakers need to be able to keep up and the Slovenian star seems eager to do so.

Lakers star Luka Doncic makes history with back-to-back 40-point games to open regular season​

When L.A. traded for Luka Doncic, general manager Rob Pelinka found his new star to lead the franchise for years to come. However, he missed extensive time with a calf injury last season so he was not in game shape when he made his Laker debut.

After an offseason in which Doncic transformed his body though, he looks like a completely new player, both physically and mentally. Dropping back to back 40-point performances is impressive and Doncic ended up making history with his scoring outputs to begin the season.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...ncic-will-lead-league-in-scoring-this-season/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Recap: Austin Reaves Has Career Night To Lead Shorthanded Lakers To Win Over Kings

After picking up their first win of the season against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Los Angeles Lakers hit the road for the first time this season to take on the Sacramento Kings on Sunday night.

Luka Doncic has gotten off to a historic start to the season, but the Lakers were unfortunately without him in this one as he will miss the next week due to a pair of injuries. The Lakers were already missing LeBron James due to injury and now with Doncic also on the shelf, they were severely shorthanded. That didn’t matter though as Austin Reaves had a career night to lead an impressive 127-120 victory.

L.A. was in need of a scoring punch and Rui Hachimura provided it with six early points. Deandre Ayton was also active early, and the Lakers locked in defensively. That allowed them to get out in transition and take a 36-27 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Former Lakers guard Russell Westbrook bought the Kings some much-needed energy to begin the second as they quickly cut their deficit to just two. As hot as the Lakers were offensively in the first quarter, they cooled off in the second while DeMar DeRozan heated up to give his team its first lead.

Reaves getting rest was a big reason for the Lakers’ offensive drought, and when he returned he immediately drained a triple and a floater. Reaves wound up scoring 21 points in the first half alone, but the Kings kept matching him so the game was tied at 62 going into the locker room.

Ayton, who had a strong first half, kept that up with back-to-back buckets to begin the third quarter.

The injuries kept piling up though as Gabe Vincent rolled his ankle and was forced to head back to the locker room. The Lakers were even more shorthanded from there as he was ruled out for the night, but the Kings couldn’t stop fouling Reaves, who was living at the free throw line.

Reaves was leading the way on both ends of the floor and the Lakers closed the third quarter strong to take a 95-90 lead into the fourth.

With Reaves on the bench, the Lakers offense struggled once again and the Kings flipped the script with an 11-2 run.

As was the case in the first half though, Reaves immediately went back to work offensively when he came back in the game. He was scoring from all areas of the floor and all of a sudden the Lakers had an 8-0 run of their own.

Down the stretch, Reaves and Ayton were finding some success in the two-man game and then Jake LaRavia buried a triple to extend the lead to double digits.

The Kings tried to make one final comeback and got within three going into the final minute, but Reaves some free throws to ice it.

Reaves was sensational on the night, finishing with a career-high 51 points to go along with 11 rebounds, nine assists and two steals.

What’s next for the Lakers​

The Lakers will now return home to host the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night in the second game of a back-to-back before heading back on the road for a rematch with the Timberwolves on Wednesday.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/recap-aust...to-lead-shorthanded-lakers-to-win-over-kings/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Austin Reaves Holding 51-Point Performance Over Luka Doncic’s Head

There are some who questioned whether the backcourt combination of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves is one that can work long-term, especially defensively. But one thing that is for sure is that the two Los Angeles Lakers guards enjoy playing together.

Reaves and Doncic have already established a great relationship both on and off the court and that was put on display following Reaves’ historic night in the Lakers’ win over the Sacramento Kings. Reaves scored a career-high 51 points in the win, something Doncic failed to do in the Lakers’ prior victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves as he missed a late free throw to finish with just 49.

And that was on Reaves’ mind as he went to the line on Sunday to ice the game as he revealed that he and Doncic do nothing but talk trash to each other, so he feels good being able to hold this 50-point night over the Lakers superstar, via Dan Woike of The Athletic:

“I ain’t gonna lie, I went to the free-throw line, I’m like, ‘[expletive], I better not miss,’” Reaves said. “I texted him [Sunday morning]. Me and him, the whole relationship is just talking trash back and forth. And towards the end of the conversation, he was like, ‘I need 60.’ And I was like ‘ha ha ha.’ And that was the end of the conversation. But I’m definitely holding that one over his head.”

Doncic is a natural trash talker and Reaves is never one to back down either, so it makes a lot of sense that the two regularly go back-and-forth with each other. The fact that Luka asked for 60 and Reaves gave him 50 is basically the reverse of Kobe Bryant’s final game when Shaquille O’Neal asked for 50 and he one-upped him with 60.

This relationship allows the duo to constantly push each other while still having fun. And Reaves will be sure to continually remind the superstar that he has a 50-point night with the Lakers, which Doncic still has yet to do so, at least for the time being.

Austin Reaves happy Lakers got the win in career performance​

While scoring a career-high 51 points while nearly dropping a triple-double is worth celebrating on its own, and Austin Reaves is happy to be able to rub that in Luka Doncic’s face, the most important thing for the Lakers guard is the fact that the performance came in a win as it wouldn’t have meant as much otherwise.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...-51-point-performance-over-luka-doncics-head/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Injury News: Gabe Vincent To Miss 2-4 Weeks With Ankle Sprain

Los Angeles Lakers guard Gabe Vincent drew rave reviews from people like head coach JJ Redick during training camp for his leadership on and off the floor, earning him a role in the rotation.

Vincent’s first year with the Lakers was ruined by a lingering knee injury, but he bounced back last season as a valuable contributor off the bench. Heading into the 2025-26 season, Redick praised Vincent as a player he trusts and someone that he expects to have a tangible impact on the team’s success.

Through three games, the guard looked much like the player Los Angeles saw last year but things quickly turned after he injured his ankle in the win against the Sacramento Kings.

Vincent was ruled out for the remainder of the game, and he is set to miss extended time with a sprained ankle, via Shams Charania and Dave McMenamin of ESPN:

Lakers guard Gabe Vincent is expected to miss 2 to 4 weeks after undergoing an MRI on his sprained left ankle, sources tell me and @mcten.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 28, 2025

The injury bug has hit the Lakers hard as they are already without LeBron James and Luka Doncic. Vincent was ruled out for the game against the Portland Trail Blazers along with Marcus Smart and Jaxson Hayes, who are also dealing with their own ailments.

Without Vincent, head coach JJ Redick will be forced to lean on the likes of Dalton Knecht, Bronny James and even two-way players like Nick Smith Jr. and Chris Manon. Smart should be back soon to help anchor the guard rotation, but Vincent’s presence will be sorely missed.

Although Vincent is undersized and can’t guard up a position, he remains a useful defender because of his understanding of rotations and help. Offensively, he’s primarily used as an outside shooter though he can also run the offense if needed.

Although the Lakers have a softer schedule on paper the next couple of weeks, treading water until Doncic and James got much harder now that Vincent joins them on the bench. Hopefully he’s able to come back sooner than later or else Los Angeles could find themselves behind the 8 ball when it comes to the standings.

Gabe Vincent is all-in on 2025-26 Lakers​

Gabe Vincent may not be a star player, but he’ll be heavily relied on to soak up minutes and play hard on both ends of the floor. The Lakers might not be considered a top-tier contender, but Vincent is still all-in on the current roster.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-injury-news-gabe-vincent-to-miss-2-4-weeks-with-ankle-sprain/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Dalton Knecht Feels Good & Finding Rhythm After Playing Big Minutes

With so many injuries throughout the roster, the Los Angeles Lakers had just 10 players in uniform for their game against the Portland Trail Blazers on the second night of a back-to-back. Three of those were two-way players leaving second-year guard Dalton Knecht as the only player off the Lakers’ bench who has gotten regular rotation minutes in the past.

Knecht has often shined when put into a larger role and he undoubtedly had his best game of the young season with 16 points off the bench, all coming in the second half. It wasn’t enough to help the Lakers get a victory as they fell to the Trail Blazers, but after the game Knecht said he felt good and is thankful for his teammates and coaches always having belief in him.

“I feel good. All my shots are right they’re just not falling,” Knecht said. “I’m a confident shooter and gonna keep shooting no matter what and all the guys got belief in me to go out there and keep shooting. So I gotta shout out my teammates for all that and the coaching staff.”

Knecht has never been shy and is always willing to put up shots when he feels he is open, which is a great quality to have. Though he did shoot just 2-of-8 from 3-point range, many of those shots were good looks. The Lakers guard also felt that making plays on the defensive end helped him get in more of a rhythm.

“For sure. Kind of got into a rhythm with that sequence and like I said, just being out there confident,” Knecht added. “That was our stint where we were getting stops and beating them up as well, so something just to build off of.”

There is no doubt Knecht can score at this level, but it’s the other parts of his game, particularly his defense, that must improve in order for him to be a regular contributor. So having two steals and a block against the Blazers was a good sign. Unfortunately, the Lakers didn’t have enough firepower to get the win, but Knecht wasn’t willing to use the Lakers injuries as an excuse.

“A little bit but also at the same time, we just gotta play Laker basketball at the end of the day,” Knecht responded when asked if things would’ve been different. “We did against Sacramento and we played great, but just fell short today. We’ll bounce back.”

It is good to see the Lakers embracing this mindset of no excuses regardless of who is suiting up as their opponents won’t have any mercy when they take the floor against them.

Lakers’ guard Gabe Vincent to miss 2-to-4 weeks with ankle sprain​

Because of these injuries, Dalton Knecht could find himself remaining in the Lakers’ rotation going forward. The latest of these concerns veteran guard Gabe Vincent, who will be out at least a couple of weeks due to a sprained ankle.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...ood-finding-rhythm-after-playing-big-minutes/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: JJ Redick Seeing Growth In Austin Reaves As Communicator & Leader

With both Luka Doncic and LeBron James injured, Austin Reaves has become the focal point of the Los Angeles Lakers’ offense. Head coach JJ Redick has put the ball in Reaves’ hands and the guard has responded averaging 46.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists while shooting 56.8% from the field and 50% from deep in the last two games.

But while the Lakers obviously miss the skills that Doncic and James provide on the court, those two are also the leaders of this team in terms of communication and replacing that is just as important. Thankfully, Reaves is also stepping up in that facet as well.

“Yeah, I have,” Redick said when asked if he’s noticed Reaves being more vocal. “Just a great example of it, but they challenged that call in the fourth on the block. I think it was [Jerami] Grant that blocked it on DK [Dalton Knecht]. We just had set up a pretty simple baseline out-of-bounds play. That call had gotten overturned with 1.3 on the clock and he’s coming out of the timeout [saying], ‘DK, work your way in under, I’ll throw the lob over the top.’

“It’s just it’s simple stuff like that that I’m seeing again and again. Whether it’s on defense or offense, he’s been great in the huddles. Yesterday, [it was] just as connected as our huddles have been, player to player, during timeouts. So yeah, I see it constantly.”

These are the things that aren’t spoken on nearly as much, but are so important in the growth of a player like Reaves. Stepping up with his play on the court is one thing, but being a vocal leader is a real next step for him and he is doing that as well.

The Lakers are fighting to stay afloat despite so many injuries this early in the season and Reaves is literally doing everything in his power to lead this team without its two superstars, and Redick is noticing. And these are the types of things that continue to endear Reaves to the Lakers organization and have him in line for a big payday next offseason.

Austin Reaves: Lakers played hard, but didn’t execute well enough to win​

The Lakers were unable to pick up a win on the second night of a back-to-back against the Portland Trail Blazers with their extremely shorthanded roster. While Austin Reaves feels the Lakers didn’t lack for effort, he thinks the team just didn’t execute well enough.

“Obviously, we didn’t play as good as we wanted to tonight, but like JJ said after the game, it’s tough with short rotations. We got seven guys, I think, was out. So, we played hard. We played hard enough to win. We just didn’t execute as good as we needed to.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...owth-in-austin-reaves-as-communicator-leader/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Injury Update: Adou Thiero Cleared For Live On-Court Contact Work

The Los Angeles Lakers announced rookie forward Adou Thiero has been cleared for live on-court contact work. The next progression in his recovery from a knee injury will be five-on-five activities. He will be integrated into Lakers team practice over the next week, including with the South Bay Lakers.

Thiero suffered the injury late in his final season at Arkansas and though he was able to return for the NCAA Tournament it was clear he was not 100 percent. Thiero underwent a procedure for his knee that forced him to miss Summer League and the start of training camp, so the medial staff is understandably slow playing his return.

So far, there have been no setbacks in the recovery process so it stands to reason that Thiero could be on the court playing games at some point next month.

Los Angeles is high on Thiero’s long-term potential as they traded up twice in the 2025 NBA Draft to select the forward. Thiero fell in the draft largely due to his shaky jumper, but he graded out as one of the best overall athletes in his draft class. The current roster doesn’t have many high-fly acts, but Thiero fits the mold as an athletic wing that can fly up and down the floor.

The Lakers could use Thiero’s services as the parent roster is incredibly banged up. LeBron James and Luka Doncic remain out due to sciatica and finger injuries, respectively, while Marcus Smart and Gabe Vincent are also missing. Jaxson Hayes was able to return against the Minnesota Timberwolves, but the Lakers have been forced to rely on younger players like Nick Smith Jr. and Bronny James to soak up minutes.

It would be unfair to ask too much of Thiero right away, but the Lakers simply need bodies to help them get through the early part of the season. They would also be valuable reps for the rookie, but for now the focus is on getting him 100 percent healthy.

Adou Thiero willing to play in the G League​

Adou Thiero represents real upside at the wing position as the current version of the Lakers doesn’t have anyone with his freak athleticism. Thiero’s shown flashes of being a credible defender as well, so he is a worthy prospect to have develop in the background.

Thiero’s going to have a tough road to earn NBA minutes, but he’s said he’s willing to play in the G League. Reps with the South Bay Lakers will go a long way in his development and hopefully pay dividends with the parent team at some point.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-injury-update-adou-thiero-cleared-for-live-on-court-contact-work/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Injury Report: Luka Doncic & Marcus Smart Questionable Vs. Grizzlies

The Los Angeles Lakers injury report lists Luka Doncic (left finger sprain, left leg contusion) and Marcus Smart (right quad contusion) as questionable for Friday night’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies.

LeBron James (right sciatica), Gabe Vincent (left ankle sprain), Maxi Kleber (abdominal muscle strain) and Adou Thiero (left knee surgery recovery) all remain out.

Doncic being upgraded to questionable is a sign he could return after missing the last three games due to multiple injuries. When Lakers head coach JJ Redick spoke about Doncic’s status before Wednesday’s game in Minnesota, he sounded confident that the superstar would be back in the lineup soon.

“With a contusion, it’s a day-to-day thing,” Redick said. “The swelling has gone down a little bit. His finger, it looks like he has 1½ fingers now, and not two. So he’s progressing. And we’re hopeful at some point in the next little bit, next couple games, we’ll have an opportunity to have him back in the lineup.”

Doncic was on a tear for the Lakers to start the season, albeit in a small sample. In his first two games, the 26-year-old averaged 46 points, 11.5 rebounds and 8.5 assists, so getting him back on the floor would be a huge boost.

Smart, meanwhile, has missed the last two games but has a chance of returning on Friday night against his former team. The Lakers have lacked ball-handlers and perimeter defenders with so many players out, so getting Smart and Doncic back would give Redick more depth to work with.

There is some extra motivation for Smart playing the Grizzlies, but it’s also the Lakers’ first group play game of the Emirates NBA Cup so there should be motivation all around to close their road trip with another victory.

LeBron James, Luka Doncic & more reactions to Austin Reaves game-winner​

Currently sitting at 3-2, the Lakers have managed to stay afloat despite LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Marcus Smart and others being out of the lineup. The main reason from that has been the play of Austin Reaves, who hit a game-winner to help the Lakers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night.

After Reaves’ latest incredible performance, a number of teammates and members of the Lakers and NBA family took to social media to give him a shoutout, including LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Jarred Vanderbilt, Pau Gasol, Magic Johnson, Alex Caruso, Josh Hart and others.

With Doncic potentially returning and James not far behind, the Lakers will have a three-headed monster that will be tough for any team to stop.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-injury-report-luka-doncic-marcus-smart-questionable-vs-grizzlies/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Rams’ Sean McVay Shares High Praise For JJ Redick

JJ Redick is in his sophomore season of coaching for the Los Angeles Lakers and he is looking to take a leap after a productive first year that ended with an unfortunate first-round exit.

Although general manager Rob Pelinka brought in three rotation players with Deandre Ayton, Jake LaRavia and Marcus Smart, Redick needs to find a way to fit the pieces together. There is less room for error this season due to the competition in the Western Conference, but L.A. possesses enough talent to stay above water until LeBron James comes back from injury.

As a competitor, Redick wants to be better and learn from his mistakes last year. With that, he consulted with Los Angeles Rams Super Bowl head coach Sean McVay to pick his brain in the offseason. McVay spoke about that meeting and came away impressed with the Lakers head coach, via FanDuel TV’s Run It Back:

“I think what’s cool about this platform is getting a chance to know people like you guys and other coaches and there’s a willingness to share because we’re not in the same competitive space. JJ’s a guy that he’s super smart, he’s interested. The best people that I’ve been around, they want to listen, learn and that allows you to be able to lead the best way possible. So I’m always looking to learn from guys. Getting with JJ Redick, I’m a T-Lue fan, gotten a relationship with Joe Mazulla and Steve Kerr and even Doc Rivers when he was here with the Clippers. But spending some time with JJ this offseason, his capacity for the game is so impressive. There’s a lot of things you guys talk about where I can understand it enough to be dangerous but then I’m like man, his capacity is so beyond. You can tell there’s an ownership, there’s a security to be able to let his players have a big input, and I think that’s such a big thing in this league, the amount of time you guys spend with one another, the amount of games and the importance of being able to improve and use the games to improve to find your identity as you go.”

When McVay was hired by the Rams, he was viewed as a bright young mind in the NFL with no previous head coaching experience. Fast forward, he is regarded as one of the top coaches in the league and Redick finds himself at a similar starting point.

Pressure in L.A. is always at an all-time high and he needs to produce results with Luka Doncic as the No. 1 option. Seeing how invested Redick is to improve is a positive sign, and now it needs to translates into wins for the Lakers.

JJ Redick lays out goals for 2025-26 season​

Rob Pelinka, in an unorthodox move, rewarded JJ Redick with a contract extension this offseason as a bode of confidence in him. In recent memory, the head coach position has been unstable and Redick looks to be that long term solution for L.A.

Heading into his second season with job security, the former 15-year NBA veteran laid out his goals, which features winning as much as possible and treating his employees right so they enjoy coming to work every day.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-news-rams-sean-mcvay-shares-high-praise-for-jj-redick/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Recap: Luka Doncic Returns & Leads Lakers Past Grizzlies To Kick Off Emirates NBA Cup

The Los Angeles Lakers were back in action on Friday night, closing out their road trip against the Memphis Grizzlies.

This was the first group play game of the Emirates NBA Cup, and the Lakers got some reinforcements back in the lineup with Luka Doncic and Marcus Smart both returning from injury. Ultimately, that made the difference as Doncic had his third straight 40-point game to begin the season, leading the Lakers to a 117-112 victory to kick off group play.

The Grizzlies got off to a quick 10-4 start before back-to-back buckets by Austin Reaves and Doncic settled the Lakers in. It didn’t take long for Doncic to find a rhythm as he had seven straight points to force a Memphis timeout.

Jaren Jackson Jr. was hot from deep with a pair of triples, which was needed with Doncic also on fire for L.A. When Luka went to the bench, Reaves picked up to scoring load to give the Lakers a 31-27 lead at the end of the first.

Jake LaRavia, Deandre Ayton and Smart all had and-ones early in the second quarter as the Grizzlies couldn’t stop fouling. The Lakers got careless with the ball from there though and Memphis ripped off a 14-4 run to regain the lead.

After a timeout, the Lakers continued to struggle and all of a sudden they faced a double-digit deficit at 65-50 before Smart hit a 3 to end the drought. Overall, it was a rough end to the second quarter for L.A. and the Grizzlies took a 69-55 lead into the halftime locker room.

Jaxson Hayes started the second half in place of Ayton with the latter dealing with some sort of injury that kept him out until the fourth quarter.

Meanwhile, the Lakers came out hot to start the third quarter with Doncic, Reaves and Rui Hachimura all hitting triples. Doncic was cooking from there, scoring from everywhere on the court to give his team the lead again.

As was the case to end the second quarter, the Lakers went cold and the Grizzlies jumped back in front, although Dalton Knecht beat the buzzer to ensure the deficit was just two at 91-89.

Reaves and the Lakers came out hot to begin the fourth quarter with there being yet another lead change. They were able to maintain that lead until Doncic returned, and he picked up here he left off with a layup to make it 102-97.

It was all Doncic to close it out as he continued to score with ease, extending the lead to double digits and then cruising to the victory.

With point differential being the tiebreaker in the NBA Cup, the Lakers fought hard until the end to come away with the 5-point win.

What’s next for the Lakers…​

The Lakers will now return home and host the Miami Heat on Sunday night in the first night of a back-to-back before heading back on the road to take on the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/recap-luka...-past-grizzlies-to-kick-off-emirates-nba-cup/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Marcus Smart Believes Luka Doncic Can Average 40 Points This Season

Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic has been on a tear to start the season, scoring at least 40 points in each of his first three games, joining Wilt Chamberlain as the only players in NBA history to do so.

Doncic missed three games due to a left finger sprain and lower left leg contusion that he suffered against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Oct. 24. Thankfully, it was not serious, and the superstar was back in the lineup on Friday night against the Grizzlies.

To no surprise, Doncic picked up right where he left on with another 40-point performance against the Grizzlies in a 117-112 win for the Lakers.

In three games, the 26-year-old has averaged 45.3 points, and Marcus Smart that he is enjoying watching what he teammate is about to do on the floor.

“Fanstasticness (laughs),” Smart said when asked to describe Doncic’s latest performance. “But it’s been great to watch. First game, he does what he does and then he gets injured. Then he comes back from injury and does it again. That just shows who he is, the will he has to put on a show every night and he’s real good at it. It’s been fun for me to watch.”

No player has ever averaged 40 points through a full season, but Smart believes someone will eventually break that threshold due to the number of scorers in today’s game.

“Yeah, if you get the opportunity,” the former Defensive Player of the Year said. “All you need is opportunity. What people don’t understand is there’s a lot of great scorers, there’s a lot of people that can do a lot of things out here but they don’t have the opportunity as other people, they get put in a box or get put in a responsibility to do these things that the team only wants them to do and no matter what they do, they can’t break out of it. So unfortunately you gotta play the game within the game. But yeah, there’s definitely players in this league, a lot more on any given night, that can do what Luka is doing. But to see him do it the way he’s doing it consistently, that’s incredible.”

With Doncic currently averaging 45.3 points, 11.7 rebounds and 7.7 assists on 58.4% from the field and 35.1% from 3-point range, Smart believes his teammates can maintain that production this year.

“For sure. For sure,” he said when asked if Doncic can average 40. “I don’t see why not. He has a lot of help on the wings for him and guys that are coming in and guys that are roaming. We do a good job trying to make his job easier so he can do those things and help this team win.”

While it is great to see their new star put up otherworldly numbers, L.A. needs to monitor his workload and make sure he does not flame out come playoff time. But, his body transformation may allow Doncic to sustain this production for a full 82-game season, which will certainly be fun to watch.

Austin Reaves happy to get Luka Doncic back in Lakers lineup​

Despite the Lakers getting hampered with injuries to begin this season, they have been able to manage and are now getting guys back.

Austin Reaves picked up a lot of the slack in Lukq Doncic’s absence, he he was obviously happy to get his co-star back in the lineup on Friday night.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...uka-doncic-can-average-40-points-this-season/