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[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Rumors: Projected Timetables For LeBron James & Rui Hachimura

The Los Angeles Lakers have been hit by the injury bug at the worst possible time as they are currently in the most difficult part of their schedule.

While they did get some pieces back on Sunday afternoon against the Phoenix Suns, they were still without two starters in LeBron James and Rui Hachimura.

Lakers head coach JJ Redick recently said he considers both forwards to be day-to-day, although both were ruled out of Sunday’s game.

It appears they are making progress though as according to Shams Charania of ESPN, James got in his first on-court workout before the Suns game and is around a week away from returning, while Hachimura could be back even sooner than that:

Reporting for ABC NBA Countdown: LeBron James has his first on-court workout today – with ESPN footage – plus a Lakers return timetable update: pic.twitter.com/xTeiMRblnp

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 16, 2025

Redick confirmed pregame on Sunday that James is ramping up and still considered day-to-day.

This is great news for the Lakers are they are in the thick of a tight playoff race as they fight for seeding in a loaded Western Conference. Before all these injuries hit them, L.A. was the hottest team in the league having won eight straight.

Considering the playoffs are just around the corner though, the Lakers will certainly be cautious with both James and Hachimura to avoid their groin and knee injuries, respectively, lingering and becoming a bigger issue. The Lakers’ depth has been tested without them and it’s cleat that L.A. needs to be at full strength in order to make a deep postseason run.

The statuses of both James and Hachimura will be worth monitoring moving forward, but it seems the Lakers’ forwards should be back in the lineup sooner rather than later.

Rich Paul not putting timetable on Lakers star LeBron James’ injury​

While LeBron James is clearly making progress, his agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports emphasized that they are not putting a timetable on his injury and the Lakers star will know when he’s ready to return.

“I think you have to manage it,” Paul recently said. “Obviously you see the reports that are out there and you have to pay attention to LeBron in terms of his postgame interview. He knows his body better than anybody. So we kind of have to follow him there. But look, he’s played a lot of basketball. All of these guys, coming off the Olympics, they’re playing across our league. So there’s been a lot of basketball played. For the older guys that have this type of injury, you have to manage it properly. Unfortunately, AD had the same thing. A little bit different, and [LeBron] even mentioned that as soon as he did it, the second thing he thought about was that. So you have to manage it with grace…I won’t put a timetable on it, I’ll let LeBron decide what’s to be done there. He has a great trainer and medical staff with the Lakers and Mike Mancias leads that for him. I’ll just be lockstep with those guys.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-rumors-projected-timetables-for-lebron-james-rui-hachimura/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Recap: Luka Doncic & Lakers Snap Losing Streak With Win Over Suns

The Los Angeles Lakers returned home from an unsuccessful road trip in which they lost all four games while being undermanned.

They looked to snap their four-game losing streak against the Phoenix Suns, who are trying to climb into the Play-In Tournament. Thankfully, reinforcements arrived for L.A. with Luka Doncic, Jaxson Hayes, Dorian Finney-Smith and Gabe Vincent returning. That was all the Lakers needed to cruise to a 107-96 victory, snapping their losing streak.

With key rotation players back into the fold, the Lakers looked to pounce on a struggling Suns team early. But after jumping out to a quick 7-0 lead, Phoenix responded with a 9-0 run.

But, Hayes’ activity offensively earned him three and-ones, resulting in a quick eight points and putting the Lakers back ahead 15-9.

Then, Doncic made his presence know by drilling three 3-pointers and four free-throws, being the first player in double figures with 13 points. Accompanied by physical perimeter defense from the Lakers on Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Devin Booker, the lead grew to 28-11.

An early afternoon start can result in a slow start, but not for the Lakers as they looked connected on both sides of the ball resulting in a 31-15 advantage after one.

Despite the Suns threatening with an 8-0 run to begin the second quarter, Doncic and Austin Reaves held them at bay as they went to the locker room with a 54-37 advantage despite a putback dunk at the halftime buzzer by Nick Richards.

Unfortunately for Phoenix, Beal would be ruled out the rest of the game due to a sore hamstring, meaning more offensive responsibilities for Booker and Durant.

The 36-year-old star would up his point total to 19 after shooting 1-for-9 in the first half, cutting the Lakers’ lead to eight early in the third quarter.

Once again, L.A. would respond with timely baskets as Doncic continued to get to the line upping his free throw total to 13. Despite Durant finding more offensive rhythm, Phoenix still found themselves down 12 heading into the final frame.

To begin the fourth, Reaves needed to whether the storm as the Suns would cut it down to nine. Thanks to a much-needed four-point play though, the Lakers responded once again to a run. Doncic has typically loved playing against the Suns and that was again the case in this one as he closed out the victory with ease for L.A. with Dorian Finney-Smith hitting a dagger triple in the final minutes.

What’s next for the Lakers​

The Lakers’ packed March schedule continues as they have another back-to-back, this time at home against the San Antonio Spurs at 7:30 p.m. PT on Monday.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/recap-luka-doncic-lakers-snap-losing-streak-with-win-over-suns/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb: Mavericks ‘Killed The City’ With Luka Doncic Trade

The city of Dallas remains grieving after the Mavericks surprisingly trading away their franchise star in Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. It does not help that Anthony Davis, who the Mavericks acquired, got hurt in his debut game.

In general, the Mavericks have been decimated by injuries and their season is likely over. While they remain in the Play-In Tournament mix, Dallas is not going to be in championship contention as they had hoped to be when they traded for Davis and Max Christie.

Another popular athlete in Texas, Dallas Cowboys star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, believes that the Mavericks “killed the city” by deciding to trade away Doncic, via Dallas Texas TV:

CeeDee on the Luka trade pic.twitter.com/7tTVDCtwjr

— Dallas Texas TV (@DallasTexasTV) March 13, 2025

The Lakers pulled off an improbable deal to bring in Doncic as their new face of the franchise when LeBron James decides to retire. While the public perception is that L.A. won this trade, general manager Rob Pelinka’s work is not done.

He got a top talent in the league and now he has to put together a championship-caliber roster around Doncic this summer. But, Lamb does bring up a point of essentially backstabbing their fanbase by trading their franchise player without warning.

One can argue that this pain is never going to go away; there may be healing over time, but due to the magnitude of this trade, it will never go away completely. Hopefully, Davis can carry his superb two-way play with the Mavericks to help fill that void somewhat going forward.

Luka Doncic: huge scoring night ‘doesn’t matter’ with Lakers losing to Bucks​

Having to transition to playing for arguably the biggest franchise in the NBA is a massive leap for Luka Doncic. After coming back from a six-week calf injury, the Slovenian star needed time to get back in game shape while adjusting to his new team.

However, Doncic is beginning to look like himself as a dynamic scorer and playmaker. On Thursday against the Milwaukee Bucks, he put up 45 points and 11 rebounds on 14-for-27 from the field and 7-for-13 from 3-point range.

Unfortunately, the Lakers were undermanned and lost in blowout fashion as they hope to get healthy sooner rather than later. Despite this loss, it could have been an opportunity for the newest Laker to celebrate this performance, but he shared that his 45-point night ‘doesn’t matter’ because they lost when it was all said and done.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/cowboys-ceedee-lamb-mavericks-killed-the-city-with-luka-doncic-trade/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Video: Jarred Vanderbilt & Spurs’ Jeremy Sochan Ejected After Altercation

The Los Angeles Lakers are in the middle of a grueling stretch of games, but they’ve managed to get back on track the past couple of days.

The Lakers beat the Phoenix Suns on the first day of their back-to-back set and swept it after blowing out the San Antonio Spurs. Both teams entered the matchup missing star players, but it was Los Angeles that was able to weather the storm and emerge victorious.

After losing four games in a row, the Lakers have seemingly rediscovered their identity on both sides of the floor. The defensive end in particular has looked better in the wins and that’s in large part to the contributions of players like Jarred Vanderbilt.

Vanderbilt is a feisty defender who can get under players’ skins and it was on full display whenever he guarded Jeremy Sochan. Vanderbilt and Sochan got tangled up in the fourth quarter and both players were ejected from the game following their altercation.

This is what caused the double ejection…no punches thrown, great stance by Vando tho he was ready

Credit: @LakersEmpire pic.twitter.com/cQdtE2gBqy

— Lakers Nation (@LakersNation) March 18, 2025

In the video, Vanderbilt is called for a foul on Sochan and throws a little elbow at him after the whistle blows. Sochan gets visibly upset with the shove and throws the basketball at Vanderbilt, which the latter responded with a two-hand shove.

Sochan shoves Vanderbilt back and the two are forced to be separated by players and the officials. After reviewing the play, the officials issue Vanderbilt and Sochan fighting technicals which resulted in their ejection.

Vanderbilt has played the part of an enforcer for the Lakers all season long and he obviously had no problem retaliating against Sochan who also didn’t back down. The Lakers forward plays with an edge every time he’s on the court but the team is fortunate they didn’t necessarily need him to hold on for the win.

Vanderbilt will need to play with a cooler head in the coming weeks as Los Angeles can ill-afford to miss any game time. The Lakers draw the Denver Nuggets and Milwaukee Bucks for their next two matchups, and Vanderbilt will be needed to slow both of them down.

Austin Reaves says Lakers need to weather storm through injuries and rough part of schedule​

The Lakers were one of the best teams after the All-Star break, but have slipped since. Injuries and a tougher schedule are to blame for the Lakers’ trouble, but Austin Reaves said they need to weather the storm.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-vid...purs-jeremy-sochan-ejected-after-altercation/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Dorian Finney-Smith Discusses How Close Lakers Are To Unlocking Offense Around Luka Doncic

The Los Angeles Lakers have had an unexpected identity since acquiring Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks. Doncic starring alongside LeBron James and Austin Reaves gave the impression that they would be a high-octane offense that maybe would struggle on the defensive end.

But since Luka debuted for the Lakers on Feb. 10, they have the 16th-ranked offense and the fourth-ranked defense in the league. They are steadily climbing, though, as they are the No. 11 offense since March 4. Dorian Finney-Smith, the Lakers other major acquisition this season, has noticed the improvement.

The Lakers got a 125-109 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night, and it was among the easiest things have been for L.A. offensively since acquiring Doncic. He did not shoot well from the field, but he punished the Spurs for their heavy double-teams against him and players like Finney-Smith made them pay by going 4-of-8 from deep.

Finney-Smith spoke about the offense on Monday night and why things worked for L.A.

“They ran a bunch of different pick-and-roll coverages trying to guard Luka and AR and it just opened up shots for me, Gabe, Goody. It was a good overall win,” Finney-Smith said.

The Lakers forward then took a holistic look at the Lakers offense with Doncic at the helm, answering if he feels they are close to unlocking something.

“It’s just fun, man,” Finney-Smith said. “He’s gonna create so many problems for people on the offensive end, so we just gotta make it easy for him. We gotta make open shots, Jaxson keep doing his thing and catching lobs. Everybody just do what they’re paid to do and do their job. When Bron comes back, he’s fast as hell so we’ll play a little bit faster when he’s on the court. But that was just a good win tonight though.”

L.A. having that type of performance on their fourth game in five nights with another back-to-back on the horizon is especially impressive.

“Like you said, as a team we gotta figure it out. It’s tough but these games are important, especially with what we’re trying to do in the playoffs,” Finney-Smith added. “So we just gotta stick together, everybody’s got to step up and hopefully we get guys back and integrated into the offense and back playing so they can get their rhythm.”

The Lakers having a somewhat inconsistent offense and a strong defense during Doncic’s first month in action is a scary thought, as it means they have room to turn into an even more efficient and effective basketball team.

Games like Monday show why they could be such a dangerous team when the postseason rolls around.

Luka Doncic can’t believe Austin Reaves went undrafted​

Luka Doncic is getting the chance to see how good Austin Reaves is from up close, watching him take over each of the last four games for the Lakers. After Monday’s win, Doncic gave Reaves high praise and focused on the fact that the guard went undrafted in 2021 before accomplishing everything he has thus far.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/dorian-fin...-are-to-unlocking-offense-around-luka-doncic/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Luka Doncic Doesn’t Understand How Austin Reaves Went Undrafted

Austin Reaves has been absolutely stellar for the Los Angeles Lakers over the last four games. With LeBron James out — and Luka Doncic missing one game — they have desperately needed Reaves to step up. And he has delivered by averaging 30.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game on 52.9% from the field and 42.5% from beyond the arc over his last four.

It’s not the first time this season that Reaves has looked like a legitimate All-Star caliber player, but it is one of the first times that Doncic is seeing it consistently since he joined the team. Reaves was dealing with injury and trying to re-establish his role after being the primary point guard in the month between the Dorian Finney-Smith trade and the Luka trade.

Now, Reaves looks to be fully back to himself. And Doncic is in awe of what he’s seeing from the 26-year-old.

“I mean, this guy just scored 30 in his four games in five days, and that explains everything,” Doncic said. “He’s an amazing player. For him to go undrafted is unbelievable. It’s not easy to go undrafted and then play at this level. It’s amazing just to be by his side.”

While the Lakers getting Reaves as an undrafted free agent was a choice of his — as opposed to being taken by the Detroit Pistons in the late second round of the 2021 NBA Draft — it’s still unbelievable that that was even an option.

Reaves has been a high-impact player almost from Day 1. For a while, many believed that Reaves was only looking as good as he was because the Lakers put together an ill-fitting roster in 2021-22 and he was one of the only bright spots. But as the years have gone on, Reaves has continued his upward trajectory.

He is now legitimately one of the best third options in the sport and would be a starter on virtually every team in the NBA. And next to Doncic and James, he is going to get all types of opportunities for open jumpers and one-on-one moments against team’s third-best defenders. And Reaves, as he always has, is going to take advantage of the opportunity.

Austin Reaves enjoying playing next to Luka Doncic​

Much of the focus when the Lakers acquired Luka Doncic was how he and LeBron James would fit. However, arguably just as important was the chemistry that would need to be developed between Doncic and Reaves.

Reaves was just coming into his own as the primary creator for the Lakers before the trade and he would have to make a big adjustment. Some wondered whether Reaves’ numbers would fall off, but on the contrary he has continued to play exceptionally for this team, especially as LeBron remains out with his groin strain.

That was certainly the case on Monday night against the San Antonio Spurs as Reaves led the Lakers with 30 points along with seven rebounds and six assists in the 16-point win. Even though Doncic struggled shooting on the night, the attention he commands still makes things easier on the rest of the team and Reaves spoke to that following the win.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-news-luka-doncic-doesnt-understand-how-austin-reaves-went-undrafted/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Chris Paul Has Picked JJ Redick’s Brain About Coaching

Monday night’s contest between the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs saw head coach JJ Redick face off with a former teammate in point guard Chris Paul. Redick and Paul were teammates with the Los Angeles Clippers for four seasons and the two maintain a close relationship to this day.

Redick is only one year older than Paul, so it could stand to reason that watching the point guard still play might spark a fire within Redick about returning to the court. But the Lakers coach quickly shot that down

“No, I just told him you’re a psycho for still playing (Laughs),” Redick said prior to the Lakers’ 16-point win.

It is funny to hear Redick call Paul a ‘psycho’ for still playing in his 20th NBA season, meanwhile LeBron James continues to dominate in Year 22 for Redick’s Lakers. Either way, the end of Paul’s career is nearing and what he will do next is unclear, though Redick did reveal that he has had discussions with him about potentially coaching.

“Oh yeah, we’ve talked about it the last three years,” Redick added. “We had a long conversation about media stuff at one point during the coaching process this last spring, we had an hour-and-a-half conversation one night. It’s interesting because the fear for all of us, especially as we get towards the end, is that there’s nothing on the other side. And it’s not about how much money you made in your career and how much you saved and what you can live off of, it’s not about that.

“Highly competitive, highly driven, highly motivated people, there’s a fear. And that is CP. The crazy thing is he could do anything he wanted to do because of who he is and how he’s carried himself and the career he’s had and the reputation he has and the person he is. And he still wants to play the game. That says a lot about him. And he’s a great dad and great husband and he’s still chasing the little orange ball around like we all did when we were kids. To me, that’s like, love that.”

Paul undoubtedly has the intelligence, mindset and drive to be successful in whatever avenue he chooses once he decides to hang it up. But in the meantime, the Spurs guard is still enjoying watching his former teammate succeed and playing against him.

“Yeah, it’s cool, man,” Paul said. “Especially because I’ll still watch games every night, so talking to JJ [Redick] before the game, watching the strategy that goes into the game, knowing he was my teammate and now seeing him coaching and doing things outside of the box. You gotta do that if you’re gonna have a chance, but JJ is doing a great job over there, and [it’s] still surreal to be playing against him.”

If Paul does ultimately eye coaching, perhaps he could get his start with Redick as an assistant and finally become a member of the Lakers more than a decade after he thought he was joining the franchise as a player.

JJ Redick told Lakers to stop complaining about the schedule​

The Lakers’ contest against the Spurs was the second game in the second set of three straight back-to-backs for JJ Redick’s team. But Redick doesn’t want to hear his team complaining about it anymore and revealed that he told them as much a couple of weeks ago as no one will feel sorry about the Lakers.

“It just feels like this time of year, we’re packing in a ton of games,” Redick said. “The NFL is over and so for a team like us, they’re fitting us in all of the national TV slots now, which creates a back-to-back in Milwaukee-Denver.

“Back-to-backs, it’s just part of the NBA. Every team goes through it at different points. So no one is gonna feel sorry for us and we can’t feel sorry for ourselves. You gotta play the game in front of you and then move on to the next thing and try to get better. I think as we start getting everybody back, they will be a lot of tough parts of the schedule still to go, but we knew this two weeks, last week starting with the Boston game through this homestand, was gonna be a huge challenge.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-news-chris-paul-has-picked-jj-redick-brain-about-coaching/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Recap: Luka Doncic Leads Lakers To Win Over Nuggets To Clinch Postseason Tiebreaker

The Los Angeles Lakers returned to action on Wednesday night when they continued the tough portion of their schedule by hosting the Denver Nuggets in the first night of a back-to-back. This was a rematch between the two rivals from a great game last week when the severely shorthanded Lakers came up just short in Denver.

They were surely looking for some revenge this time around, and despite still being without LeBron James and Rui Hachimura, they had a prime opportunity to get it as Denver was without stars Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.

As a result, the Lakers were able to earn a 120-108 victory, which is big as it gives them the playoff tiebreaker if the two teams were to finish with the same records. The second tiebreaker after head-to-head matchups is division record, and the Lakers (12-3) are easily ahead of Denver (7-6) in that regard.

The Lakers were not messing around early as they jumped out to a quick 14-2 start with Luka Doncic scoring nine of those points.

After a Nuggets timeout, Russell Westbrook helped them get back in it with a triple and an assist. Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. then both connected from deep as well.

L.A. had a nice response from there with Doncic, Dorian Finney-Smith and Gabe Vincent all making a pair 3-pointers each. Doncic led the way with 21 points in the first quarter along as the Lakers took a 46-29 lead into the second. The 46 points is the third-most the organization has ever scored in a singular quarter.

Dalton Knecht got in on the action to start the second as the Lakers continued to grow their lead all the way up to 28. Denver responded with a 12-0 run though as L.A.’s offense cooled down a bit.

Austin Reaves found Jarred Vanderbilt for an alley-oop to end that run, but it still wasn’t a great close to the half for the Lakers as they took a 73-59 lead into the locker room.

Gordon was keeping the Nuggets within striking distance with his outside shooting, although Doncic was essentially matching him to start the third quarter. Reaves then had a nice offensive spurt and all of a sudden the lead was back to 20.

This time, it was a strong close to the quarter for L.A. with Denver going cold to put the lead at a comfortable 105-77.

The Lakers had no issues closing it out from there as Doncic was able to rest the entire fourth quarter but still finished with 31 points for the 200th 30-plus point game of his career.

What’s next for the Lakers​

The Lakers complete their crazy six-game in eight-day stretch on Thursday night when they host the Milwaukee Bucks, another chance at revenge after losing to them on the road last week.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/recap-luka...over-nuggets-to-clinch-postseason-tiebreaker/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves & Others Out As Lakers Host Bucks In 6th Game In 8 Days

The Los Angeles Lakers are currently in the midst of a six-game in eight-day stretch, which hasn’t been ideal considering a number of key players are banged up.

They have won three straight games though and look for a fourth on Thursday night when they host the Milwaukee Bucks to wrap up this difficult stretch.

Unfortunately, the Lakers continue to be shorthanded as Luka Doncic has been ruled out. Doncic dropped 31 points in the Lakers’ win over the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday but has been dealing with an ankle sprain and some other ailments, so L.A. will let him rest in the second of a back-to-back against Milwaukee.

In addition to Doncic, the Lakers continue to be without LeBron James and Rui Hachimura, who are inching closer to a return but not yet ready to play against the Bucks.

The injuries don’t stop there as Austin Reaves (right ankle sprain) is also out while Dorian Finney-Smith (left ankle injury management) and Jarred Vanderbilt (right groin strain) are doubtful, signaling they are unlikely to play.

That makes this specific matchup even more challenging as with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez, Milwaukee has the size to punish the Lakers down low and on the glass. That’s what happened just last week when the Bucks blew the Lakers out in Milwaukee despite a 45-point performance from Doncic.

Jaxson Hayes is available this time around, which should help, but it still should be a tough challenge for a Lakers team missing four starters and some key bench players.

In these type of situations, Reaves has typically come up big for his team but even he isn’t able to give it a go in this one.

It remains to be seen what the Lakers’ rotation will look like, but they have 11 healthy players with Hayes, Gabe Vincent, Jordan Goodwin, Dalton Knecht, Markieff Morris, Shake Milton, Bronny James, Christian Koloko, Trey Jemison, Alex Len and Cam Reddish.

Regardless, this is a house money type of game for JJ Redick’s team and would be another big win if they are able to steal one for their 10th straight victory at home.

Milwaukee Bucks (38-30) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (43-25)​

7:30 p.m. PT, Thursday, March 20, 2025
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California
TV: Spectrum SportsNet
Radio: 710 AM ESPN LA

Projected Lakers Starting Lineup:

PG: Gabe Vincent
SG: Jordan Goodwin
SF: Dalton Knecht
PF: Markieff Morris
C: Jaxson Hayes

Key Reserves: Christian Koloko, Shake Milton, Bronny James, Trey Jemison, Alex Len

Projected Bucks Starting Lineup:

PG: Damian Lillard
SG: Taurean Prince
SF: Kyle Kuzma
PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo
C: Brook Lopez

Key Reserves: Gary Trent Jr., Kevin Porter Jr., AJ Green, Ryan Rollins

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/luka-donci...t-as-lakers-host-bucks-in-6th-game-in-8-days/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Recap: Shorthanded Lakers Blown Out By Bucks At Home

The Los Angeles Lakers went into Thursday night’s game winners of three straight games, although they faced a tough test in the Milwaukee Bucks at Crypto.com Arena.

Not only did the Lakers lose to the Bucks in convincing fashion last week, but they were also wrapping up a tough six-game in eight-day stretch and were missing key players like Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Dorian Finney-Smith, Jarred Vanderbilt, LeBron James and Rui Hachimura. As a result, the Bucks easily beat the shorthanded Lakers, 118-89, to snap their winning streak.

With the Lakers missing so many key guys, the Bucks were in attack mode early with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kyle Kuzma and Taurean Prince scoring four points each to jump out to an 12-3 lead.

The Lakers responded with a 9-0 run though, showing some fight early. That was met by a 9-0 run by the Bucks though as they made three triples in a row.

A timeout by JJ Redick didn’t stop the run as the Bucks continued to pour it on an eventually it became a 16-0 run before Cam Reddish scored to end it. Ultimately, the Lakers faced a 34-19 deficit at the end of the first quarter.

The Bucks continued pouring it on to begin the second as their lead quickly grew to 23. The Lakers have another run in them though as an Alex Len 3-pointer got the deficit down to 11 after a 16-4 spurt.

Bronny James, who was getting some rare rotation minutes, made the most of it with eight first half points to lead the team and the Lakers went into the locker room trailing 57-46.

The Bucks began to take control in the third quarter as Gary Trent Jr. stayed hot from deep while Antetokounmpo bullied his way into the paint for some easy buckets and free throws. The Lakers weren’t able to do much offensively as James continued to lead the way with a career-high 12 points, although the deficit ballooned to 91-69 going into the fourth quarter.

It was nice to see some Lakers players who usually don’t get a chance to play get some run, but they were clearly outmanned against Antetokounmpo and the Bucks. With the deficit getting to 30 early in the fourth, Milwaukee had no issues closing out the easy win.

In what was a career night for Bronny, he finished with 17 points, three rebounds, five assists and one block on 7-of-10 shooting.

What’s next for the Lakers​

The Lakers will wrap up their homestand on Saturday night against the Chicago Bulls at 7:30 p.m. PT before heading out on the road for four games.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/recap-shorthanded-lakers-blown-out-by-bucks-at-home/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

JJ Redick Feels Good About Lakers Going 3-3 During Difficult Stretch Of Schedule

The Los Angeles Lakers knew there were going to be some bumps along the way as they faced a stretch of six games in eight nights. It was exacerbated when LeBron James suffered a groin injury just before the stretch began, leading head coach JJ Redick to have to get creative with his lineups while also playing nearly every night.

It was supposed to be a five-game stretch over eight nights, but the rescheduled San Antonio Spurs game from the L.A. fires in early January was placed right in the middle of it. The stretch also included two games against the Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets.

The Lakers started the stretch 0-2, but won three straight before effectively conceding the final game against the Bucks on Thursday night to finish the stretch 3-3. L.A. was second in the Western Conference when the six games began, and now are fourth, but only one game back in the loss column of the red-hot Houston Rockets.

Redick, who had to put together some interesting lineups with all the injuries and rest during this stretch, gave his reaction to going 3-3 in eight nights.

“You have to look at it big picture and feel good that you go 3-3 in this stretch,” Redick said. “And it was going to be tough, no matter what, with the added game made it harder. I don’t think the game that exists today in the NBA and the modern NBA player is what I wouldn’t be either if this was what I came up in and this was the game that I had to play every night. It’s different than when I first started.

“It’s just, you’re not built to play six games in eight nights. The game doesn’t allow you to play six games in eight nights. It’s just impossible. That’s why we, I don’t think, have four and five anymore if they are. I mean, I lived through the lockout year. I somehow didn’t miss a game till the very end because we had secured our seed. There was a road game in Memphis. Stan [Van Gundy] gave me the option, do you want to play all 66? Normally, I would be like, yeah, I want to play. But then I was like, fuck no, dude. I just played 65 games in 92 days. Like, this is impossible.

“And it was an easier game to play then because there wasn’t as much movement, and there wasn’t as much spacing, and you didn’t have to cover as much of the court. It’s what our guys just went through. It’s difficult. And the old heads are going to talk about how physical it was in the 80s and 90s, and that’s fine, but the level of physicality in our game and the way that the court has to be covered and all the movement, it’s tough. And just glad to be on the other side of it. Hopefully, going forward, we are healthy and can make a push here.”

The Lakers had four different starting lineups in the six games, and their healthiest starting lineup still was missing both LeBron and Rui Hachimura. So to survive this stretch with three wins and still firmly in the fight for the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference is a victory.

And now, the Lakers can reset as they face a lighter stretch of schedule over the next week before some important games against Western Conference Playoff opponents.

JJ Redick: Lakers miss LeBron James on defense​

The Lakers are hopeful to get LeBron James back in the lineup soon, and one of the biggest reasons — according to JJ Redick — is the way he approaches defense.

Redick believes the Lakers are missing LeBron’s communication and voice on the defense end. Without him, L.A. seems as though they’ve had a huge uptick in defensive breakdowns.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/jj-redick-...ing-3-3-during-difficult-stretch-of-schedule/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Injury Report: LeBron James & Rui Hachimura Upgraded To Questionable Vs. Bulls

The Los Angeles Lakers released their injury report for Saturday night’s game against the Chicago Bulls and both LeBron James (left groin strain) and Rui Hachimura (left patellar tendinopathy) have been upgraded to questionable.

Additionally, Luka Doncic (right ankle sprain), Austin Reaves (right ankle sprain), Dorian Finney-Smith (left ankle injury management) and Jarred Vanderbilt (right groin strain) are probable while Gabe Vuncent (left knee injury management) is questionable and Maxi Kleber (right foot surgery recovery) remains out.

James and Hachimura have both been making significant progress in their respective recoveries in recent days and now appear to be on the verge of returning. If they are not able to play against the Bulls on Saturday then it is reasonable to expect them back at some point on the upcoming road trip.

As the end of the regular season nears, everyone on the Lakers is seemingly banged up right now, which isn’t surprising considering they are coming off a six-game in eight-day stretch.

Despite being without James and Hachimura for all of it and other key players at times as well, the Lakers managed to go 3-3 during that stretch. Their schedule gets a bit easier from here, giving the Lakers an opportunity to stack up some wins and battle for the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.

Considering there aren’t many games left though, the Lakers will be cautious with their injured players to ensure they are 100% healthy and don’t suffer any setbacks that could force them to miss time in the playoffs.

JJ Redick: Lakers have missed LeBron James’ voice on defense​

Getting LeBron James back in the lineup will be a huge boost for the Lakers on both ends of the floor heading into the home stretch of the regular season. JJ Redick believes it will especially impact their defense though as the Lakers have missed James’ voice.

“Yeah, it’s tough. Both of those guys have been so good for us on that end,” Redick said of James and Hachimura. “Rui kind of just being a connector, just being able to switch everything. And then LeBron, I literally said to him during the San Antonio game during a timeout, I said you know what we miss? We miss your voice on the defensive end. Our communication level has gone down significantly and talk is a contagious thing. When one guy is consistently talking, it forces everybody else to.

“So we miss both of those guys a lot. And then with LeBron obviously, he’s an elite defensive rebounder and can go grab a basketball that’s outside of his space as well as anyone at his position.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-inj...-hachimura-upgraded-to-questionable-vs-bulls/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Nuggets’ Michael Malone: JJ Redick Has Fingerprints All Over Lakers’ Success

When JJ Redick was hired to coach the Los Angeles Lakers, the move was met with skepticism given his lack of experience in the coaching ranks.

The Lakers found themselves in a similar position when hiring Darvin Ham after deciding to part ways with championship coach Frank Vogel. By choosing to move off Ham for another candidate with no previous experience, it was a big gamble for L.A. especially considering LeBron James was nearing the end of his career.

Redick’s first season has been a roller coaster, especially with his roster going through different iterations.

The Lakers have undeniably exceeded expectations though as they are firmly in the mix of the Western Conference playoff mix despite all of the injuries, trades and roster turnover. That is a huge credit to Redick, who Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone believes is responsible for their success.

“Different players, different coaches. There’s a lot of change within the Lakers… They’re a different team. JJ is coaching them and his fingerprints are all over this team,” Malone said before the recent matchup between L.A. and Denver. “They’ve added another MVP candidate in Luka and the most amazing thing I think about that trade is just how the Lakers defense has gone almost to the top of the charts. They play small, they play athletic, they play a lot of versatile guys and they’re just really disruptive on that end of the floor. You have to be able to counter that.”

Realistically, Redick could not have asked for a better season as an NBA head coach. He gets to coach two of the most dynamic players ever in James and Luka Doncic, as well as a roster full of players that are buying into what he is teaching.

Granted, pressure and expectations have been sprung upon L.A. after shockingly acquiring Doncic, but those lofty goals come with the territory for an organization like the Lakers.

Unfortunately, injuries have prevented Redick from fully figuring things out with Doncic in the fold. However, this is what he signed up for when putting his name in the coaching pool and with the playoffs approaching fast, that gelling process will have to be sped up.

JJ Redick told Lakers to stop complaining about schedule​

In today’s NBA, the Lakers went through an unheard of stretch of playing six games in eight days with three sets of back-to-backs. As mentioned, injuries have been mounting and the playoffs are less than a month away.

Fortunately, L.A. came out of that stretch 3-3 and that’s despite JJ Redick needing to rest some of his rotation players because of the crammed scheduling. A lot was made of the absurdity of having that many games in a short amount of time, but Redick told his players to not complain about it and just focus on going one game at a time.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/nuggets-michael-malone-jj-redick-has-fingerprints-all-over-lakers-success/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Recap: Lakers Lose To Bulls Despite Returning To Full Strength

The Los Angeles Lakers wrapped up their homestand on Saturday night, hosting the Chicago Bulls in what was the team’s closest look at their full-strength rotation in a while.

After being without almost all of their rotation in their last game, the Lakers got nearly everyone back for this one, and that includes both LeBron James and Rui Hachimura. Rust was clearly a factor though, as was a lack of defense, resulting in a 146-115 loss for the Lakers.

Jaxson Hayes certainly enjoyed having James and Luka Doncic back as they found him for some easy buckets early. James then had a driving layup as the Lakers jumped out to a 12-9 lead. Cobie White was feeling it for the Bulls to start though with 10 quick points to give them their first lead.

Doncic was similarly feeling it as he ripped off 17 quick points with big first quarters becoming the norm for him. White matched him with 16 of his own though to give Chicago a 32-31 lead at the end of the first.

Austin Reaves got going to begin the second quarter with five quick points, although the Lakers’ defense continued to struggle with the Bulls stretching their lead to 10.

Reaves and Doncic tried to keep things close by connecting on a pair of triples each. Doncic wasn’t done there as he caught fire again to close the half, giving him 29 points and cutting the Lakers’ deficit to 65-62.

After a quiet first half by his standards, James had back-to-back buckets inside to start the third quarter. It was otherwise an ugly start to the second half for L.A. though as the defense was still nonexistent and the deficit grew to double digits once again.

Frustration was clearly mounting for the Lakers as they weren’t getting any calls. Doncic picked up a technical and the Bulls continued to pour it on from deep. White couldn’t miss and Matas Buzelis also heated up, resulting in a 104-89 deficit for the Lakers going into the fourth quarter.

If the Lakers were gonna make any sort of run, it would have to come early in the final quarter. The Bulls kept firing away though and L.A. had some costly turnovers as their deficit continued to increase. After back-to-back triples by Chicago off Laker turnovers, they extended their lead to 23 and never looked back in the easy victory.

What’s next for the Lakers​

The Lakers will now head out on the road for four games, starting with the Orlando Magic on Monday and then the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/recap-lakers-lose-to-bulls-despite-returning-to-full-strength/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Rui Hachimura Still Not Feeling 100% Healthy Despite Returning

The Los Angeles Lakers got both LeBron James and Rui Hachimura back in the lineup on Saturday night in their blowout loss to the Chicago Bulls.

Both guys naturally looked a little rusty considering they have missed a couple weeks of action, but for Hachimura, it may have been more than just rust. JJ Redick said before the game that Hachimura would be on a minutes restriction and in 18 minutes of action, he had five points and two rebounds on 2-of-6 shooting.

After the game, Hachimura revealed that he returned from his left patellar tendinopathy despite his knee not feeling 100% healthy.

“I was like 70-80%. My knee is gonna be like that for a while I think,” Hachimura said. “I can’t really get back to 100% right away. I gotta rest for like a long time to get back to normal. But I don’t think we have that, so we just gotta maintain and manage it.”

Hachimura elaborated on the pain he was dealing with while he was on the court.

“It’s just everything,” he said. “This is one of those where whatever you do, jump, stop, slide, everything is gonna feel it. My left leg has got to be stronger, still don’t have the explosion. That’s gonna be the key for me, just getting stronger. All the movements, just everything going on, I can feel it. So I have to kind of manage it and play through it.”

This is obviously not great news as time is not on the Lakers’ side with only 12 regular season games remaining before what they are hoping is a long playoff run.

If Hachimura is either out or playing compromised then that is a huge piece of the Lakers’ puzzle that they will be without. Hopefully he can find a way to manage it, but it seems the Lakers will have to rely on other players more for the time being.

Rui Hachimura left Lakers to get treatment on knee​

Rui Hachimura revealed that he left the Lakers for a short period of time while he was out in order to get the proper treatment on his knee.

“I’ve just been getting treatment. I stepped away from the team too for a little bit to focus on the treatment. That was my focus, to get healthy and get back on the court. That’s what I was doing for three weeks.”

Given Hachimura’s comments, his status will be worth monitoring moving forward as the knee injury is clearly not fully behind him.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-news-rui-hachimura-still-not-feeling-100-healthy-despite-returning/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: LeBron James Felt ‘Rusty’ In Return From Groin Injury

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was playing his best basketball of the season, being named Western Conference Player of the Month for February, before he went down with an unfortunate groin strain.

The injury came at an inopportune time as the Lakers were hoping to build chemistry and continuity after their blockbuster trade for Luka Doncic. Instead, they were without James and others during the most difficult stretch of their schedule.

But after a six-game absence, James returning to the lineup on Saturday night, finishing with 17 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals on 7-of-16 shooting in 31 minutes in the Lakers’ blowout loss to the Chicago Bulls.

LeBron looked like someone who hadn’t played a game in a couple of weeks and he admitted as much after the loss.

“A little rusty, a little rusty, but I was happy to get back out there,” James said.

The most important thing though is that LeBron is healthy and ready to go for the final stretch of the regular season and going into the playoffs. The Lakers still have championship aspirations, but they will need all of their key players healthy, especially James, to have a chance at making a run.

But when asked if this groin issue is behind him, James would not go that far.

“I just take day by day. I can’t worry about what’s gonna happen in the future,” he said. “But I got through today. I’m obviously gonna get some work on it tomorrow. Hopefully, a little bit on the plane. It’s a long flight to Orlando. And then, once we get to Orlando and get ready for Monday. So I hope it’s behind, but I don’t wanna look too far in the future.”

If there’s any silver lining to James’ injury it’s that he missed a rough part of the schedule and now should have fresh legs heading into the home stretch. At 40 years of age though, it’s hard to imagine him every being 100% healthy at this stage of the season. LeBron takes care of his body better than anyone though so will surely do whatever is necessary to make sure he is available for his team.

What did Lakers show LeBron James when he was out?​

When LeBron James was out for six games, he got to be a coach and spectator from the sidelines, rooting on his Lakers teammates. He was asked what he learned about the team during that time and he was pleased with how the team fared.

“I mean, I don’t know if it was something they showed me or didn’t show me. I already know what this team is capable of,” James said. “No matter who’s been in the lineup, who’s been out of the lineup, we’ve been able to sustain our effort and try to continue to play the right way, both offensively and defensively.

“So it was great to stay even through the adversity, even through some of the injuries and the schedule, how it represented itself, we were still able to win ball games.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-news-lebron-james-felt-rusty-in-return-from-groin-injury/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

LeBron James: Lakers Control Own Destiny For Playoffs

The Los Angeles Lakers finally had a healthy roster against the Chicago Bulls, although the result wasn’t pretty as they were blown out on their home floor.

While JJ Redick was willing to give his team some grace since key players were just returning from injury, time is not exactly on the Lakers’ side as they only have 12 regular season games remaining to build chemistry and continuity ahead of the playoffs.

That’s not to mention that the Western Conference standings are very tight, so every game is important for the Lakers as they look to earn the highest seed possible. Despite that though, LeBron James knows the Lakers control their own destiny and stressed the importance of playing well down the stretch.

“Obviously we can’t take for granted the moments we get out there and are able to play the game that we love and play it at a high level,” James said after the Bulls loss. “So just holding each other accountable, pouring into the team [and] pouring energy into the team. That’s what’s most important. Like you said, we have 12 games to position ourselves in the postseason. We pretty much can control our own destiny if we win ball games and not have to be in the Play-In [Tournament]. So that’s what JJ [Redick] has been preaching, obviously. I think he told that to you guys. He wanted to be in the playoffs and not the Play-In [Tournament]. So that’s up to us.”

The Lakers begin a four-game road trip on Monday against the Orlando Magic, which James views as a great opportunity to get back on track.

“Yeah, for sure, every game is huge for sure. And we gotta recoup,” LeBron added. “Obviously, on our last road trip, we didn’t play well at all. We went 0-4, so it’s definitely in the back of our minds. We know on Monday, we gotta play better basketball than we did tonight and what we did on our last road trip.”

The Lakers haven’t been a great road team this year but if they want to clinch home-court advantage for a round or two in the playoffs, they will have to play well away from L.A. down the stretch of the regular season.

LeBron James admitted to feeling rusty in return to Lakers​

Saturday’s loss to the Bulls marked LeBron James’ first game in a couple of weeks after missing time with a groin strain. Naturally, James admitted to feeling a little rusty in his return to action.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lebron-james-lakers-control-own-destiny-for-playoffs/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

JJ Redick: Lakers Look ‘Tired’ And ‘Going Through It’ Right Now

The return to full health was supposed to kick the Los Angeles Lakers into gear heading into this final stretch of the regular season, but the opposite has been the case for head coach JJ Redick’s team. For the second straight game, the Lakers failed to execute and lacked energy as they fell to the Orlando Magic 118-106.

It was an extremely disappointing showing, especially considering the Lakers had one of their worst performances of the year on Saturday against the Chicago Bulls. Most concerning is the lack of energy, particularly on defense, and Redick admitted that his team looks tired, via Spectrum SportsNet:

“We had it for about 25 games and we can get back there. I think a couple guys, maybe from the schedule and being in and out of the lineup and a couple guys being injured, I don’t know, we just looked tired. And I don’t know what contributes to that. It happens periodically throughout a season where the group gets tired. That’s what it feels like right now. We weren’t able to sustain the level intensity we started the game with and I thought guys started out well.”

The Lakers started strong and were solid through most of the second half as well, but once again another awful third quarter doomed them and Redick feels they need to clean up some things:

“We had really good intention to start the game. We tried to clean some things up today but we still gotta clean some things up with some of our execution and coverages.”

This is the worst time for the Lakers to get into a funk as the playoffs near and Redick understands that the Lakers as a group need to find their rhythm once again:

“We’re going through it a little bit. We gotta get back into the flow and the rhythm. Those guys, I think it’s not just them getting back into their flow, but it’s the group and how the group functions.”

Exactly how they will do that is unclear, but Redick and his staff will need to do everything they can on their part, and the same must be done by the players to come together and get out of this rough stretch.

JJ Redick giving Lakers ‘grace’ to find rhythm​

This was also something JJ Redick spoke about following the Lakers’ prior loss to the Bulls. Redick was unsure whether the Lakers getting everyone back caused a change in their mentality that everything was just going to click back into place, but noted that isn’t how things work, though he will give his team grace to find that rhythm again.

“That’s just not the way it works. I think the guys know that,” Redick said. “I’m not saying that’s what they assumed, and you’ll have to ask them that. The thing that we have talked about all season long though is grace. So, the group inherently gets some grace for what this last three weeks has looked like.

“It’s not an excuse, it’s just the nature of where a group felt very connected, then you lose some games on the road, you have some injuries and all that stuff. You gotta get reconnected. That’s where our group [is]. We’ll get there. We, however, don’t have a lot of time to do that. It’s gotta be now. It can’t be in a week or two weeks. It’s gotta be now.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/jj-redick-lakers-look-tired-and-going-through-it-right-now/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Luka Doncic Feels He Needs To Be More Vocal Leader For Lakers

After one of their worst performances of the season, many were hoping to see the Los Angeles Lakers bounce back in a big way on Monday night against the Orlando Magic. But despite 56 points combined from Luka Doncic and LeBron James, the Lakers again came up short as they fell 118-106 in Orlando to kick off their road trip.

The Lakers offense looked out of sync while their defense wasn’t clicking either and overall the team’s energy just simply wasn’t there. When things are going tough, the onus is usually on a team’s leader to step up and pull the team out of the mud. Most would consider LeBron the leader of the Lakers, even while conceding the best player title to Doncic, but Luka feels he needs to be better in his leadership role as well.

Following the loss to the Magic, Doncic spoke on his role as a leader with the Lakers, feeling he needs to talk more and the team as a whole must be more physical, via Spectrum SportsNet:

“First we gotta get into the playoffs. There’s nothing guaranteed in this league. But I gotta talk more, get everybody in position, try and be a good leader. I’m getting more comfortable talking more and more. We gotta talk more and the last thing is we gotta be more physical on both ends.”

Doncic would continue on, noting that while he and James are the ones everyone will look to, anyone on the team should be able to speak up when they feel it necessary:

“I honestly think it should be not just one person, it should be everybody. Everybody should be able to. Obviously now it’s gonna be everybody, but I think me and Bron. I think we should be the guys to do that and that’s on me. Obviously I gotta do better, I gotta talk more. I think I talked in the first half and then just kind of slowed down. I shouldn’t do that.”

Leadership can come from a number of places, but all eyes will always turn towards a team’s best player when things get tough and Doncic understands and embraces that. This team is still getting to know each other in a lot of ways, but during this final stretch they have to come together and Luka stepping up his communication and helping get this team back on one page would be huge as the playoffs near.

Luka Doncic believes Lakers are in a ‘great spot’​

Of course, the Lakers had hoped for a nice bounce back game on Monday night after a disappointing outing in their prior contest against the Bulls. Following that loss, Doncic made it clear that he still feels the Lakers are in a great spot overall coming into the home stretch of the regular season.

“I think we’re in a great spot. Obviously, today wasn’t a good game for us,” Doncic admitted. “But I think we are in a great spot, and we have to battle every game to not get in the Play-In [Tournament] and try to get the highest seed we can.”

Now with a second straight bad loss, Doncic and the Lakers will need to really fight to turn things around before this great spot turns into a bad one.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/luka-doncic-feels-he-needs-to-be-more-vocal-leader-for-lakers/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Sasa Doncic Believes Luka Doncic Was Born To Play In Los Angeles

When the Los Angeles Lakers acquired Luka Doncic in the most shocking blockbuster trade in NBA history, the landscape of the league changed immediately.

Not only did the Lakers add Doncic — a superstar hitting his prime — but they found the perfect franchise successor for LeBron James. Los Angeles is now set up to compete for titles for the short and long-term with Doncic in tow.

So far, Doncic’s arrival has been met with exorbitant amounts of excitement and joy because of his play on the court. Home games have been the most lively they’ve been in years and Doncic admitted the fans have given him and the team energy when they need it.

Doncic’s father Sasa Doncic has been around to help the Lakers star acclimate to his new home and believes he was born to play in Los Angeles, as translated by Greg’s Court:

“Yes, that’s true. But as I heard, in L.A. celebrities are coming back to games, maybe even Luka is the reason. He might be the reason why they’re coming back. So this has to be a motivation for him for the future. And we know that Luka plays better when the pressure is bigger. I just believe he is born for this city and this city is made for him. I won’t say literally, but it fits with his character. I believe he’ll succeed there.”

Sasa also noted that be believes the Lakers have the potential to go very far as a team:

“They show that they are a very unfavorable team (for opponents) if they are healthy. They show that before. Ok, between the time then happened some minor injuries. But I believe this team, the L.A. Lakers, can do a lot. Also in those couple of games when some injured players came back, they’ve shown that they can beat anyone. But to be honest, the factor of luck in playoffs is very important. It can happen, some injury of an important player. But I’m sure this team of L.A. Lakers can go very far.”

It certainly feels like Luka was tailor-made to play for L.A. given how flashy his game is and how much he loves to interact with the crowd. There’s a level of showmanship when Luka hits the floor and it’ll be exciting to see him don the purple and gold for years to come.

Dorian Finney-Smith knew Luka Doncic was different when playing 1-on-1 for first time​

Dorian Finney-Smith is of the few familiar faces on the Lakers’ roster for Luka Doncic and the veteran forward revealed he knew the superstar guard was different when they played 1-on-1 for the first time.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...-luka-doncic-was-born-to-play-in-los-angeles/