RSS Lakers Team Notes

[Los Angeles Lakers]

JJ Redick Didn’t Have Much To Say After Lakers ‘Disappointing’ Loss To Hawks

The Los Angeles Lakers had momentum going into their road trip, riding a five-game winning streak prior to their matchup against the Atlanta Hawks.

While the Lakers have had their own fair share of injuries to begin the 2025-26 season, the Hawks came into the night decimated as they were missing several of their key players including Trae Young and Jalen Johnson. Atlanta was also playing on the second night of a back-to-back, making it look like an easier matchup on paper for Los Angeles.

However, the Lakers wound up playing arguably their worst game of the season and were blown out by the shorthanded Hawks. Los Angeles lost to Atlanta 122-102, often looking listless and disengaged on both ends of the floor.

Head coach JJ Redick didn’t mince words when it came to his team’s performance, via Spectrum SportsNet:

“Yeah, just not a lot to like tonight.”

When asked whether or not this loss was more attributed to L.A. or Atlanta, Redick credited the home team for competing the right way:

“They brought the requisite level of effort and urgency and physicality.”

Redick also stewed when asked about how upsetting it was to kick off the road trip with such poor effort:

“Yeah, very disappointing.”

Lastly, Redick said he knew that Los Angeles was going to be in for a long night almost as soon as the game started:

“I realized that in the first two minutes of the game.”

Redick didn’t have much to say and for good reason as the loss could be simply summed up as the Lakers not competing or giving enough effort. It’s easy to overlook an injury-riddled team playing on a back-to-back, but there’s still no excuse for Los Angeles to lose as poorly as they did.

It’s the first true dud of the season for the Lakers, but Redick has every reason to be upset with the showing to begin the road trip. The Western Conference is as competitive as ever, so losing winnable games could come back to bite L.A. down the stretch.

Hopefully, this was a wake up call and the Lakers go back to playing their brand of basketball on Monday against the Charlotte Hornets.

JJ Redick calls Marcus Smart the quarterback of the Lakers defense​

The Lakers defense against the Hawks was softer than usual, though it wasn’t for a lack of effort from Marcus Smart. Smart has endeared himself to the team and coaching staff for his two-way intensity and JJ Redick called him the quarterback of their defense.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/jj-redick-...kers-disappointing-performance-against-hawks/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: LeBron James Congratulates Keenan Allen On Breaking Chargers Franchise Reception Record

The Los Angeles sports scene is buzzing right now as all of the teams seam to be having success. The Los Angeles Lakers are off to their best start since 2019 at 7-3 despite LeBron James having yet to suit up.

That comes on the heels of the L.A. Dodgers winning their second straight World Series, becoming the first team to repeat in MLB since 2000. Then in the NFL world, the L.A. Rams are tied for the best record in the NFC at 7-2 while the L.A. Chargers are having a great season in their own right at 7-3.

Through the first half of the NFL season, both the Rams and Chargers are looking like legit Super Bowl contenders with their quarterbacks Matthew Stafford and Justin Herbert leading the way.

Both of those teams picked up victories in Week 10, including the Chargers defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers at SoFi Stadium on Sunday Night Football.

There was a special moment in that game as late in the fourth quarter, Keenan Allen caught his second pass of the night. That gave him 956 receptions in 12 seasons with the Chargers, passing Hall of Fame tight end Antonio Gates for the most receptions in franchise history.

That is an outstanding accomplishment for Allen, and Lakers star LeBron James was among those that took to social media to congratulate him:

CONGRATULATIONS @Keenan13Allen on the record bro!!

— LeBron James (@KingJames) November 10, 2025

James knows a thing or two about breaking records in his sport, so it’s cool to see him recognize this accomplishment for a fellow L.A. athlete. Similar to LeBron, Allen began his career with the Chargers before leaving and then eventually returning, which has to make this milestone even sweeter for him and the organization.

With both Los Angeles NFL teams playing so great, there’s no doubt that James will be at SoFi Stadium to root them on throughout the season.

Stephen Curry praises Lakers star LeBron James’ work ethic​

Lakers star LeBron James has earned the respect of his peers over the years, and that includes long-time rival Stephen Curry. The two finally teamed up in the Olympics last year and Curry came away impressed with James’ work ethic after getting to see it up close.

“I think we’re gonna hype each other up a lot, but walking into the locker room last year during the Olympic journey, we hadn’t played with each other. I had just heard about the work ethic and the sheer volume of time and how he takes care of his body, but when you see somebody on that level, couldn’t beat him to the gym in the morning. It was like there was an energy of we all know this is the stuff that makes you who you are on the court, that’s going to prepare you for the moments when the lights are bright. I don’t even think we talked about it, it was just an unspoken thing, like this is what you do. I learned that early in the process, to know to not take that for granted so that you can be your best self. There’s no accident when it comes to being who you are, no matter how you learn it or how you get there.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...breaking-chargers-franchise-reception-record/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Recap: Austin Reaves Returns To Lineup As Lakers Bounce Back Against Hornets

The Los Angeles Lakers had a disappointing start to their road trip as they were blown out by the severely shorthanded Atlanta Hawks to snap a five-game winning streak.

They had a chance to bounce back on Monday night, taking on another shorthanded team in the Charlotte Hornets. This time, the Lakers were more locked and were able to come away with a 121-111 victory to improve to 8-3 on the season.

Austin Reaves, who missed the last three games with a groin injury, returning to action in this one and kicked things off with an alley-oop to Deandre Ayton. Luka Doncic then threw a lob to Ayton of his own, followed by back-to-back three-point plays by the superstar to give the Lakers an early lead.

Miles Bridges was on fire for the Hornets early as no defense was being played by either team. Doncic was matching them, but Charlotte simply couldn’t miss in the first quarter as they took a 40-36 lead into the second. Bridges was 6-for-6 from the field for 16 points while Doncic had 13 of his own.

Reaves and Marcus Smart both connected from deep to begin the second quarter, helping the Lakers regain the lead.

At some point the Hornets were gonna need to cool down, but that didn’t really happen in the first half as they continued to pour it on. Doncic and Reaves were both doing their part to carry the Lakers as the former hit a deep triple and the latter beat the buzzer with a layup to give his team a 65-63 halftime lead.

Charlotte finally cooled down to begin the third quarter while the Lakers stayed red-hot offensively. Rui Hachimura led the way in that regard, having a stretch of 13 points including three triples in a row.

Doncic continued to do his thing, including a rare dunk, and the Lakers led 96-78 after a dominant third quarter. After giving up 40 points in the first quarter, L.A. gave up just 15 in the third.

The Lakers getting Reaves back really helped their offense as he hit another 3 to begin the fourth. The Hornets began chipping away though and L.A. needed a timeout midway through the fourth with the lead down to 10.

Doncic quickly restored order with a bucket though, and then Smart hit a triple to essentially put the game out of reach. The Hornets kept fighting until the final whistle, but their deficit was too much to overcome.

In his return to action, Reaves picked up where he left off with 24 points, five rebounds, seven assists and two steals while Doncic led the way with 38 points, six rebounds and seven assists.

What’s next for the Lakers…​

The Lakers’ road trip continues with their biggest test to date on Wednesday night when they take on the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/recap-aust...lineup-as-lakers-bounce-back-against-hornets/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Marcus Smart Leading Way For Lakers On Defensive End

Another outstanding Luka Doncic performance and the return of Austin Reaves will get all of the headlines in the Los Angeles Lakers’ victory over the Charlotte Hornets. But the player who really set the tone and was the spark to turn things around after a questionable start was veteran guard Marcus Smart.

After giving up 40 points in the first quarter, the Lakers locked in defensively and allowed just 38 total in the second and third combined as they would pull away for a 10-point win. And it was Smart who led the charge on that end as he totaled seven steals on the night, one off his career-high, to go along with 13 points and six assists.

The energy and focus on the defensive end is why the Lakers signed Smart this offseason and he has brought exactly what is needed to this team. And after the win, he spoke about how doing those little things on the defensive end aren’t always noticed but are essential to winning in this league, via Spectrum SportsNet:

“It’s part of it, just trying to make an impact any way you can, use my instincts to the best of my ability. Getting the steals or not getting the steals, putting myself in the position to be able to help my team. Whether that’s communicating, whether it’s guarding certain guys and things like that. Unfortunately, we’re in a league where things like that go a lot of times unnoticed, or it’s not as loud as scoring 40 [points] or stuff like that. But it takes those types of things to win games and to win championships.”

Smart has been crucial to the Lakers’ strong start to the season because of that mindset. But he also knows that the Lakers have to do a better job starting these games as they will continue to get the opposition’s best shot:

“Just trying to be aggressive. I came out in the second quarter and I picked up full and got steals that kind of led into the rest of what we saw tonight. We started off slow, we gotta expect that though. We gotta expect teams are gonna give us their best shot, especially early. We gotta do a better job of sustaining those runs and not letting it get out of control like we did tonight and when we were in Atlanta.”

The stars have to lead the way, but it is the performance of the role players that will determine whether the Lakers can be true championship contenders. Smart has been giving the Lakers exactly what they hoped and he will continue to set the tone on that end for this squad.

JJ Redick calls Marcus Smart the quarterback of the Lakers’ defense​

What Marcus Smart brings to this Lakers team is not lost on head coach JJ Redick as he called the veteran guard the quarterback of this team’s defense, a role which he feels LeBron James held last season.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/marcus-smart-leading-way-for-lakers-on-defensive-end/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Injury News: LeBron James To Practice With South Bay This Week

The Los Angeles Lakers have managed to hold down the fort without LeBron James, setting up the superstar to ease back into action once he’s cleared.

James has been sidelined with a sciatic nerve issue that sprang up during an offseason workout, but his rehab has remained on schedule. The initial prognosis was that he’d miss four to six weeks and that a mid-November return was likely, and so far there’s reason to believe that the timeline will hold up.

It was reported recently that James would need to register live five-on-five action before being cleared to return, but the Lakers are currently on a five-game road trip. James did not travel with the team, so the earliest he could return would be next week.

In order to meet his return-to-play criteria, James is set to practice with the South Bay Lakers at some point this week, via Khobi Price of the Southern California News Group:

Lakers star LeBron James is expected to practice with the organization’s G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, as he progresses to make his season debut.

Coach JJ Redick misspoke when he said ahead of Monday’s road game against the Charlotte Hornets that James, who’s been sidelined to start the season because of sciatica, was going to practice with South Bay on Monday.

A source clarified to the Southern California News Group that the current plan is for James to practice with South Bay sometime this week, while the parent team is away from Southern California as part of an ongoing five-game trip that started with Saturday’s loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

Logging a practice with South Bay would satisfy the live action requirement, so it seems like James could return on Nov. 18 at home against the Utah Jazz if everything goes well. However, if the Lakers feel like LeBron needs more time to ramp up then a return a few days later on Nov. 23 against the Jazz could make sense.

There’s no reason to rush James back given how well Los Angeles has looked without him, though there’s zero doubt that he would be a huge addition to the team on both ends of the floor. Offensively, this could finally be the season where LeBron can act as more of a finisher than an initiator with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves around to handle the basketball. Defensively, James is a bigger body that should help with defensive rebounding and rotations.

Los Angeles should feel proud that they were able to manage without James, but they’re going to be far better off with him back in the lineup. It’s hard to qualify exactly how much James means to the Lakers’ success, so it’s going to be exciting to see him playing again once he’s cleared.

LeBron James reveals which teams and players he’ll be watching on NBA League Pass​

LeBron James is using his off time to take in the rest of the NBA and he revealed which teams and players he’ll have his eye on on NBA League Pass.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-injury-news-lebron-james-to-practice-with-south-bay-this-week/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Rumors: LeBron James Looked & Felt ‘Great’ In First Practice With South Bay

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James hasn’t yet been able to take the floor this season due to a sciatica issue on his right side.

Considering James is entering his unprecedented 23rd season, the organization is being cautious and making sure the 40-year-old is 100% healthy before playing.

With the Lakers currently on a five-game road trip, LeBron is practicing with the South Bay Lakers of the G League this week to get in some live action for the first time. And according to Shams Charania of ESPN, James came out of his first practice feeling good:

“LeBron James was assigned to the Lakers’ NBA G League affiliate South Bay and he went through his first practice of this NBA season and most critically, his first 5-on-5 action of the season as he works toward a debut from sciatica on the right side. Sources told me this afternoon that LeBron James looked great, felt great as he went through that practice. He moved well and he didn’t show signs of any issues as he’s worked through this nerve issue on his right side. My understanding right now is that LeBron James is motivated and eager to get back out on the court, potentially here mid-to-late this month as the Lakers move forward here evaluating him day by day. It’s gonna be about how he feels tonight, how he feels tomorrow, responding to the intensity of his first 5-on-5, his first few practices. Would expect him to get more under his belt before he makes his debut, of course, but this now starts the process of LeBron James making a return and debut for his historic 23rd NBA season.”

James still has a lot of hurdles to cross before playing in an NBA game, but him coming out of his first practice feeling good is obviously a great sign. He will likely practice with the Lakers’ parent team when they return home from the road trip and then could potentially make his season debut as soon as Nov. 18 against the Utah Jazz, which would be right in line with the original timeline when he was ruled out.

Luka Doncic excited for LeBron James to return​

The Lakers are off to a great start this season and they have done so despite superstar LeBron James not yet suiting up due to his sciatica issue.

LeBron’s season debut is expected to come soon though, especially now that he came out of his first practice looking food, and Luka Doncic expressed how excited he is to get James back in the lineup.

“We can’t wait. All of us can’t wait. It’s Bron, so it’s always good to have him back. Hopefully soon,” Doncic recently said.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-rum...-felt-great-in-first-practice-with-south-bay/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Luka Doncic ‘Focused On Lakers’ When Asked About Potential Mavericks Return After Nico Harrison Firing

The Dallas Mavericks made headlines this week when they fired general manager Nico Harrison, who was responsible for trading superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers last February.

The trade never made sense from the Mavericks’ perspective, and their fans were openly angry to the point where owner Patrick Dumont had to fire Harrison. Dallas fans were chanting “Fire Nico” at every home game.

After the trade, Harrison and the Mavericks leaked some reports about Doncic and his poor conditioning being the reason they decided to trade him. Luka has remained classy throughout a difficult situation for him though and that was again the case after Wednesday night’s loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder when he was asked about Harrison’s firing, via Spectrum SportsNet:

“Look, I mean, the city of Dallas, fans, players, they’re all have a special place in my heart. I thought I was gonna stay there forever. But I didn’t. So they’ll always be a special place for me, always I can call it home. But right now, I’m focused on the Lakers, trying to move on. But obviously, always gonna be part of me in there. Just trying to move on and focus on what we’re doing.”

Doncic was then asked if he can see himself returning to the Mavericks sometime down the road but maintained that his focus is on his current team:

“Right now I’m just focused on the Lakers. No further comments.”

Luka has made it clear that he loved his time in Dallas and never had any visions of leaving during his career. At this point though, he has moved on and is focused on competing for championships with the Lakers, who he signed a contract extension with this past summer.

NBA stars change teams all the time so it’s definitely possible that Doncic ends up back in Dallas one day. The 26-year-old is under contract in L.A. for three more seasons at the very least though, so that’s not a conversation even worth entertaining right now, especially considering Mavericks ownership also trashed him on his way out and they are still in place.

Mavericks owner apologized to fan in Luka Doncic Lakers jersey​

At a recent Mavericks game, owner Patrick Dumont was approached by a young fan wearing a Luka Doncic Lakers jersey. In that conversation, Dumont apologized for trading Doncic and then proceeded to part ways with Nico Harrison the following morning.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/luka-donci...-return-mavericks-after-nico-harrison-firing/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Luka Doncic Continues To Stress Need For Lakers To Play With More Physicality

The Los Angeles Lakers were simply bullied by the Oklahoma City Thunder in a blowout loss on Wednesday night. Luka Doncic had his first human performance of the season, finishing with 19 points on 7-of-20 from the field, turning the ball over four times with seven assists and seven rebounds.

The Lakers and Thunder were even in rebounding, but the Oklahoma City ran away with some of the other major hustle stats. They won the turnover battle, 20-11, scoring 26 points off of L.A.’s miscues. They also outscored the Lakers 48-30 in the paint, an area L.A. should excel in given the elite penetration of lead guards Doncic and Austin Reaves.

Physicality, in turn, became the focus of Luka’s postgame discussion following the massive loss to the reigning champions, via Spectrum SportsNet:

“Like we said in the locker room, we’ve got to bounce back. We need to get ready for the New Orleans game. They don’t have a great record, but they’re a physical team. We just need to start more physical. When we don’t start physical, it’s tough on us. So just need to bring the energy and physicality.”

He doubled down on energy and physicality, saying that it’s especially important to start games:

“I think, like I said before, two things. Being physical and energy. We got to start the game better. I feel like when we start the game sloppy it’s not going to be a great game. So we need to start with those two things, and move it to the New Orleans game.”

Doncic further elaborated on why setting the tone at the start of games and maintaining it throughout is so important:

“I think so. When you start physical, in any games, we do a pretty good job at playing 48 minutes. When you start sloppy, then it’s not our game. I think we need to start, like I said, physical and with more energy.”

The Lakers are still 8-4 through 12 games, a great spot to be in even with a massive loss. But losing to the Thunder in this way shows that they may still be relatively far off from being a top-tier championship contender. And for Doncic, energy and physicality may be the first steps to help make up that gap.

Luka Doncic holds himself accountable for loss​

The Lakers were at the wrong end of a massive blowout against the Thunder on Wednesday night. They lost 121-92 in a game that the Thunder had control of from the very opening tip. They led by 32 at halftime and by 36 after three quarters, while Luka Doncic struggled mightily against OKC’s elite defensive attack.

Doncic was outdueled by Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — 30 points on 10-of-18 shooting with nine assists — in what was one of L.A.’s first real tests of the season against a Western Conference contender.

This game could be a signal as to how far away the Lakers still are from being championship contenders. And Doncic bore the responsibility for the way things transpired in the massive loss.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/luka-donci...eed-for-lakers-to-play-with-more-physicality/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Austin Reaves Has Blunt Assessment Of Lakers’ Loss To Thunder

Austin Reaves and the Los Angeles Lakers got off to a strong start to the season, although they took a big step back on Wednesday night when they were blown out by the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

Reaves had his worst game, finishing with 13 points, five rebounds and three assists on 4-of-12 shooting in 30 minutes as the Thunder’s defense made it tough for both him and Luka Doncic.

After the wire-to-wire loss, Reaves discussed where he felt things started to go wrong, via Spectrum SportsNet:

“Bad… I think early in the second quarter I think they went on a 10-0 run or something and we just couldn’t get a shot to fall. We were messing up the switches on the other end and JJ said it this morning, once you give this team a little sliver of whatever, they can just run away with the game and that’s what they did. And that’s why they’re the champions. We’ll watch film and get better from it.”

Reaves is always one to take accountability when he doesn’t play well, and he did that after this one:

“I think it starts with I didn’t play very well. We as a team didn’t play very well. I think you go around the room and everybody would kind of agree with that. So I think if we don’t play well against a team like that, you’re not gonna give yourselves a chance to win. You have to be clicking on all cylinders, locked in to every detail. When you don’t play well, you’re not gonna beat them.”

The Thunder are the defending champs for a reason and look primed to repeat, getting off to a 12-1 start this season. Reaves wants the Lakers to use this blowout loss as motivation to get to Oklahoma City’s level:

“Just use it as motivation. They did what they wanted to do and just to be blunt, they beat the shit out of us tonight. There’s a lot of basketball to be played, we feel as if we can get to that level. Just tonight, we weren’t anywhere close to that. But we do feel like we have the pieces to get there, we just gotta continue to every day try to take a step forward.”

The Lakers are 8-4 on the season which is a good spot to be, especially considering how many injuries they’ve dealt with. The goal for this organization is always to compete for championships though and Reaves knows there’s more work to be done to get there.

Austin Reaves discusses contract situation with Lakers​

Austin Reaves is due for a big payday this summer if he can keep up his level of play to start the season. Despite that though, he made it clear that he wants to stay with the Lakers and will not try to get every dollar possible in free agency.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/austin-reaves-has-blunt-assessment-of-lakers-loss-to-thunder/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

JJ Redick Compares Marcus Smart Joining Lakers To When He Signed With Clippers

The Los Angeles Lakers signed Marcus Smart this past offseason to bring the team some veteran leadership as well as an outstanding perimeter defender, which this roster sorely needed. And to this point, Smart has been everything the team could have asked for.

Smart is averaging 9.9 points, 3.2 assists and 2.2 steals so far this season and his impact is obvious. Smart has set the tone in numerous games this year with his energy and ability to create havoc on the court, but many questioned whether he still could play at his previous level after a couple of rough seasons since being traded away by the Boston Celtics.

But Lakers coach JJ Redick believes his struggles coincided with Smart being on winning and relevant teams, something he can relate to as a former player. And Redick believes that desire for Smart is now being fulfilled by being on the Lakers and the results show it, which is similar to one point in his own playing career, via Josue Pavon of Clutch Points:

“It was a similar conversation I had with Doc Rivers when I was pitching to join the Clippers. I told Doc I needed to be a part of a winning team. I needed to be a part of a relevant team — that’s really important to me. For Marcus, starting his career in Boston, being in the NBA Finals, and being on a bunch of playoff teams that made these runs, he craves that as well.

“We’ve discussed it early, it’s been discussed since; that environment creates an opportunity for him to use his voice, which is another thing we talked about in free agency. Another thing we’ve talked about since is how he can help on the leadership side,” Redick concluded.

Smart confirmed Redick’s thoughts as well, saying he has plenty left in the tank and is able to show that he can still make an impact on a winning team:

“I got a lot left in the tank, just wanted him to know that I had that,” Smart tells ClutchPoints. “Unfortunately, I’ve just been on teams that kind of got lost in the sauce—teams tanking, team not on TV, smaller markets. So, for me, it’s getting back to making an impact on a winning team.”

There are certain players throughout the league that just do certain things which really stand out on competitive teams with championship aspirations. It doesn’t always show up in the boxscore, but it greatly impacts winning and those things can often go overlooked on bad teams.

Smart is one of those players and being in the bright lights of L.A. on the NBA’s premier franchise has allowed for him to remind many across the league that he is still an important piece on a roster.

Marcus Smart leading the way for Lakers on the defensive end​

As a former Defensive Player of the Year it should be expected that Marcus Smart’s primary role for the Lakers is on that end of the floor. And Smart takes pride in setting the tone for the Lakers on defense.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/jj-redick-compares-marcus-smart-joining-lakers-to-when-he-joined-clippers/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Recap: Lakers Take Care Of Business Against Pelicans To Improve To 2-0 In Emirates NBA Cup

The Los Angeles Lakers were back in action on Friday night, continuing their road trip against the New Orleans Pelicans in their second group play game of the Emirates NBA Cup.

The Lakers were looking to move to 2-0 in the NBA Cup, and they were able to do exactly that with a 118-104 victory to also improve their overall record to 9-4. With two group play games remaining, the Lakers are in the driver’s seat to move on to the knockout round.

Coming off his worst game of the season, Austin Reaves kicked off the scoring in this one with a corner triple, followed by five straight points by Marcus Smart. Reaves then went into playmaking mode, finding both Deandre Ayton and Smart in transition to give the Lakers an early 16-11 lead.

New Orleans took a timeout to try to stop L.A.’s momentum but it failed to do that as Luka Doncic and Reaves continued the run, which got up to 15-0 before a bucket by Trey Murphy. While the Lakers led by as many as 15, the Pelicans closed the quarter strong to cut their deficit to 35-25.

The Pelicans’ momentum continued with an 8-2 spurt to begin the second quarter to get back in the game. With the Lakers’ lead down to just two, Doncic returned to the game and hit a deep triple to restore order.

With Doncic getting to the free throw line at will and Ayton going to work on the offensive glass, the Lakers closed the half strong to take a 65-52 lead into the locker room.

The Lakers kept applying pressure in the third quarter, locking in on defense which allowed them to get out in transition. With everyone getting involved offensively, including a rare 3-pointer by Jarred Vanderbilt, the Lakers built their lead up to 22. Again though, the Pelicans closed the quarter strong to get back within 18 at 95-77.

New Orleans didn’t quit from there as a 12-0 run got them back within 10 and forced an L.A. timeout.

Reaves got to the free throw line to end the run and with the Lakers’ bench struggled, JJ Redick went back to his starters. Order was restored from there as back-to-back buckets by Reaves and Rui Hachimura got the lead back to 15.

The Pelicans kept hanging around but never really threatened the Lakers, who coasted to the victory.

What’s next for the Lakers…​

The Lakers won’t be able to get much rest after this one as they will now travel to take on the Milwaukee Bucks in the second night of a back-to-back to close out their road trip on Saturday.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/recap-lake...licans-to-improve-to-2-0-in-emirates-nba-cup/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

JJ Redick Pleased Lakers Got Off To Good Start Against Pelicans

Before this five-game road trip, the Los Angeles Lakers were 4-0 away from Crypto.com Arena. Head coach JJ Redick had his team playing well, which generated good vibes as they embarked on their first long trip.

However, L.A. faced adversity immediately by getting outplayed by an undermanned Atlanta Hawks team, later followed up by an embarrassing effort against the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder. So Redick needed to search for answers to salvage these final two games against the New Orleans Pelicans and the Milwaukee Bucks.

With the New Orleans game being on the first end of a back-to-back, the Lakers needed to handle business in order to possibly rest their starters before taking on Milwaukee. Despite having to play key players in the fourth quarter though, Redick is pleased by the fact that they got off to a good start for the first time this trip, via Khobi Price of the Southern California News Group:

Not important. I think for us, the fact that we got off to a good start for the first time on this trip, that group set the tone to start both halves. We’re able to finish the game… the game got a little choppy there with some of the just the physicality on both sides. But proud of our group. And again, much better defensive game for us. I thought the 28 assists were huge. Austin and Luka getting 19 of those. I don’t know the exact potential assist numbers, but I know it was high. So there’s a lot to be pleased with. And I thought DA’s performance was awesome as well.”

After being on the road for a week, it is easy for teams to lose focus and let the rope slip a bit. Especially after putting up two duds, Redick did a nice job recalibrating his group to handle a struggling Pelicans squad.

Obviously, blowing out New Orleans would have helped but simply getting a bounce-back win is all that matters. With the Bucks waiting, L.A. needs to finish this trip out strong with a 3-2 record.

Redick’s team struggled last year away from home and potentially securing an above .500 record on their first trip can be a momentum boost. Regardless, there are plenty of lessons to be learned and he will ensure the Lakers are better moving forward because of it.

Timberwolves’ Chris Finch takes jab at JJ Redick​

When JJ Redick landed his first coaching job with the Lakers, there were plenty of skeptics regarding his ability to become a successful NBA coach given his lack of experience. But so far, the results have been promising and he has shown positive leadership qualities.

With Redick’s lack of experience though is gonna come some jokes, and Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch recently took a jab at Redick’s media background, suggesting his podcast qualified him to be the Lakers coach.

Finch was an assistant coach when Redick was a player on the Pelicans, so the jab was likely just a playful one and not meant to be taken too seriously.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/jj-redick-pleased-lakers-got-off-to-good-start-against-pelicans/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Recap: Luka Doncic & Lakers End Road Trip With Impressive Win Over Bucks

After beating the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night, the Los Angeles Lakers were back in action against the Milwaukee Bucks in the second night of a back-to-back on Saturday.

The Lakers were looking to close their road trip on a high note after going 2-2 in their first four games and despite missing some key players. They were able to do exactly that, building a big lead early and cruising to a 119-95 victory to improve to 10-4.

Austin Reaves came out aggressive with five early points, and then Luka Doncic threw a lob to Deandre Ayton. From there, Doncic took over offensively with 10 straight points to give the Lakers a 17-8 lead.

The Bucks were ice cold early and the Lakers took advantage with Doncic then finding Jaxson Hayes for an alley-oop. Gary Trent Jr. eventually got going, but he was the only one for Milwaukee as L.A. led 30-18 at the end of the first quarter.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored the first eight points of the quarter for the Bucks, but Reaves and Ayton did a nice job of answering on the other end to keep the lead at double digits with Doncic on the bench.

Milwaukee again went ice cold midway through the second while L.A. continued to pour it on. Hayes had a thunderous dunk in transition and then Dalton Knecht got in on the action with an open triple.

It was still all Lakers to close the half as they were having a lot of fun out there. Reaves found Ayton for two more lobs while Doncic was making everything to take a 65-34 lead into the halftime locker room.

The Lakers needed to avoid a letdown to begin the third quarter but unfortunately the Bucks ripped off a quick 10-0 run, forcing JJ Redick to call a timeout.

AJ Green was hot from 3 and all of a sudden the Lakers’ lead was down to 16, being nearly cut in half in the first four minutes of the second half.

L.A. had a quick response with a 6-0 spurt led by Ayton and then a pair of 3s by Reaves, but Antetokounmpo was getting whatever he wanted inside and Milwaukee kept chipping away.

Doncic hit two massive triples and then a buzzer-beater to end the third, so the Lakers managed to take a 92-72 lead into the fourth despite a really poor quarter overall.

Similar to the start of the third quarter, the Lakers weren’t interested in stepping on their opponents throats as the Bucks began the fourth on a 9-2 run to force a timeout.

Reaves had a nice response out of the timeout with back-to-back 3-pointers, and then he hit a third one for good measure as the Lakers finally put the game on ice.

To put the cherry on top, Lakers rookie Adou Thiero had a thunderous dunk in garbage time for the first bucket of his NBA career.

As usual, it was Doncic and Reaves that led the way for the Lakers in the victory. Doncic had a game-high 41 points with nine rebounds and six assists while Reaves had 25 points, six rebounds and eight assists.

What’s next for the Lakers…​

The Lakers’ first long road trip of the season has come to an end and now they will return home to host the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night before getting four days off.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/recap-luka-doncic-lakers-end-road-trip-with-impressive-win-over-bucks/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

JJ Redick Quotes Jay-Z After Lakers Win Over Bucks

The Los Angeles Lakers are coming off a roller coaster of a road trip as they started off 1-2 with disappointing blowout losses to the Atlanta Hawks and Oklahoma City Thunder. They were able to bounce back and finish strong though, beating the New Orleans Pelicans and Milwaukee Bucks on back-to-back nights.

The Bucks win, in particular, was an impressive one as the Lakers were exhausted and shorthanded at the end of their trip but found enough energy to blow out Giannis Antetokounmpo and his squad.

Lakers head coach JJ Redick has tried to stay even-keeled through the ups and downs of the season, and he channeled the famous rapper Jay-Z to stress that to his team and give them and his staff praise for their performance in Milwaukee, via Spectrum SportsNet:

“I reference a lot, Hard Knock Life Volume 2, a classic Jay-Z album. There’s a song on there called ‘A Week Ago,’ and one of the lines, the main line, is ‘It was all good just a week ago.’ I told the team yesterday, a week ago from yesterday we were practicing in Atlanta, we were 7-2, we were feeling good about ourselves, and then you don’t play well for three games, a week in this league. This is the NBA and you gotta find moments to recapture what makes you a good basketball team and I think over the last 24 hours, we’ve done that. I think want to say a couple things about the game overall, I want to give a lot of credit to my staff. Sometimes with these turnarounds, the prep with the players becomes difficult. We met at 40 on the clock. We got in at 3 a.m. last night so we didn’t wanna overwhelm them when they were zombies at 12 p.m. so we met at 40 on the clock and I thought Coach Ty, Scotty, Greg, Drew Seifert, all of these guys that worked on the scout did a really good job of creating clarity for our team and we were able to go out and execute that, which is a credit to our guys.”

The Lakers have been able to compete regardless of who is in and out of lineup so far this season, which Redick believes will benefit them in the long run:

“It’s a confidence boost for the group. I think for certain players who, when we’re fully healthy may not play a ton of minutes or may not even be part of the rotation, it gives them a reference point. I think Nick Smith knows that we believe in him as a player. We’re calling isos for him against the Portland Trail Blazers, who have great wing defenders. So I think it’s great for the group. With the possibility of us getting healthy, that certainly makes us excited. But then like I told you guys in training camp, we had 24 starting lineups last year. The soft tissues injuries, all that stuff, it’s just part of the NBA whether we’ve had an illness run through the team, we’ve had a number of guys that have played through it and a number of guys that haven’t been able to play through it. So those things are just gonna happen throughout an NBA season. But togetherness with the group and the intent of the group every night outside of a couple games has been really good.”

Redick may be praising his players and coaching staff, but he also deserves a ton of credit for the Lakers’ 10-4 start. There is admittedly a lot of season left to go, but Redick has his team bought in and playing hard on a nightly basis so far.

Deandre Ayton excited about Lakers’ 10-4 start​

After the win over the Bucks, Deandre Ayton couldn’t help but express his excitement about the Lakers’ 10-4 start to the season.

Ayton has been everything the team could have hoped for and more, and he deserves to celebrate after the latest win.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/jj-redick-quotes-jay-z-after-lakers-win-over-bucks/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Rumors: LeBron James Will Be Full Participant In Monday’s Practice

The Los Angeles Lakers have managed to get off to a 10-4 start to the season despite superstar LeBron James not yet suiting up.

James has been dealing with sciatica on his right side that caused him to miss Opening Night for the first time in his career. Given his age and the mileage on his body, the Lakers have been cautious with LeBron to ensure he is 100% healthy before returning and doesn’t risk further injury.

The expected timeline for his season debut has been mid-November all along though, and all of the recent reports have enforced that. James began practicing with the Lakers’ G League affiliate this past week when the team was on their road trip, and he came out of those workouts feeling good.

Now, according to Shams Charania of ESPN, James will practice with the Lakers in a full capacity when they return home on Monday as he continues to inch closer to his season debut:

LeBron James has been reassigned back to the Lakers from NBA G League South Bay and will be a full participant at Lakers practice on Monday, sources tell ESPN. James completed multiple days of practices and 5-on-5 sessions this week in the G League and his debut is nearing.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 16, 2025

The Lakers host the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night so if LeBron comes out of Monday’s practice with no issues then it’s possible he’s on the court for that one.

If he doesn’t play on Tuesday though then the Lakers don’t play again until Sunday in Utah, which would give James a few extra days to get ready.

Regardless on when James does play, it will likely take a few contests for him to get in game shape and integrated with this Lakers team that has played so well this season in his absence. Once that integration period takes place though, this team could be a dangerous threat in the Western Conference.

Luka Doncic: Lakers can’t wait for LeBron James to return​

All of the reports coming out of LeBron James’ recent workouts have been positive as he nears his season debut. Whenever James takes the court for the Lakers, he will get the team a big boost with his all-around play and Luka Doncic is among those excited for his return.

“We can’t wait. All of us can’t wait. It’s Bron, so it’s always good to have him back. Hopefully soon,” Doncic said.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-rumors-lebron-james-will-be-full-participant-in-mondays-practice/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: JJ Redick Discusses Process Of Reintegrating LeBron James Into Lineup

The Los Angeles Lakers have gotten off to a very impressive 10-4 start this season despite LeBron James having yet to suit up as he recovers from sciatica. But with James participating in his first full practice with the team on Monday, head coach JJ Redick will soon have his full roster available to him for the first time this season.

“Yeah, we did a lot of live basketball, so he was able to participate in everything,” Redick said of James following Monday’s practice.

However, adding LeBron into the mix with what the Lakers have established so far is not just as cut and dry as some may think.

Figuring out the best way to utilize the 40-year-old, especially with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves thriving as primary playmakers, will take some work and Redick understands that.

“I think when you add somebody who, when healthy, is going to play 35-ish minutes, that has an effect on the rotation, that has effect on guys’ rhythm like that’s just a natural thing that I think happens for any basketball team,” Redick said. “There’s some continuity from last year with AR and him and Luka that I think we can build on, but truthfully, you can’t anticipate whether it’s going to be seamless or whether it’s going to be [indiscernible]. There are some little formula of things you got to add and if you put too much cinnamon in there, cookie’s not that good. So you gotta tinker with it and we will.”

James has always been the primary creator with his teams, but he did an excellent job adjusting to a new role when the Lakers acquired Doncic last season and they should be able to build off of that. Additionally, Redick noted that they haven’t really added a ton of new sets or actions that LeBron isn’t familiar with so he should be fine in terms of that as well.

“There’s — in terms of an extra X’s and O’s, there’s not a whole lot that we’ve done differently,” Redick added. “We’ve added a couple wrinkles to things. There’s one different set, you know, we talked through it today we introed it before the first Minnesota game. So, I think he’s comfortable. There was nothing today that we had to stop and be like, hey, LeBron, remember we do this. Nah, he’s pretty dialed. He’s been a participant in terms of his voice in film and his voice on the court in practice. So he’s been engaged.”

And ultimately, Redick believes James’ ability to adpat to any situation will serve him and the Lakers well once he suits up.

“I would describe him as very adaptable,” Redick said. “Not just in my time, but he’s adapted throughout his career to the system, his teammates, what the game requires. The league has evolved. He’s evolved. That’s why he’s still in Year 23 and coming off of All-NBA season in Year 22, I think he’s always been able to adapt.

“And again, it’s not like, you know, the playing with Luka, playing with this version of AR, it’s not like he hasn’t done that already. He did it for two and a half, three months last season. So I don’t expect it to be perfect, but I also don’t expect it to be like, Oh, these guys have never seen each other and met each other and don’t know each other’s name. They know what each of them bring. And it’ll be fairly positive from the get go.”

It may take a little time for everything to settle in, but there is little doubt the Lakers adding James to what Doncic and Reaves have already established this season, will be an overall positive.

LeBron James still TBD for Lakers’ game vs. Jazz on Tuesday​

The fact that LeBron James is on the court practicing in full with the Lakers is a great sign, but he also made it clear that it isn’t a guarantee he will make his season debut on Tuesday when the Lakers host the Utah Jazz.

It will depend on how James feels when he wakes up in the morning, but he said he felt good after Monday’s practice so him suiting up seems to be a real possibility.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...ss-of-reintegrating-lebron-james-into-lineup/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Injury Report: LeBron James, Gabe Vincent Questionable Vs. Jazz

The Los Angeles Lakers released their injury report for Tuesday’s game against the Utah Jazz at Crypto.com Arena and LeBron James (right sciatica) and Gabe Vincent (left ankle sprain) are listed as questionable.

After missing the final game of the road trip on Saturday, Rui Hachimura (left calf soreness) and Marcus Smart (viral illness) are off the Lakers’ injury report, signaling they are good to go against Utah.

This marks the first time that James has been upgraded to questionable this season after missing the first 14 games. He got in a full practice with the Lakers on Monday and explained that he will see on Tuesday morning if he feels healthy enough to play against the Jazz.

“We got a long time. I mean, we’ve been taking literally one minute, one hour, one step at a time throughout this whole process,” he said. “So see how I feel this afternoon, see how I feel tonight. When I wake up in the morning, we’ll probably have shootaround. So, just gotta see how the body responds over the next 24 hours-plus.”

After Tuesday, the Lakers don’t play again until Sunday in Utah, so if James is not feeling 100% then they will not rush him back.

The same can be said for Vincent, who sprained his ankle just three games into the season and has missed the last eight. He was also a full participant in Monday’s practice, so it’s possible that the Lakers have a full healthy roster for the first time this season in one of their next two games.

JJ Redick discusses how Lakers will reintegrate LeBron James​

The Lakers have managed to get off to a 10-4 start despite LeBron James not yet suiting up. With James’ return on the horizon, JJ Redick discussed how the team will reintegrate the superstar.

“I think when you add somebody who, when healthy, is going to play 35-ish minutes, that has an effect on the rotation, that has effect on guys’ rhythm like that’s just a natural thing that I think happens for any basketball team,” Redick said. “There’s some continuity from last year with AR and him and Luka that I think we can build on, but truthfully, you can’t anticipate whether it’s going to be seamless or whether it’s going to be [indiscernible]. There are some little formula of things you got to add and if you put too much cinnamon in there, cookie’s not that good. So you gotta tinker with it and we will.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-injury-report-lebron-james-gabe-vincent-questionable-vs-jazz/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: LeBron James & Stephen Curry Not Planning On Playing In 2028 Olympics

The 2024 USA Men’s Olympic Basketball Team is one of the most talented squads ever put together. Led by Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, alongside Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, Team USA had an amazing run capped off by back-to-back exhilarating performances in the semi-finals and finals to ensure they took home the gold medal.

Those Olympics also marked the first time James and Curry were able to team up in a true competitive environment. The two were always on opposite sides, most notably in four consecutive NBA Finals from 2015-18 and had been the premier rivalry of this generation. The duo paired beautifully together and some may have been hoping to see them team up one last time with the 2028 Olympics taking place in Los Angeles.

However, both shot that down in the latest episode of the “Mind the Game” podcast with LeBron making it clear that he will not be playing in 2028 while Curry wouldn’t completely rule it out, but called it highly unlikely he will be suiting up for Team USA again:

Who else wants to see @kingjames and @stephencurry30 run it back with Team USA in 2028?

The guys talk all things Olympics and more on a brand new episode. Watch Steph Pt.2 on our YouTube, @primevideo or listen wherever you get your podcasts: https://t.co/FNKFqZjjDu pic.twitter.com/CkdKohno2N

— Mind the Game (@mindthegamepod) November 18, 2025

No one would put anything past James as he has already redefined how good a player can be this late into his career, but playing until 2028 at the age of 44 seems like a stretch even for him. Likewise, Curry would be 40-years-old by the time those Olympics roll around so “highly unlikely” was the proper way of describing his chances of suiting up again.

That being said, the two gave fans across the world an absolutely memorable performance for Team USA in 2024. LeBron won tournament MVP while Curry taking over in those final two games will be etched in the memories of basketball fans everywhere for years to come.

LeBron James discusses sciatica recovery amidst impending return for Lakers​

For LeBron James currently, his focus is solely on getting his body right and making his season debut for the Lakers. James has been dealing with sciatica which caused him to miss opening night for the first time in his NBA career and the Lakers superstar admitted it has been tough to be forced to sit out.

“It sucks. It definitely sucks,” he admitted. “Never in my life since I started playing the game of basketball have I ever not started the season, in my life. So it’s been a it’s been a mind test but I’m built for it and it’s been putting in the work, both mentally and physically trying to get myself ready to rejoin the team.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...rry-not-planning-on-playing-in-2028-olympics/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Recap: Lakers Come Back To Beat Jazz In LeBron James’ Season Debut

After a strong end to their road trip, the Los Angeles Lakers returned home and looked to keep things rolling on Tuesday night when they hosted the Utah Jazz.

Lakers star LeBron James missed the first 14 games of the season due to sciatica, but he worked hard to come back and was able to make his 2025-26 debut, becoming the first in league history to play in 23 seasons. With James back, the Lakers took care of business with their third straight victory, 140-126, to improve to 11-4 on the season.

It was the Jazz that came out of the gates hot with three early triples to take the lead. James missed his first shot attempt, which was a 3-pointer, and the Lakers were forced to take a timeout already trailing by double digits at 16-6.

Keyonte George had it going offensively early for Utah, but Luka Doncic helped the Lakers settle in with a couple of buckets and some free throws. Jake LaRavia then caught a body and hit a corner triple, although the Lakers still trailed 36-27 at the end of the first.

The Lakers finally started to play some defense to begin the second, allowing them to get out in transition. Austin Reaves was attacking the paint at will to cut the deficit to 41-36.

James’ first bucket was a wing triple and then he threw a lob to Deandre Ayton. While the Lakers were chipping away though, George continued to stay hot to keep him team in front.

Once Doncic returned, he got going offensively again with some deep 3s and more free throws. He had 20 points in the first half, and then James and Reaves both hit triples with the latter getting fouled to tie the game. Unfortunately, Lauri Markkanen ended the half with a four-point play of his own to send his team into the locker room with a 71-67 lead.

Both teams remained hot to begin the third quarter with the Lakers’ trio of Doncic, James and Reaves leading the way offensively. After a layup by Doncic, L.A. fought all the way back to take its first lead.

It became a full Doncic take over from there as he was scoring from wherever he wanted. James then found Gabe Vincent for a corner triple to beat the third quarter buzzer, giving the Lakers a 104-93 lead.

The start of the fourth was James’ turn to take control as he was finding Ayton and Jake LaRavia for easy buckets to continue to grow the lead. The Lakers stretched the lead to 20 from there and never looked back.

In his first outing of the season, James finished with 11 points, three rebounds and 12 assists on 4-of-7 shooting in 30 minutes. As usual, Doncic led the way with 37 points, five rebounds and 10 assists.

What’s next for the Lakers…​

The Lakers will now get some time off, allowing them to rest, recover and practice before they next take the court again against the Jazz on Sunday night in Utah.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/recap-lakers-come-back-to-beat-jazz-in-lebron-james-season-debut/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

JJ Redick Happy To Have LeBron James Back In Lakers Lineup

The big story coming out of the Los Angeles Lakers’ victory over the Utah Jazz was LeBron James making his season debut.

James didn’t focus much on scoring, finishing with just 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting, but he was outstanding as a facilitator as he dished out a game-high 12 assists with just one turnover.

The effect LeBron had by just being out on the court was obvious as well and overall Lakers head coach JJ Redick felt he played a strong game in his first outing of the season.

“I just thought he played with the right spirit, very unselfish all night,” Redick said of James. “Was a willing passer, didn’t force it. Took his drives and his shots when they were there. The defense is gonna pay attention to him, particularly when he has the ball in the post, particularly when he is putting pressure on the rim and I just thought he made a lot of great decisions tonight. Really good to have him back.”

Getting a win in LeBron’s season debut was also important and things didn’t start out too well for the Lakers when they came out flat and the Jazz lit them up from deep. Redick mentioned how difficult the Jazz are to guard and especially Lauri Markkanen, but felt the Lakers responded well to the coaches challenging them at halftime.

“We challenged the guys at halftime,” Redick added. “They had 71, it was 16 over what was the expected score. They made some tough shots in the first half, but the challenge was to guard and, up until the last three and a half minutes we held him to 36 for that half. That’s a credit to the entire group. And then you brought up the passing to Jake [LaRavia] and Deandre [Ayton], but I thought during that run, to end the third, start the fourth, it was, it was [Marcus] Smart, it was Jake [LaRavia], it was Jaxson [Hayes], it was Gabe [Vincent] hitting a couple big threes like our four guys off the bench really helped us during that stretch.”

It was undoubtedly a team effort and the Lakers bench stepped up big, changing the energy of the game in the first half and as they made their run to pull away late in the third quarter. Most important in Redick’s eyes was that the Lakers remained poised throughout the slow start and is looking forward to building off this win.

“After the game, just waiting on the guys to get back in the locker room, I think the word we were using as a coaching staff was our poise as a group,” Redick said. “Not overreacting, not pulling apart, problem solving all that stuff in real time. And just continuing to play. That at times was missing last year and for us to get that on the first night was really good. Doesn’t mean we’re gonna be perfect, again; it goes back to the farmer thing. You gotta water this thing every day. But it’s good to see first game back with everybody healthy, just a collective spirit, a collective pull, all in the right direction.”

The camaraderie and chemistry with this Lakers team is excellent and it is apparent that the entire roster has bought in and are locked in together to push towards their ultimate goal.

LeBron James discusses how he felt physically in Lakers season debut​

Just as important as LeBron James’ performance in his first game of this season was how he felt afterwards and the Lakers’ superstar discussed that following the win.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/jj-redick-happy-to-have-lebron-james-back-in-lakers-lineup/