RSS Lakers Team Notes

[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.

Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!

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.

Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!

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.

Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!

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.

Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!

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.

Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!

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

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Luka Doncic Joins Wilt Chamberlain As Only NBA Players With Three 40-Point Games To Begin Season

Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic finished with 44 points in Friday night’s win over the Memphis Grizzlies, marking his third straight 40-point game to open the season. He became the second player in NBA history to start a season with 40+ points in each of his first three games, joining Wilt Chamberlain (twice).

Doncic began the season on a heater, scoring 43 points on Opening Night against the Golden State Warriors and following it up with 49 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was then hobbled by a pair of injuries, however, which forced him to miss the next three games.

He looked like he didn’t skip a beat in his return against the Grizzlies though, finishing with a game-high 44 points, 12 rebounds and six assists on 14-of-27 shooting in 39 minutes of action.

When discussed how he felt in his first game back and joining Chamberlain in the record books, Doncic was just happy to get the victory.

“I feel great. But obviously if we get a win, I feel even better,” he said. “So that’s the whole point, trying to help the team to win. Sometimes that means less scoring, sometimes other things. We just gotta see what the defense is gonna give us every game, every team is gonna play different against us. Just try to figure out how to win the game.”

When asked if averaging 40 points per game is a legit possibility, Doncic wasn’t so sure.

“That’s gonna be tough,” he admitted. “But like I said, sometimes they’re gonna double me more, sometimes I won’t be able to score that much… But that’s tough, I don’t know.”

There obviously are still a ton of games to be played, but with the way Doncic has looked so far, it is hard to completely rule out him putting up 40 points a night.

Luka Doncic reveals motivation behind offseason body transformation​

Luka Doncic made it a point to get in the best shape of his career this past offseason, completely transforming his body to prepare for his first full season with the Lakers. In a recent interview with his former teammate Dirk Nowitzki, Doncic revealed the motivation behind that transformation.

“It kind of started in that Finals run. I felt like I was missing a little bit. Obviously last season was hard for me, a lot of things going on. I’m 26 years old and I got a long ways ahead of me. So it just kind of started there.”

Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!

Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...rs-with-three-40-point-games-to-begin-season/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Owner Mark Walter ‘Not Done Yet’ After Back-To-Back World Series With Dodgers

Mark Walter has turned the Los Angeles Dodgers into a juggernaut as they have now won back-to-back World Series’. Since Walter took over, L.A. has won three titles under his watch and perhaps more are on the horizon.

However, the Dodgers are not the only team that Walter wants to win as he is now the majority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers. Now that Luka Doncic is the franchise’s new face, he needs to put the purple and gold back in position to compete for championships.

So far, Doncic is averaging 45 points through four games and looks motivated to win in the City of Angels. Walter is taking note that he needs to re-establish those winning tendencies with the Lakers.

After hoisting up his third World Series trophy, Walter let the world know he is not done yet, via Fox Sports:

“I’m not done yet,” he said.

THE CHAMPS RAISE THEIR TROPHY!

#WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/Od66Gzym3D

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) November 2, 2025

Hearing that is reassuring for Lakers fans and players as everyone just wants an invested owner committed to winning. The purple and gold went through a decade-long drought before LeBron James brought a title to the city in 2020 and are starving for another one.

Having Walter brings a new set of eyes lets him and his group evaluate what changes are needed to compete at the highest level, which will benefit the Lakers greatly.

Notably, when Walter took over the Dodgers, changes were not immediate. He took a couple of years before hiring new faces and that could very likely be what happens with the Lakers. Although, championship windows close quickly in the NBA and with Doncic at the helm, the Lakers need to take advantage of this generational talent.

Magic Johnson loves Jeanie Buss continuing to run Lakers after sale to Mark Walter​

The Buss family, led by Dr. Jerry Buss and most recently his daughter Jeanie, did outstanding work as owners of the Lakers before they decided to sell.

But, there is no better person to sell the Lakers to than Mark Walter, who truly cares about team success. Magic Johnson owns a minority stake in the Dodgers, so he knows Walter and what he brings to the table.

Despite selling the majority stake to Walter, Jeanie is expected to still remain a prominent voice in decision-making, which Johnson loves given his relationships with both parties.

Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!

Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-own...after-back-to-back-world-series-with-dodgers/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Recap: Lakers Take Care Of Business Against Heat To Earn Third Straight Win

After picking up back-to-back big wins on the road, the Los Angeles Lakers looked to keep in rolling on Sunday night when they returned home and hosted the Miami Heat.

The Lakers and Heat have been two of the surprise teams to start the season, but it was L.A. that kept it going with a 130-120 victory to improve to 6-2 on the season.

Deandre Ayton was a late scratch due to back spasms, but the Lakers still came out of the gates hot as they jumped out to an 8-0 lead after five straight points from Rui Hachimura and then three from Luka Doncic.

Doncic then went to work as a playmaker, finding Jaxson Hayes for a pair of easy buckets and then a ridiculous pass to Hachimura for a triple to grow the lead to double digits.

Hayes was doing a nice job making up for the absence of Ayton early as he hit a rare triple and then finished an alley-oop from Austin Reaves. Even Bronny James was contributing as he caught a lob from Reaves as well and the Lakers took a 43-36 lead into the second quarter.

After not playing any defense in the first, the Heat locked in at the start of the second and began chipping away at their deficit. The could only hold Doncic down for so long though as he ripped off seven straight points to give L.A. its biggest lead at 18 before heading into the halftime locker room with a 77-63 advantage.

The Lakers came out flat to begin the third quarter and weren’t playing any defense, immediately allowing the Heat to climb back in the game. Doncic tried to get his team going offensively but they were struggling from outside, resulting in their lead being cut to 102-98 at the end of the third quarter.

Los Angeles native Jaime Jaquez Jr. was doing everything for the Heat and that continued with a putback dunk to begin the fourth.

JJ Redick was called at angry timeout at that point, and it was much-needed as the Lakers responded with a 10-3 run to get their lead back up to seven.

Reaves then hit a circus shot and hit Jake LaRavia for an easy bucket. LaRavia had a really strong game and after a tip-in, the Lakers’ lead was back to double digits. They had no issues closing it out in the final minutes, picking up a third straight win.

What’s next for the Lakers…​

The Lakers will not have much time to recover physically from this one as they will now hop on a plane and take on the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday in the second night of a back-to-back.

Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!

Source: https://lakersnation.com/recap-lakers-take-care-of-business-against-heat-to-earn-third-straight-win/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Injury Report: Luka Doncic & Austin Reaves Ruled Out Vs. Trail Blazers

For the second straight Monday, the Los Angeles Lakers will face the Portland Trail Blazers on the second night of a back-to-back and this time they will be even more shorthanded than the first. The Lakers have ruled both Luka Doncic (lower left leg contusion injury management) and Austin Reaves (right groin soreness) out for their road contest in Portland.

This will be the fourth missed game of the year for Doncic, who came back from this leg contusion as well as a finger issue to drop 44 points in his first game back. That was followed by his first triple-double of the year in Sunday’s victory over the Miami Heat.

In Doncic’s absence it has been Reaves who stepped up in a major way with a 51- and 41-point outing, not to mention a buzzer-beating floater. But now, the Lakers will have to make due without both of their outstanding backcourt players, as well as LeBron James, who has yet to debut this season while dealing with right sciatica.

Adou Thiero (left knee surgery recovery) and Gabe Vincent (left ankle sprain) also remain out, but the Lakers could have some frontcourt reinforcements. Deandre Ayton is listed as questionable with the back spasms that kept him out of Sunday night’s win while Maxi Kleber is also questionable with an abdominal muscle strain.

With nearly their entire backcourt rotation out the Lakers will be heavily reliant on veteran Marcus Smart, who was solid on Sunday, as well as Jake LaRavia, who has been excellent throughout the Lakers’ three-game win streak. An even bigger role for Bronny James, who played 18 minutes in Sunday’s win, should also be expected as the second-year guard continues to find his path early on in his career and Dalton Knecht should also see heavy minutes as the Lakers will be in great need of his offensive firepower.

It will take an entire team effort for the Lakers to take down this Blazers team who has carried over their strong play from the end of last season into this year with veteran guard Jrue Holiday and talented forward Deni Avdija leading the way.

Lakers’ Austin Reaves believes Bronny James will continue to grow with more minutes​

Even more minutes will be coming Bronny James’ way Monday night against the Trail Blazers after a promising performance on Sunday. Austin Reaves praised him for his play and believes he will continue to get better with more opportunity for important minutes like that.

“I thought he was good. I thought he played really good minutes,” Reaves said of Bronny. “He was good defensively, did the right things offensively. The more he continues to get those minutes, the better he’ll be. We needed the minutes that he gave us tonight. Looking forward to him continuing to do that.”

Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!

Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-injury-report-luka-doncic-austin-reaves-ruled-out-vs-trail-blazers/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Highlights: Deandre Ayton, Rui Hachimura & Nick Smith Jr. Lead Impressive Win Over Trail Blazers

The Los Angeles Lakers have been rolling the past week, winning their previous three games heading into a rematch against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night.

The Lakers lost to the Trail Blazers last week, though they were largely shorthanded. The second matchup between the two teams offered a similar situation as Los Angeles ruled out Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves after the two stars played heavy minutes the night prior against the Miami Heat.

Historically, the Lakers have struggled to score when all of their stars are out but this new group was competitive throughout the entire evening against the young Blazers. While Portland looked in control in the first half, Los Angeles hung around until midway through the third quarter where they took the lead.

It was a tightly-contested game from that point forward, but by pure effort and grit the Lakers managed to beat the Trail Blazers 123-115 to extend their win streak to four games.

Nick Smith Jr., a former first-round pick, signed with Los Angeles this offseason on a two-way contract in an effort to rebuild his value. Smith was known as an electric scoring guard, though his time with the Charlotte Hornets was cut shorter than expected due to his poor performance.

However, with Los Angeles in desperate need of guard play head coach JJ Redick threw Smith in the deep end against Portland and he delivered with a hot-shooting display. The Blazers were intent on generating pressure on the ball, so Smith used that to his advantage by scoring early and often when he had the basketball in his hands.

Smith caught fire from deep late in the game, particularly in the fourth quarter when he drained a couple of clutch 3-pointers to seal the win. Smith finished the game with 25 points on in just 27 minutes of action. He also had six assists, one rebound and two steals.

Playing against the team that bought him out seemed to bring the best out of Deandre Ayton who wound up leading L.A. in scoring with 29 points. Ayton was a force in the painted on both ends and managed to carry the scoring load with the Lakers’ stars out.

Rui Hachimura was right behind Ayton in the scoring column, hitting jumpers throughout the evening to keep Los Angeles ahead. He finished the night with 28 points on 10-of-15 shooting.

What’s next for the Lakers​

The Lakers will return home to play the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday before heading back out on a five-game road trip.

Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!

Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-hig...th-jr-lead-impressive-win-over-trail-blazers/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Injury Report: Luka Doncic Available, Austin Reaves Questionable Vs. Spurs

The Los Angeles Lakers are listing Luka Doncic (lower left leg contusion injury management) as available, Austin Reaves (right groin soreness) as questionable and Jaxson Hayes (right ankle sprain) as probable for Wednesday night’s game against the San Antonio Spurs.

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

Both Doncic and Reaves missed the Lakers’ game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday, which was the second night of a back-to-back. With so many key guys out, the Lakers needed other players to step up and that’s exactly what they did to earn their fourth straight victory.

Doncic recently missed three games with the lower leg contusion, so the team was being cautious with him on Monday after playing on Sunday. He is good to go against the Spurs though, barring some sort of setback on the day of the game.

Reaves suffered his groin injury early in Sunday’s win over the Miami Heat and was able to finish out the game. Similar to Doncic though, the team was cautious and sat Reaves out on Monday to avoid the groin issue becoming a long-term injury. Reaves always wants to be on the court with his teammates, but if he is not feeling 100% then the organization will likely continue to be cautious and sit him out against the Spurs.

Meanwhile, Hayes looks like he should be able to play despite suffered an ankle sprain against the Trail Blazers, which is a good sign.

JJ Redick excited about what this Lakers team can be​

Despite all of the key players that have been in and out of the lineup, the Lakers have managed to start the season 6-2 and have now won four straight. Everyone is playing hard and contributing on a nightly basis, leaving head coach JJ Redick excited about what this team can accomplish as they continue to get healthy and build some chemistry.

“Yeah, that’s what I mean by the connectivity. We’ve got a good group,” Redick said after the win over the Trail Blazers. “I’m excited about this group and what we could potentially be. I’m excited about the group, and his teammates loved it. The bench was awesome tonight, our huddles were awesome. Just again, expecting that we’re going to win. I thought our guys had that all night.”

Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!

Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-inj...vailable-austin-reaves-questionable-vs-spurs/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Shaquille O’Neal Reveals When He Knew Beef With Kobe Bryant Was Over

The issues between Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant during their time together on the Los Angeles Lakers are well known and have been overly discussed at this point. While the two formed arguably the greatest duo in NBA history and won three straight NBA Championships from 2000-2002, Kobe and Shaq also clashed both publicly and behind closed doors.

The foundation of their issues stemmed from Bryant’s obsessive work ethic and putting every ounce of energy into being the absolute best. Meanwhile, O’Neal was known to be far more lax during the offseason and using the regular season to get into peak shape. Things escalated and eventually the Lakers traded Shaq to the Miami Heat in 2004 and while things continued to simmer for some time, the beef ultimately died out.

As for the moment in which O’Neal knew it was really over, that came during the 2009 NBA All-Star Game when he and Bryant were named co-MVPs and the Lakers icon chose to give his trophy to Shaq’s son Shareef, via The Big Podcast with Shaq:

This is when Shaq knew the beef with Kobe had to be over

pic.twitter.com/25ruBRNaEX

— The Big Podcast (@bigpodwithshaq) October 17, 2025

For as much as Kobe is known as an obsessive competitor who cared about only basketball, things like this remind everyone that he was a very genuine person. Despite whatever issues he and Shaq might’ve had, the Lakers legend still considered young Shareef to be family and wanted to gift O’Neal’s son with something special. And when someone does something like that for your child, there is no way any sort of beef can continue.

That 2009 All-Star Game in Phoenix was a memorable one for many reasons. Not only was it Shaq’s 15th and final All-Star appearance, he also made a memorable entrance with the Jabbawockeez dance group, showing off his moves. Bryant would score a game-high 27 points while O’Neal, a member of the Suns, finished with 17 points in leading the West to a 146-119 win and those co-MVP honors.

Shaquille O’Neal calls for Lakers center Deandre Ayton to step up​

Shaquille O’Neal is well-known for expecting a lot out of his fellow centers who he feels is capable and for continuing to root for the Lakers. With L.A. signing Deandre Ayton this offseason, a former No. 1 overall pick, expectations were pretty high as he fills a major need for the Lakers and, after a bit of a lackluster Opening Night, Shaq called out Ayton to step it up.

Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!

Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...-when-he-knew-beef-with-kobe-bryant-was-over/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Celebrating Dodgers World Series Win With Mookie Betts & Other Players Attending Game Vs. Spurs

The city of Los Angeles was able to celebrate a major sports championship for the second consecutive year as the Los Angeles Dodgers won their second consecutive World Series in an absolutely epic seven-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays. Of course, the Dodgers and Los Angeles Lakers have long been linked together and now, even more so as Dodgers owner Mark Walter is now officially the owner of the Lakers as well.

Magic Johnson is also a minority owner of the Dodgers and many current and former Lakers players commented and congratulated the Dodgers following their come from behind victory in Game 7. The Dodgers had their championship parade on Monday, but they aren’t done celebrating just yet as the Lakers plan to honor them as well.

According to Dan Woike of The Athletic, the Lakers plan will celebrate the Dodgers’ World Series Championship during Wednesday night’s game against the Spurs with Mookie Betts and Will Smith among the many players expected to be in attendance:

The Lakers plan on celebrating the Dodgers’ World Series championship tonight at their game with the Spurs. Mookie Betts, Will Smith, Tyler Glasnow, Teoscar Hernandez, Blake Snell and Evan Phillips are all expected to be there.

— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) November 5, 2025

Taking on the Spurs and phenom Victor Wembanyama in town was already enough to make this game must-see, but now the atmosphere inside the Crypto.com Arena will be even greater with the back-to-back World Series Champion Dodgers in the building.

Any time stars from other L.A. teams attend a Lakers game everything seems to amplify. Many will remember LeBron James getting some extra motivation when Los Angeles Rams star Aaron Donald was courtside a few years ago as seeing other exceptional athletes cheering you on seems to make some even more motivated to put on a show.

The Lakers have championship dreams as well and having the Dodgers in the building, while facing off with another team looking to establish themselves as contenders in the West, should make this an outstanding game.

Lakers coach JJ Redick talks Dodgers winning World Series and his love for baseball​

Lakers head coach JJ Redick had a very good NBA career and made his name as one of the best shooters of his generation. But basketball actually wasn’t the first sport he played growing up as he actually played baseball. And Redick recently discussed the Dodgers winning their second straight World Series and how much he loves the game of baseball.

Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!

Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-cel...-betts-other-players-attending-game-vs-spurs/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: LeBron James Cleared For Contact, Will Be Re-Evaluated In 1-2 Weeks

The Los Angeles Lakers announced that LeBron James has progressed to contact basketball activity and will be re-evaluated by team physicians in approximately 1-2 weeks.

The Lakers have been rolling to start the 2025-26 season, and the team can be even better once James makes his way back to the floor.

James has been out since the start of the season due to sciatica, but the word is that he is scheduled to return at some point in mid-November.

With the Lakers managing to thrive without James, the team has no reason to rush him back until he’s 100 percent healthy.

James’ rehab has reportedly been going well and the next step in his process is to participate in live 5-on-5 action, via Shams Charania of ESPN:

“LeBron James has been working out individually and I’m told the next step for him is 5-on-5 live play. And he will not be be traveling on the Lakers’ upcoming five-game, week-long road trip that starts in Atlanta this weekend. So it’s unclear whether he’s going to be able to get that live action while the team is on the road. Potentially doing it with the G League South Bay team or do the Lakers and LeBron wait for the team to get back on Nov. 16th and then the live play process can begin then. I was told today that Lakers’ personnel are still operating under the belief LeBron James’ debut will be around mid-November, but this is unchartered territory. He turns 41 next month, he’s in his 23rd record NBA season and that’s why Rob Pelinka’s three signings this offseason –Jake LaRavia, Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart– have been so important paying dividends with the depth without one of the best players of all time in LeBron James.”

It’s normal practice for teams to want to see players in live action before clearing them to return, so it will be interesting to see how the Lakers handle James.

The upcoming road trip complicates the timing of things, but if Los Angeles continues to win games then it can afford to wait as long as needed. Getting and keeping James healthy throughout the regular season is of the utmost importance, so his rehab will be worth monitoring over the next few weeks.

Stephen Curry praises LeBron James’ work ethic​

While LeBron James may have started the year on the sidelines, there’s no denying how much work he puts in yearly to ensure he’s in peak basketball shape. Stephen Curry understands what it takes to be great and recently praised James’ work ethic after playing with him in the Olympics last summer.

Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!

Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-news-lebron-james-cleared-contract-re-evaluated-weeks/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Luka Doncic Enjoying Playing With Lakers Roster

The Los Angeles Lakers are off to an incredible and surprising start to the 2025-26 season. They are 7-2 and have won five consecutive games, something that’s already impressive when looking at the quality of teams they’ve played. But it’s even more astounding when accounting for LeBron James missing all nine games, Luka Doncic missing four and Austin Reaves missing two.

Doncic has been stellar in his five games played so far this year, averaging a ridiculous 40.0 points, 11.8 rebounds, 9.2 assists and 2.0 steals per game. He looks like the perennial MVP candidate that the Lakers knew they were getting when they traded for him from the Dallas Mavericks last season.

The Lakers superstar spoke about how he’s been playing so far this season and how the team continues to prevail despite being shorthanded.

“Honestly the feeling is that I’m enjoying it very much playing with these guys,” Doncic said. “Like you said, you know AR [Austin Reaves] can play, we’re still missing Bron [LeBron James]. This team has big potential. Everybody steps on the court and gives maximum effort, so it’s very enjoyable to play.”

There is certainly a different vibe around the Lakers than there has been in years past. Of course, acquiring a 26-year-old superstar just entering his prime is going to hit a massive reset button on a franchise, but it’s great to see how quickly that shift has happened.

And when the Lakers do return to full strength with James, Reaves and Doncic, it’s possible things only get better from there. And with Luka still having three full seasons — at least — under contract in L.A., things are definitely looking up for the purple and gold.

Lakers’ LeBron James cleared for contact​

The Lakers announced that LeBron has progressed to contact basketball activity and will be re-evaluated by team physicians in approximately 1-2 weeks.

The Lakers have been rolling to start the 2025-26 season, and the team has the potential to be even better once James makes his way back to the floor.

James has been out since the start of the season due to sciatica, but the word is that he is scheduled to return at some point in mid-November. With the Lakers managing to thrive without James, the team has no reason to rush him back until he’s 100 percent healthy.

James’ rehab has reportedly been going well and the next step in his process is to participate in live 5-on-5 action.

Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!

Source: https://lakersnation.com/luka-doncic-enjoying-playing-with-lakers-roster/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: JJ Redick ‘Not Surprised’ By Strong Play Of Jake LaRavia

When the Los Angeles Lakers signed Jake LaRavia in free agency, the move wasn’t widely discussed given his relative anonymity to the common NBA fan.

LaRavia split the 2024-25 season between the Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings, but ultimately signed with the Lakers in free agency when the latter decided not to keep him.

So far, LaRavia has rewarded Los Angeles with strong two-way play and a versatile skillset that complements the stars well.

Head coach JJ Redick had high praise for LaRavia and called him someone that can impact the game whether he’s scoring or not. Before Wednesday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs, Redick revealed that LaRavia was his first call at the start of free agency so he isn’t shocked by how well the wing has played.

“I’m not surprised. There’s a reason why he was the first person I called in free agency,” Redick said. “I felt like he could do a lot of things at a high level and so many times in this league we have the superstar and then we have the specialist. A lot of roster construction works that way. And frankly, there’s not a ton of guys that don’t fall into one of those two archetypes, whether you’re a rim-running, rim-protecting big, you’re a 3-and-D guy, you’re a movement shooter, you’re an on-ball defender. There’s all these archetypes, there’s not a lot of archetypes for the guy that can do a little bit of everything well.

“That’s why, I’m not comparing him to Josh (Hart), but Josh for New York has been that for a number of years where he just does a lot of stuff every single night. Sometimes Jake can impact a game without scoring in double figures. There’s not a lot of guys in the league like that, so we were really excited to get him. I think the growth area for him is just continuing to evolve as a higher-volume shooter with efficiency. He obviously shot over 42% from 3 last year on lower volume, but he’s a guy that I think can be, when we’re fully healthy, and 25 or 30-minute a night guy and he’s going to get a lot of open looks in addition to all of the other stuff he’s gonna get. But he’s gonna get a lot of open looks as a whole so just continuing to evolve as an efficient high volume 3-point shooter, and that’s not gonna take away from all the other stuff he does.”

LaRavia broke out offensively in a win against the Minnesota Timberwolve and Redick challenged him to use it as a reference point, but that isn’t the only way LaRavia can help the team win games. His combination of passing, spacing and defensive IQ make him a valuable part of the Lakers and it’ll be fun to see how he grows his game the rest of the way.

Jake LaRavia showing everyone who he is after viral Anthony Edwards moment​

Anthony Edwards went viral for wondering who Jake LaRavia was when the Lakers last saw the Timberwolves, but the forward took it in stride and admitted he thought it was funny.

Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!

Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-news-jj-redick-not-surprised-by-strong-play-of-jake-laravia/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Injury Report: Austin Reaves Out, Maxi Kleber Questionable Vs. Hawks

The Los Angeles Lakers are listing guard Austin Reaves (right groin strain) as out for the team’s contest against the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night while Maxi Kleber (abdominal muscle strain) has been upgraded to questionable.

Reaves has missed the Lakers’ last two games with this issue, but the team has been victorious in both contests.

The injury is believed to be a minor one, but one that the Lakers want to be cautious with especially so early on in the season. In fact, prior to the Lakers’ game against the San Antonio Spurs, head coach JJ Redick made it clear that the team wants to be safe and not risk aggravating the injury further.

“That’s a TBD,” Redick said when asked when he expects Reaves to return. “He’s got some soreness in that right groin and he wanted to get a workout in with Beau (Levesque) after shootaround to kind of test it. We’re not gonna test it in shootaround so felt like it was the right decision both from him and performance to hold him out tonight. A further injury on that is hard. I’ve had them, I had that surgery. So we’re just trying to be safe with him, and hopefully [he returns] Saturday. But we’re not gonna put him at risk.”

The injury comes as Reaves was enjoying the best run of his young career, playing at an All-Star level to begin the season. So far in seven games played, Reaves is averaging 31.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 9.3 assists while shooting 48.9% from the field and 90.3% from the free throw line on more than 10 attempts per game while helping the Lakers stay afloat while dealing with injuries to superstars Luka Doncic and LeBron James.

Meanwhile, Kleber has a chance to make his season debut after missing the first nine games with an abdominal injury. If he is able to play, he could provide the Lakers with another frontcourt option that can stretch the floor.

Aside from Reaves and Kleber, the rest of the injury report remained the same for the Lakers with LeBron James (right sciatica), Adou Thiero (left knee surgery recovery) and Gabe Vincent (left ankle sprain) all remaining out.

The Lakers have won five straight contests and will look to keep that streak going as they kick off a five-game road trip in Atlanta against a Hawks team that is without star point guard Trae Young due to a sprained MCL.

Lakers coach JJ Redick not surprised by strong play of Jake LaRavia​

Head coach JJ Redick has had to turn to a number of different players to step up as the Lakers have had to deal with so many injuries so far this season. Arguably the most consistent of those has been Jake LaRavia and while many have been surprised at how good he has been this season, Redick is not one of them.

Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!

Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-injury-report-austin-reaves-out-maxi-kleber-questionable-vs-hawks/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Luka Doncic Believes Rui Hachimura Is Having Underrated Season For Lakers

An unsung hero for the Los Angeles Lakers so far this season has been Rui Hachimura, who has been a steady source of offense while holding his own defensively.

To Hachimura’s credit, his shot attempts have fluctuated depending on who is in the lineup. If Luka Doncic and/or Austin Reaves are on the floor, they are taking a majority of the team’s shots.

But the starting forward stays shot-ready as a 3-point shooter and he is shooting an impressive 47.2% from distance on four attempts per game. After the team’s most recent win to improve to 7-2 on the season, Doncic showed love to Hachimura for his play so far.

“He told me I didn’t pass him the ball today. So, I got to do that more, I see,” Doncic joked. “No, jokes aside, I think he’s been amazing. Just staying ready in the moment. And he’s a great guy, too. That kind of people you want to have on your team. The start he’s having, it’s very underrated and we need him to keep going.”

In Wednesday’s win against the San Antonio Spurs, three players had more shot attempts than the former Gonzaga Bulldog. So Hachimura was not a focal point of the Lakers’ offense, but he made a crucial 3-pointer late to pull L.A. to within two points in the fourth quarter.

That’s in addition to making two clutch free throws and even guarding Victor Wembanyama in crunch time. Being in the final year of his contract, if Hachimura can sustain double-figure scoring, along with a 40% shooting percentage from downtown, it will be hard to replace his production.

Obviously, he has flaws defensively and rebounding, but Hachimura’s offensive production continues to improve every year. Role players are vital for championship teams and frankly, Hachimura is making himself a key piece of this team’s future if he can keep this up.

JJ Redick believes Rui Hachimura made ‘two biggest plays’ against Spurs​

The beginning of this season has not gone to plan for the Lakers with several key players missing time due to injuries. But despite all of that, the Lakers have found a couple of different ways to win.

Against the Spurs, L.A.’s four-game winning streak was genuinely at stake, but an impressive two-way performance in the fourth quarter pushed it to five straight. From head coach JJ Redick’s perspective, Rui Hachimura made the two biggest plays against San Antonio and he also credited the forward for his play this season.

Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!

Source: https://lakersnation.com/luka-doncic-believes-rui-hachimura-is-having-underrated-season-for-lakers/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Recap: Lakers Begin Road Trip With Poor Effort Against Shorthanded Hawks

The Los Angeles Lakers looked to keep things rolling as they began a five-game road trip against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night.

The Lakers were going for their sixth straight win but again had to do so shorthanded with LeBron James, Austin Reaves and others out of the lineup. The Hawks were also without key pieces in the second night of a back-to-back, but that didn’t matter as they were the more aggressive team and came away with a 122-102 victory as a result to drop the Lakers to 7-3 on the season. It was the first road loss of the season for JJ Redick’s team.

Atlanta jumped out to a 6-2 lead before Rui Hachimura ripped off five straight points to give L.A. its first lead. From there though, the Hawks ripped off an 8-0 run. Luka Doncic ended it with a triple, but he found himself in early foul trouble and the Lakers needed a timeout.

It was clear early on that the Lakers would not be able to coast as Atlanta was making everything. It didn’t help that L.A. was providing very little resistant defensively, and as a result the Hawks led 37-29 at the end of the first.

Turnovers were as issue as the Lakers couldn’t take care of the ball and the Hawks turned it into easy buckets to stretch their lead to 15.

Doncic and Jake LaRavia were doing what they could to chip away, but the Lakers kept turning the ball over and couldn’t get any stops so they went into the halftime locker room trailing 68-54.

It appeared that the Lakers had picked up their energy to begin the third as they began it on a 7-2 run. That was short-lived, however, as the Hawks continued to create turnovers and knock down open shots to respond with a 13-2 run to take a 20-point lead.

Mouhamed Gueye had a career night for Atlanta, making plays for his team on both ends of the floor. When the Hawks punched the Lakers in the mouth in the third quarter, they had no response as the deficit just kept growing all the way to 99-72 going into the fourth.

With the Lakers showing no signs of making a comeback and it being the first of a long five-game road trip, Redick pulled the plug early and rested his starters in the fourth. Doncic wound up playing just 27 minutes and finished with 22 points, all of which were scored in the first half.

What’s next for the Lakers…​

The Lakers will have a chance to bounce back when they continue their road trip on Monday night against the Charlotte Hornets and then on Wednesday against the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!

Source: https://lakersnation.com/recap-lakers-begin-road-trip-with-poor-effort-against-shorthanded-hawks/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Deandre Ayton Admits Lakers Underestimated Hawks Due To Injuries

The Los Angeles Lakers were rolling to start the season, but they took a step backwards on Saturday night when they were blown out by the Atlanta Hawks to begin their five-game road trip.

It was the Lakers’ first road loss of the season so there’s no reason to be overly concerned, although the way they lost was definitely disappointing.

The Hawks were playing in the second night of a back-to-back so were without most of their key players, including Trae Young, Jalen Johnson, Kristaps Porzingis and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. They were the most aggressive team from the jump though and pulled away in the second half for the easy victory.

After the loss, Lakers center Deandre Ayton gave credit to the Hawks and admitted they may have underestimated them, as seen on Spectrum SportsNet:

“Really probably leaving those guys underestimated and not keeping those guys accountable, forgetting about them. This is the NBA and those are NBA players. They deceived us a little with their shotmaking. Seeing the scouting report and the clips they’ve had from their previous games, that film was not showing what was out there. That’s how it is in the NBA, it’s one of those nights where you really need to lock in and dial in and I feel like we were just behind the ball a little bit and they killed us in transition and they played amazing defense. We weren’t ready for it and JJ really got on us about being ready for the next game.”

The Lakers had a similar game recently where they were without most of their key players in the second of a back-to-back but went on the road and beat a tough Portland Trail Blazers team. Because of that, Ayton feels the Lakers should have been more ready for this one:

“Yeah. That’s why it’s kind of like a hard pill to swallow, for real. We know what we’re coming up against and seeing how they played, they played phenomenal, but us not even competing in a sense. It looks bad on paper and looks bad on film. This is one of those games where the food is gonna taste bad tonight. But this is the NBA, we got 82 games. Next game up.”

As far as what went wrong, Ayton pointed to the the defensive end of the floor:

“It just wasn’t connected at all, discombobulated a little bit with how fast it was moving. Those guys were hungry, next man up mentality and it really showed up. Their coach should be really happy with those guys over there, they really moved the ball well, I think they had plus 30 assists as well and they had us moving. They were in our paint and we couldn’t do nothing about it.”

This was the start of a tough five-game road trip for the Lakers so hopefully they use it as fuel and bounce back when they take the floor against the Charlotte Hornets on Monday.

JJ Redick was man of few words after Lakers loss to Hawks​

Lakers head coach JJ Redick didn’t have much to say after the loss to the Hawks as he was understandably disappointed with his team’s play.

Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!

Source: https://lakersnation.com/deandre-ayton-admits-lakers-underestimated-hawks-due-to-injuries/