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[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Dorian Finney-Smith Looking Forward To Playoff Atmosphere At Crypto.com Arena

There is a ton of excitement surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers as the postseason nears and the Crypto.com Arena is expected to be rocking for Game 1 on Saturday night. Someone who will play a major role for the Lakers throughout this postseason run is Dorian Finney-Smith.

The veteran wing has been paramount to the Lakers’ success over these past few months and he will be relied upon heavily on both ends of the court. He has plenty of playoff experience over the years, but never in front of this Lakers crowd and that is something Finney-Smith is very much looking forward to.

“This is the first time I’ll feel that Laker energy that I grew up watching in the playoffs,” Finney-Smith said following the Lakers’ practice on Thursday. “I’m excited to see the energy that’s gonna be in the building.”

While the Lakers crowd has a reputation as late arrivers who aren’t as passionate as other fanbases, that is never the case in the postseason. Any time the Lakers have made deep playoff runs, the crowd is one of the best and loudest in the league and that was undoubtedly the case inside Crypto.com Arena during the Lakers’ run to the Western Conference Finals in 2023.

That is expected to be the case once again when the Lakers take on the Minnesota Timberwolves and Finney-Smith knows this crowd will be locked in.

“I know the playoffs are different, obviously,” Finney-Smith added. “Every possession matters in the playoffs. Our fans are always engaged, so I can only imagine how that will be in the playoffs. Talking to AR and Vando, they talked about that run they made and how it was lit in the building, so I’m looking forward to seeing it for myself.”

It will not be easy for the Lakers to take care of the Timberwolves and the fact that they secured home-court advantage for this round is a big deal as the Lakers’ 31-10 home record is third-best in the NBA. There is no doubt Finney-Smith and the rest of the team will be feeding off that energy in the building throughout the postseason.

Austin Reaves: Lakers locked in and ready to compete vs. Timberwolves​

While the home crowd should give a nice boost, it will be up to the players to deliver on the court. But Austin Reaves knows the Lakers are locked in ahead of their first round series with the Timberwolves and must play hard and value every possession.

“You just gotta play hard as shit,” Reaves noted. “Every possession, you win by the smallest margins and you lose by the smallest margins in the playoffs, as we could tell from last year. Obviously it’s not the same team, but if you go back and watch last year’s games, one thing here and there could’ve changed the whole series and we would’ve had an opportunity to play in the second round.

“But we didn’t do those, so we gotta do that every single game. We can’t take possessions off. At the end of the day, we got a group of guys that are just ready to go to war. There’s a difference in being ready to go to war by yourself than being ready to go to war with your team. We’re locked in as a group and ready to go compete.”

Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...rd-to-playoff-atmosphere-at-crypto-com-arena/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Injury Report: LeBron James Probable, Maxi Kleber Out In Game 1 Against Timberwolves

The Los Angeles Lakers’ injury report lists LeBron James (left hip flexor strain) as probable and Maxi Kleber (right foot surgery recovery) as out for their Game 1 matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

James notably tweaked his hip flexor in his final game of the regular season against the Houston Rockets, but when he was asked about it on Friday he said he expects to play on Saturday.

Kleber has begun practicing with the Lakers but JJ Redick recently said there is currently no timetable for his return, so it remains to be seen if the forward will be able to contribute for L.A. this postseason.

Regardless, the Lakers are in a very good spot when it comes to health as everyone was able to get a week off after clinching the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. That allowed for plenty of time to rest and recovery before the start of what they hope is a long playoff run.

The first round schedule is also beneficial for the Lakers as there are multiple days off between a few of the games, which should benefit guys like James and Luka Doncic. If the Lakers are gonna compete for a championship then they need all of their key players healthy and available, and they appear to be in a great place to start.

The Timberwolves rotation players are also healthy despite dealing with some injuries throughout the course of the regular season, so both teams will be getting the other’s best shot in this first round series.

JJ Redick gives biggest key to Lakers beating Timberwolves​

When discussed his keys to the series against the Timberwolves, Lakers head coach JJ Redick put taking care of the ball at the top of the list.

“It’s one of the biggest keys of the series,” Redick said after practice on Wednesday. “It’s just our ability to get a shot. Everybody talks about Nickell [Alexander-Walker] and [Jaden] McDaniels as these disruptive defenders which they are. They’re two of the best in the NBA, but Ant on the ball, [Donte] DiVincenzo on the ball, DiVincenzo in dribble handoffs. Those guys are really disruptive and there’s things that we have to do that are non-negotiable for us to run good offense. I think beyond just, ‘Hey, this guy’s ballhawking me.’ There’s other parts of it that lead to turnovers that you just have to have really good awareness with.”

The Timberwolves have a lot of athletes on the perimeter that are capable of jumping passing lanes and getting out in transition, so making sure that doesn’t happen is clearly a priority for Redick and the Lakers.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-inj...xi-kleber-out-in-game-1-against-timberwolves/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: LeBron James Doesn’t Take Playoffs For Granted

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is entering the NBA Playoffs once again with a chance to compete for a championship. At age 40 in Year 22, it’s almost impossible to believe that James’ is still one of the best players in the world and the legitimate No. 2 behind Luka Doncic on a championship-contending team.

The 2024-25 season marks LeBron’s 18th trip to the postseason. Of his first 17 years, he has gotten out of the first round 15 times and has gotten to the NBA Finals 10 times. What he has accomplished over two decades is unprecedented, and he is fully aware of that fact.

James spoke about getting ready for the postseason and how good the switch from regular season to playoff intensity is for the sport.

“Obviously it’s an exciting time for all basketball fans and all the players that are a part of the postseason. It’s a great time for basketball, the competition ramps up. It’s always fun,” he said.

For the first time since the 2019-20 championship season, James got a full week off before the playoffs and did not have to play in the Play-In Tournament. He took advantage of the time both physically and mentally.

“Worked on my body, kept my mind fresh and focused on the opponent at hand,” James said of how he spent the last week.

The Lakers superstar was asked what the postseason demands of him, and he spoke at length about what playoff basketball means in his mind.

“Everything. Playoffs demand everything from me,” James said. “Mentally, obviously the physical toll that it’s gonna take because as the games ramp up, the intensity ramps up, the physicality ramps up, the referees in the league allow us to play more physical in the postseason so your body takes a toll. But mentally, being able to have that mind sharp throughout the course of a series no matter if it’s going good or going bad. You always gotta try to stay even-keeled throughout the course of the postseason in each series if you’re able to advance.”

And knowing that he is facing an unprecedented situation being in the playoffs in his 22nd season, LeBron made sure to point out that he’s fortunate to be in the position he’s in.

“It’s a blessing, I don’t take it for granted to be able to play in the postseason at my age and how many years I’ve played this game,” James said. “To be one of 16 teams, to go in with this team and know what we’re capable of, all you can do is ask for a chance to be able to compete at the highest level and be able to compete for the ultimate thing and that’s the Larry O’Brien Trophy. You just don’t take it for granted.”

All season, LeBron has shown a huge appreciation for being able to still do what he does at a high level at his age. Guys like him, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant all acknowledge that they are nearing the end of the era that those three players defined, and it’s led to some incredible self-reflection from all three.

For James and Curry, they get to chase a Larry O’Brien trophy this season, and potentially add to a collection of accolades that is nearly unmatched in league history.

LeBron James praises Anthony Edwards​

One of the ways that LeBron James has most shown appreciation for where he’s at is his willingness to praise the next generation of stars, something previous generations before him have often struggled to do.

He spoke highly of the opposing superstar in the Lakers’ first-round matchup, Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards.

“Ant is amazing,” James said ahead of this first round matchup. “Unbelievable basketball junkie, loves to play the game of basketball, great kid. And all the success he’s gotten throughout his young career has been awesome to see, he’s put the work in.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-news-lebron-james-doesnt-take-playoffs-for-granted/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Recap: Timberwolves Make Statement With Dominant Game 1 Win Over Lakers

For the first time since 2012, the Los Angeles Lakers opened up a playoff series at Crypto.com Arena as they hosted the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 of their first round series.

These two teams are evenly matchup on paper, which should make for a fun series. In Game 1 though, it was the Timberwolves that made a statement with a dominant 117-95 victory on the road.

In his first playoff game with the Lakers, Luka Doncic kicked off the scoring by getting to the free throw line, draining a step-back triple and then a layup to take a 6-0 lead.

Anthony Edwards got the Timberwolves on the board, but Rui Hachimura then hit a pair of 3-pointers to keep the Lakers out in front early.

Doncic and Hachimura had the first 20 points for L.A. until Gabe Vincent and Dorian Finney-Smith came off the bench and both made triples to give their team a 28-21 lead at the end of the first.

Jaden McDaniels scored five straight points to begin the second quarter as Minnesota had a nice response, taking their first lead after a Naz Reid triple.

LeBron James ended a long drought for the Lakers with a three-point play for his first bucket. Defensive rebounding was an issue for L.A. though and the Timberwolves took advantage by getting hot from deep to stretch their lead to double digits.

After a much-needed timeout, Doncic found Hachimura for an open 3. For some reason though, the Lakers kept leaving Reid open in the corner and he made them pay. Donte DiVincenzo then hit a deep triple to beat the halftime buzzer, sending the Lakers into the locker room with a 59-48 deficit.

The Timberwolves picked up where they left off to begin the third quarter, scoring 11 straight points to force a Lakers timeout. Edwards hadn’t really gotten going to that point but he joined in on the fun from deep as Minnesota kept pouring it on.

The Lakers finally showed some life at the end of the third quarter with a 10-0 run, and Doncic then hit a half-court shot at the buzzer to cut the deficit to 94-78 going into the fourth.

Doncic hit another 3 to begin the fourth as momentum continued to shift in L.A.’s favor. After dealing with some cramps, Edwards returned and hit a pair of massive shots for his team. That took the momentum right back as Minnesota hit some big shots to close out an easy win.

What’s next for the Lakers…​

The Lakers and Timberwolves will get a couple of days off before Game 2 at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday night. The series will then shift to Minnesota for Games 3 and 4.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/recap-timberwolves-make-statement-with-dominant-game-1-win-over-lakers/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

LeBron James Expects Lakers To Be More Ready For Timberwolves’ Physicality In Game 2

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James knows his career is reaching the back end, which is why he stressed that he doesn’t take the playoffs for granted.

James has won four championships in his career and this year might be his best and final shot at another ring as he’s got a strong roster and a co-star in Luka Doncic to help him get through the postseason. Standing in his way for a fifth championship is the Minnesota Timberwolves, who took Game 1 behind a strong two-way performance.

The Lakers started Game 1 on a high note as they took an early lead behind a scoring flurry from Doncic, though things quickly spiraled in the second quarter as Minnesota was able to get out in transition and hit nearly every 3-pointer they took to take a huge double-digit lead. Although the Lakers were able to chip away at the deficit late in the third quarter, the Timberwolves responded with another run in the fourth quarter to seal their victory.

James understands that defense wins championships, so it wasn’t a surprise to hear him say he and the team need to better in several areas.

“Obviously we gotta do a better job controlling the controllables, and I don’t think we did a good enough job after the first quarter,” he said. “They blitzed us in that second quarter 38-20. But giving up 21 threes, giving up 20-plus fast break points, second-chance points, those are some of the things that we can control. Obviously, the 3-point shooting. We know they have a lot of lasers. They have a lot of guys that can shoot from the perimeter.

“So, we gotta do a better job of closing the bodies, getting out on shooters. We’ll get back in the film room tomorrow, look at the things that we did well, some of the things that we didn’t do so well and continue to game plan for game two. We got a couple days to prep for that.”

James also made a note of the Timberwolves’ physicality on both ends of the floor, though he added that he thinks the Lakers will be more prepared for it in Game 2.

“When you play the Minnesota team, you got to be physical. That’s what they bring to the table,” James said. “So maybe it took us one playoff game to now get a feel for the type of intensity, the type of physicality that’s going to be brought to the game, but that’s just the way they play. So we should be more than prepared for that on Tuesday night.”

Minnesota relishes the physicality of the game and they made sure to make Los Angeles feel their presence on every possession. There were several points throughout Game 1 where the Lakers didn’t handle the ball pressure well and that led to multiple easy baskets for the Timberwolves.

With Game 1 behind them, James and company have a chance to regroup and find ways to get better ahead of Game 2. While the purple and gold are far from out of it, they have a lot of work to do to even up the series.

LeBron James praises Anthony Edwards ahead of first round matchup​

LeBron James has seen plenty of players come through the NBA throughout his career and he hasn’t been shy to praise the next generation of stars as his own basketball career winds down. Ahead of the first round matchup against the Timberwolves, James had high praise for Anthony Edwards.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lebron-jam...ready-for-timberwolves-physicality-in-game-2/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Austin Reaves Discusses Need To Limit Timberwolves’ 3-Point Shooting

Austin Reaves was far from the only player on the Los Angeles Lakers with a less than stellar performance in Game 1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The team as a whole just didn’t step up and were dominated on both ends of the court in a disappointing playoff opener in front of their home crowd.

The Lakers actually led by seven after the first quarter, but found themselves down double-digits by halftime due in large part to the Timberwolves’ hot shooting from 3-point range. That continued to start the second half and Reaves felt the Lakers allowed far too many wide open looks from deep, even if that was part of the game plan.

“To start that third quarter, I think they made three or four in a row, basically all uncontested,” Reaves said. “Regardless of what the game plan is, you don’t want to give up those. We play in the NBA and regardless of what percentage you shoot, if you have a practice shot, you have an opportunity to make it. So like I said, we’ll watch the film and get better.”

Whether it was defensive breakdowns or game planning, Reaves knows the Lakers didn’t do what they needed to. But overall, he feels the Timberwolves just played better and harder than the Lakers.

“They just played a lot better than us. A lot harder than us,” Reaves added. “They did all the things that we wanted to do. Give up offensive rebounds for spray out threes, and like I said, a lot of them were uncontested or a defensive breakdown in our scheme and we give up shots that we don’t want to give up. When you compound bad with bad, it’s gonna get bad.

“I thought we competed at the end of that third quarter to make a little run and then even at the start of the fourth quarter. They just made a couple tough midrange shots, I think Ant made one, Julius made one to kind of fizzle out those runs. But yeah, we’ll be better.”

The Lakers have to be better in order to ensure they don’t go to Minnesota down 2-0 in the series. And in order to do so, Reaves feels the Lakers have to do a better job of matching the physicality the Timberwolves bring.

“I think they just physically beat us from the get-go,” Reaves said. “Neither team has played I think in a week or so but they came out with a little more aggression and physicality to their game that helped them win tonight. I think that’s really it.”

Effort, energy and physicality are all things the Lakers can control. There are other important factors that will play a role in this series, but if the Lakers can’t match the Timberwolves in this area, they stand no chance of getting out of the first round.

Austin Reaves believes Lakers can turn things around in Game 2​

While there is obviously some disappointment following a Game 1 loss on their home court, this is still a series and the Lakers must be beaten three more times. Austin Reaves noted that was the mood for the Lakers and stressed the importance of remembering that it is still just one game.

“I think that kind of was the mood. You don’t win or lose (a series) in one game,” Reaves said. “We have an opportunity on Tuesday to even up the series on our home court and go compete for two games on their home court. You never lose after the first game, second game, third game, to be honest. You gotta get beat four times or you gotta win four times. That’s the outlook. We know we didn’t play very well. If we play to our standards then we’ll get better.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...-need-to-limit-timberwolves-3-point-shooting/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Magic Johnson Critical Of JJ Redick After Game 1 Loss To Timberwolves

After a good first quarte,r the Los Angeles Lakers were completely dominated in Game 1 of their first round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. JJ Redick’s team was outhustled and outplayed as they fell by 22 points on their own home court.

There were a number of reasons why the Lakers came up short and franchise legend Magic Johnson took to social media to give his thoughts on the contest. Johnson noted that the Timberwolves were the more physical team while also stating that Timberwolves wing Jaden McDaniels’ performance was the difference:

The Minnesota Timberwolves dominated the Lakers in every category winning 117-95 tonight. They were more physical, more athletic, faster, and came up with every loose ball. Edwards was good scoring 22 points, but it was Jaden McDaniels’s offense and defense that made the…

— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) April 20, 2025

The effort of the Lakers players was certainly unacceptable for the playoffs, but Johnson also pointed the blame at Redick as well. In particular, Magic felt the Lakers coach didn’t make needed adjustments to the Lakers offense:

Coach JJ Redick did a great job all season but he didn’t do a good job for Game 1. The Lakers stood around on offense, played too much one-on-one basketball, and he didn’t make any necessary adjustments.

— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) April 20, 2025

Johnson also discussed the Lakers’ struggles on defense while again lamenting the team’s standing around on offense:

The Lakers failed in two big categories in their loss against the Timberwolves. On the defensive end – they allowed the Timberwolves to shoot over 51% from the field and they didn’t respond to the physical play of the Timberwolves. Last but not least, it was too much standing…

— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) April 20, 2025

There were a number of issues for the Lakers against the Timberwolves and Magic laid them out pretty clearly. The Lakers simply didn’t match the energy and physicality of the Timberwolves and that cost them Game 1. This Redick’s postseason coaching debut and there are things he needs to improve as well and there is no doubt he and the Lakers will check out the film and come out much improved for Game 2.

JJ Redick believes Lakers didn’t respond to Timberwolves physicality​

Even before getting back and checking the film, JJ Redick agreed with one big point that Magic Johnson made. The Lakers coach spoke after the Game 1 loss, feeling that while they were ready for playoff basketball mentally, they did not respond to the physicality of the Timberwolves.

“I’m not sure physically we were ready, if that makes sense. Really, when they started playing with a lot of thrust and physicality, we just didn’t respond immediately to that. Then that stretch from the start of the second through four or five minutes to go into the third, we lost that stretch by 34. That’s a blowout.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...-jj-redick-after-game-1-loss-to-timberwolves/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Video: Jordan Brand Releases New Ad ‘The Trial Of Luka Doncic’

The last few months have been a whirlwind for Luka Doncic after shockingly being traded by the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Despite being caught off guard by the trade, Doncic has embraced his new home and team and currently has them in the postseason fighting for a chance at a championship.

Off the court, Doncic is one of the biggest NBA stars as he and Jordan Brand have partnered to create a global brand. Now that Luka is with the Lakers, he could become the next face of the league as he is already leading the NBA in jersey sales since the trade.

Jordan Brand is taking full advantage on Doncic being on the Lakers and recently put out an ad to market Luka’s shoes, via Jordan Brand’s YouTube:

In the ad, Doncic is called to trial for “bad behavior,” but the trial is quickly interrupted when one of the jurors is mesmerized by his Jordan Brand shoes.

Then when the judge calls on a witness from the defense, Luka starts a “Defense!” basketball chant with the rest of the courthouse joining in, even the jurors.

A young lady was then called to the witness stand and was questioned about Doncic hitting a game-winner and then yelling at her dad. As it turns out though, her dad also liked Luka’s shoes and that’s what the yelling was about.

Finally, Doncic himself was questioned about his constant trash-talking and he was asked if he enjoys being bad, to which he responded with a wink. He then showed off his Jordan Brand shoes, and the jury sided with Luka because of it as the whole courthouse celebrated.

Luka Doncic expresses desire to stay loyal to Lakers​

Luka Doncic has always proven to be loyal to whatever organization he is playing for, which made the Mavericks’ decision to trade him even more confusing.

Despite being dealt, Doncic is still a loyal person and plans to transfer that over to the Lakers.

Doncic is eligible for an extension this offseason, and all signs point towards a long-term partnership with the Lakers. Jordan Brand would surely love that as Doncic in purple and gold is great for their business.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-video-jordan-brand-releases-new-ad-the-trial-of-luka-doncic/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Luka Doncic Believes Lakers Can Still Do Better Job Of Attacking Paint

Coming out of their Game 1 loss, the common theme for the Los Angeles Lakers was that they needed to match the physicality of the Minnesota Timberwolves in order to turn things around. When it comes to their offense, one thing the Lakers wanted to do was get in the paint more against this excellent Minnesota defense.

It worked in Game 2 as the Lakers matched the Timberwolves with 46 points in the paint and ultimately came out on top with a 94-85 win to tie the series. Luka Doncic again led the charge for the Lakers with 31 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists and, even though the Lakers were victorious, he still feels they can do a better job of attacking the paint.

“I think when we touch the paint, a lot of great things happen,” Luka said after the win. “Gets them into the blender. I think we gotta do that more. Obviously we talk about it, gotta touch the paint no matter what. That’s what we’re trying to do more and I think we can still do a lot more than that.”

The Lakers also did a better job of moving the ball with 23 assists in Game 2 which Doncic, again, attributed to the team’s ability to get in the paint.

“Yeah, I think when we touch the paint, it’s a lot of openings,” Doncic added. “Like I said, we gotta do that more and I think we shared the ball great today. We gotta keep doing that.”

Game 2 was a must-win for the Lakers and they came out and played like it with much better energy and physicality from start to finish. In fact that was the main difference as Doncic noted the Lakers didn’t change their overall gameplan, but simply matched the Timberwolves’ physicality.

“No. We did the same gameplan,” Luka said. “We didn’t really change much. It was just a question of if we were going to be more physical or not. I think we showed that, and we were there for 48 minutes, and we got big in the first quarter. We learned from the last game, and we just stuck to it.”

The Lakers got off to an even better start on Tuesday than they did in Game 1, but this time were able to keep the Timberwolves at bay. Even as their offense sputtered in the fourth quarter, the Lakers’ defense held up which Luka felt was impressive.

“They have a great team, so at some point they were going to make a run,” Luka said. “[It’s] just a matter of how we respond by being who we are. I think we responded very well. To win a game scoring 13 points in the fourth quarter is not easy. It was from defense and then going from there.”

Now it will be on the Lakers to maintain that energy as the team heads to Minnesota needing to take one of the next two games to retake home court advantage.

Lakers coach JJ Redick explains viral third quarter tirade​

One of the biggest moments that came from the Lakers’ Game 2 victory was JJ Redick’s profanity-laced tirade in the third quarter after calling a timeout. But it wasn’t a matter of frustration as he would explain after the game.

Redick noted that he has done this in other games throughout the season and really wanted to turn his team’s sense of urgency back up while also ensuring the Lakers stayed organized.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/luka-doncic-believes-lakers-can-still-do-better-job-of-attacking-paint/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

JJ Redick: Both Lakers & Timberwolves Are Prepared For ‘Rock Fight’ In This Series

Basically the entire Los Angeles Lakers team had the same message coming out of Game 1 in that they had to do a better job of matching the physicality of the Minnesota Timberwolves. They did just that in Game 2, coming away with a hard-fought nine-point win.

The defense of the Lakers was far better on Tuesday night, holding the Timberwolves to just 85 points on 38% shooting from the field and head coach JJ Redick explained why that was.

“We were physical,” Redick said after the win. “The playoffs require a different level. Like I said pregame, it took us about two-and-a-half quarters in Game 1 to get to that level of physicality.”

That physicality is what led the Lakers to victory, but their offense still left a lot to be desired. The Lakers managed just 94 points, including an abysmal 13 points int he fourth quarter and shot 6-of-29 from 3-point range.

Many would call Game 2 a ‘rock fight’ as both teams struggled offensively, but Redick feels that after Game 1, both teams are mentally prepared for that kind of series.

“I think you could sort of anticipate that, but we weren’t ready for a rock fight to start Game 1,” Redick added. “I’ve seen enough of these and been in enough of these that you can have these low scoring games and sort of low offensive output games that are really physical, and then all of a sudden someone starts making 3s and there’s turnovers that leads to a high transition half and somebody scores 120. That’s just kind of how basketball works. Every game is a little different, but I think the mentality for both teams is to have the rock fight.”

It didn’t seem like it would be a ‘rock fight’ in the first half as the Lakers had 58 points and seemed to be clicking, but things fell apart, particularly in the fourth quarter. But Redick was still happy with the team’s shot quality and felt their defense carried them through the offensive issues.

“I don’t know what our turnover total [was]. I know we had at least one shot clock violation there in the fourth,” Redick said of the Lakers’ struggles in the second half. “I don’t know what our turnover total was in the second half, but I can think of five or six plays Bron (LeBron James) [had] twice from four feet in the paint, Rui [Hachimura] at the rim, Bron from the corner and Doe (Dorian Finney-Smith) had great looks from the corner. Again, we’re going to live with that process and that result.

“I think it’s fair to say we won the game with our defense tonight, but our offense had a lot to do with that. Not allowing them to get out in transition. Then, when they did as AR did late in the game taking the charge, we were able to stop them from scoring, or in some cases, stop them from maybe getting a quick shot up. Then they had to run a half-court offense. So, I just think that as much as it was the defense tonight, our offense actually helped quite a bit with some of the transition stuff.”

In the playoffs, what matters is the end result and the Lakers came away with a much-needed Game 2 victory. Now, it will be up to Redick to get this team to continue to embrace that same mentality going forward if they plan to escape past the Timberwolves in the first round.

Lakers coach JJ Redick explains viral third quarter tirade​

It wasn’t just the Lakers players who had a different level of energy as mics caught head coach JJ Redick going off with a profanity-laced tirade after calling timeout in the third quarter. But Redick downplayed the situation after the game, saying he has done similar things in prior games while adding that he wanted to turn the Lakers’ urgency level up and ensure they remained organized.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/jj-redick-...s-are-prepared-for-rock-fight-in-this-series/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Video: Jack Black Recreates Legendary LeBron James ‘It’s Our Ball’ Moment

The Los Angeles Lakers are known for having a large number of celebrity fans, particularly during the ‘Showtime’ era of the 1980s. Jack Nicholson, Denzel Washington, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg and Will Ferrell are seen regularly at home games, as is another hilarious comedian and actor in Jack Black.

Black has several excellent roles and credits to his name, including Jumanji, Kung Fu Panda and the recently released A Minecraft Movie. And now maybe Black can add another role to his list: Lakers superstar LeBron James.

The Lakers had Black recreate LeBron’s legendary “It’s our ball” rant from the sidelines during the 2020 playoffs, and it came out pretty iconic, via Lakers on X:

Had to have Jack recreate this iconic Bron moment

pic.twitter.com/vifFDJ0fpb

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) April 23, 2025

In the Lakers’ first-round series against the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2020 playoffs, which took place in the bubble, the officials mistakenly gave the Blazers the ball out of a timeout when the Lakers should have had possession. No one seemed to notice except LeBron, who then went off to make sure it was noticed and fixed.

Black’s recreation was on point, to say the least. From his calm demeanor at first to standing and running, going crazy, he captured all the points of the Lakers star. Black even throwing out Rui Hachimura’s name, who wasn’t on that team, is hilarious.

LeBron has had many other amazing and memorable moments in a Lakers uniform, including winning a championship and breaking the NBA’s all-time scoring record. But somehow, this moment while on the bench in the bubble continues to live on in infamy and will likely never be forgotten.

LeBron James believes Lakers held each other accountable in Game 2​

Much like in that 2020 Game 2 against the Portland Trail Blazers, the Lakers found themselves down 1-0 going into Game 2 of this first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. And in both cases, the Lakers responded well and came away with a win. After this victory over Minnesota, LeBron James spoke about how the Lakers came out, believing they did a great job at holding each other accountable and making necessary adjustments.

“Like you just said, it’s about staying even-keeled,” James said after the Lakers’ win. “It doesn’t matter if you lose by 100 or you lose by one. Both are gonna hurt. So it’s about how you stay even-keeled and how you make adjustments going into Game 2 or Game 3, whatever the case may be.

“I thought we looked at what we didn’t do so well, which is a lot of things in Game 1. We took that to heart, we held each other accountable and made the adjustments and we got a better outcome tonight. Now we have to be even better on Friday going to Minnesota. That’s what the playoffs are all about. You’ve got to stay even-keeled.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-vid...s-legendary-lebron-james-its-our-ball-moment/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Rob Pelinka Credits JJ Redick For ‘Humility & Swag’

Los Angeles Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka took a big swing last offseason when he hired JJ Redick to be the team’s head coach. Redick had no professional coaching experience and is the same age as LeBron James, which led media personalities to quickly disparage the decision by L.A.

But in less than one full season, Redick has more than proven himself as not only a legitimate head coach, but one that sits in the top half of the league at the very least. He has commanded the respect of his players — including LeBron — and has always had them prepared for challenging matchups and opponents throughout the season.

Prior to Game 2, a night that saw Redick and the Lakers make major adjustments to even the series with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Pelinka got the chance to speak about the head coaching hire and why he’s such a fan of Redick, via Spectrum SportsNet:

“You know, JJ has a combination of humility and swag. And that’s a really hard thing, because you need to be humble for the guys to love you — and our players love JJ — but then he’s got that confident air about him where he’s very decisive in his decision-making. Those are rare qualities in a coach, especially a rookie coach. So we appreciate his leadership.”

The Lakers have had an entirely different air about them since bringing in Redick. The tone of players’ postgame interviews changed drastically with Redick at the helm. Under the previous head coach, Darvin Ham, players would often talk about not feeling prepared, and it was clear that there was a rift between staff and the players.

But under Redick, even after losses, players were quick to defend him and say that they failed to execute the gameplan, not that there wasn’t one to begin with. And it’s that type of confidence in leadership that has made Redick so successful in Year 1 at the helm.

Rob Pelinka reacts to contract extension​

While the Lakers are currently focused on their first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, off the court, they recently signed Pelinka to a contract extension.

Not only did Pelinka receive an extension, but he was promoted to president of basketball operations in addition to his general manager title.

Pelinka has been a member of the Lakers family for a while having been Kobe Bryant’s agent, and while he is excited about this extension, he knows there is more work to be done.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-news-rob-pelinka-credits-jj-redick-for-humility-swag/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Recap: Anthony Edwards & Timberwolves Pull Away Late To Beat Lakers In Game 3

After splitting the first two games in L.A., the first round series between the Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves shifted to Target Center for Game 3 on Friday night.

Having lost home-court advantage, the Lakers will have to win at least once on the road to take this series. It didn’t happen in Game 3 though as Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves pulled away late for a 116-104 victory.

Rui Hachimura kicked off the scoring with a triple and had five early points, but the Timberwolves got off to a much better start at home than they did in Games 1 and 2 to take a 15-7 lead after an 11-0 run.

LeBron James got out in transition and made a layup to end the run. That actually started a quick 7-0 burst for L.A. with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves both making jumpers. Doncic was dealing with a stomach bug so didn’t look like his usual self, but still tried to tough it out for his team.

Jaden McDaniels and Donte DiVincenzo made some tough shots to keep Minnesota in front, and the Lakers looked a little sluggish, ending the first trailing 32-24.

After struggling from deep in the first two games, Reaves found his shot early in the second quarter with a pair of triples. James also had his jump shot working as he was in the zone to give the Lakers their first lead since the opening minutes.

With Doncic clearly not looking like himself, James and Reaves continued to carry the load offensively. Doncic connected from deep to end the half though and the Lakers took a 58-54 lead into the locker room.

Luka did not start the second half for the Lakers, although he checked in a minute later. Doncic was clearly laboring though and the Timberwolves ripped off a quick 8-0 run by getting hot from deep.

Turnovers were killing the Lakers and the Timberwolves took advantage by getting some easy buckets in the paint. The 3-point shot was keeping L.A. in it as Dorian Finney-Smith, Hachimura and Doncic all connected to cut the deficit to 86-84 at the end of the third.

The Lakers looked gassed to begin the fourth quarter with Minnesota extending its lead to seven by attacking the offensive glass.

With the game starting to slip away, LeBron hit three massive triples in a row to cut the deficit to one. Doncic then got in on the action with a pair of free throws and a bucket to tie it at 103.

After a Minnesota timeout, Edwards hit a big 3 to put his team back in front. Naz Reid then hit one as well, again putting the game in the balance for the Lakers.

This time though, L.A. had no answer as the gas tank was on empty with the Timberwolves closing out the night on a 13-1 run.

What’s next for the Lakers…​

Game 4 is an early start time at 12:30 p.m. PT on Sunday in Minnesota before the series shifts back to the Lakers’ Crypto.com Arena for Game 5 on Wednesday.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/recap-anthony-edwards-timberwolves-pull-away-late-to-beat-lakers-in-game-3/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: JJ Redick Believes LeBron James Is Moving Better & Getting Healthier

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James turned in another exceptional season despite being 40 years of age, although the back half was unfortunately plagued by injuries.

After missing a couple of weeks with a groin strain, James returned and was gearing up for the start of the postseason. In his final regular season game against the Houston Rockets though, LeBron appeared to tweak his groin and wound up sitting out the rest of the night with things being out of reach.

James showed up on the Lakers’ injury report for Game 1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves with what the team categorized as a left hip flexor strain. While it did not affect his availability, it was clear in the first two games of the series that he was not 100% healthy.

That was not the case in Game 3, however, as despite the Lakers’ loss, James did everything he could to keep his team in it. LeBron led all scorers with 38 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks in 41 minutes.

After the game, Lakers head coach JJ Redick revealed that James’ injury would usually force him to miss some time but the good news is he is finally starting to look better physically, via Spectrum SportsNet:

“He’s moving better. He seems like he’s getting healthier by the day. It’s typically a 1-2 week injury and I believe it’s been two weeks tonight, if I’m not mistaken, from the Houston game. Clearly he’s moving better.”

Even though the Lakers face a 2-1 series deficit to the Timberwolves, having a fully healthy James is great to see and will be key if this team wants to make any sort of run.

Luka Doncic wasn’t at 100% in Game 3 due to an illness, forcing James to pick up the slack as his co-star did in the first two games. With an extremely important Game 4 coming up on Sunday afternoon, the hope is that both Doncic and James will be close to 100% healthy as L.A. looks to steal one on the road and even up the series.

Anthony Edwards praises LeBron James for Game 3 performance​

LeBron James was exceptional for the Lakers in Game 3, and Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards gave some praise to the 40-year-old.

“He was incredible. He did everything he could in his power to try to will them to a win. He was shooting it from Yucatan. For sure, he was shooting it crazy. He caught one of them in transition and I was like kinda closing out and I’m like ‘He not about to shoot this.’ And he launched. I’m not gonna lie, it was fun to be watching him and competing against him today, for sure.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...ron-james-is-moving-better-getting-healthier/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: JJ Redick Still Believes In Jaxson Hayes But Doesn’t Rule Out Benching Him

The Los Angeles Lakers’ weakness in the frontcourt is well known as Jaxson Hayes is the team’s lone true center. But he has yet to make much of an impact in this playoff series so far, averaging under nine minutes per game with head coach JJ Redick preferring to go small for the majority of the time.

With the Lakers now trailing 2-1 in the series after Friday night’s Game 3 loss, there are some wondering whether the Lakers might just abandon the Hayes minutes altogether and just go small from the beginning. And Redick didn’t rule out that possibility.

He made it clear that the Lakers still believe in Hayes and what he can bring to this team, but Redick will look at everything in order to help the Lakers get back in this series, via Jovan Buha of The Athletic:

JJ Redick on if he’s considering benching starting center Jaxson Hayes: “We’ll look at everything but we still believe in Jaxson.”

Hayes has yet to crack double-digit minutes in the series.

— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) April 26, 2025

There is no doubt that Hayes had some strong performances throughout the regular season and really stepped up once elevated into the starting lineup following the Luka Doncic trade. But he is limited as a player and Redick clearly prefers the smaller lineups, replacing Hayes with Dorian Finney-Smith to spread out Minnesota’s defense.

There is still some value in having Hayes out there, as Timberwolves wing Jaden McDaniels noted, especially against a team this physical. But this just doesn’t seem to be a series in which Hayes can really impact things and the Lakers might be better suited just going without a true big.

The Lakers will surely look to address the center position in the offseason, but that does nothing to change things for this series and Redick will have to make a decision on whether or not to keep putting Hayes out there or fully embrace the smaller lineups and trust Finney-Smith, Jarred Vanderbilt and Rui Hachimura to man the middle.

JJ Redick critical of Lakers’ turnovers in Game 3 loss​

Regardless of whether Jaxson Hayes is playing big minutes or not, one thing the Lakers must do if they plan on getting back in this series is take better care of the ball. The Lakers had 16 turnovers in their Game 3 loss and JJ Redick was critical of his team for their failures to hold on to the ball.

The Lakers coach credited the Timberwolves for forcing some of those Lakers’ miscues, but also felt many of their turnovers were unforced with L.A. simply trying to do too much. Redick added that he felt the Lakers generated good looks on offense overall, but the turnovers were just too much to overcome.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...axson-hayes-but-doesnt-rule-out-benching-him/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Kobe Bryant’s First Game-Worn Jersey Sells For Record Amount In Auction

Sotheby’s announced that they have sold Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant’s first game-worn jersey for $7 million. This sets a record for any Bryant sports memorabilia sold at auction.

Initially, this jersey was first sold at auction in 2012 for $115,242 and its value grew over time. With this being final, Sotheby’s now officially owns the top five sale prices for game-worn NBA jerseys.

This game-worn jersey marks a starting point for a 20-year veteran and is ultimately viewed as a rare artifact with the untimely passing of Bryant. Sotheby’s Head of Modern Collectibles Brahm Wachter spoke about what it means to have an item of this magnitude.

“Debut games are truly one-of-a-kind moments in an athlete’s career,” Wachter said in a statement. “They mark the nascency of an extraordinary journey, and for iconic athletes like Kobe Bryant, these milestones hold even more significance as they represent a singular moment in time that can never be replicated. It’s always exciting to bring unique and one-of-one items like this to market, and today’s record-breaking price is a testament to the immense demand and lasting appeal of these iconic moments.”

What is now viewed as an iconic throwback jersey, the then 18-year-old wore it on NBA Media Day, his preseason debut on Oct. 16, 1996 and regular season debut on Nov. 3, 1996. But, in total, this jersey was photo-matched to seven occasions during the 1996-1997 season.

Coming into the NBA, Bryant was a high school phenom at Lower Merion with his dynamic scoring and athleticism and the Lakers took a massive gamble on a teenager to change their franchise. Despite only averaging 7.6 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists in his rookie year, it did not take long for the Black Mamba to bring in hardware as he won the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest.

Ultimately, this jersey provides a memento to Bryant’s early career as he would go on to be a five-time NBA champion, win two Finals MVPs and cement himself as one of the greatest offensive players to ever play.

Sotheby’s auctioning first game-worn Kobe Bryant & Michael Jordan NBA jerseys​

When Kobe Bryant decided to retire in 2016, his perception as an offensive player garnered high remarks and even got compared to Michael Jordan due to their ability to take and make tough shots.

As Bryant was navigating through the early stages in the NBA, he would share plenty of encounters with Jordan. Both of their game-worn jerseys were put up in auction for a lofty price as they are two of the greatest offensive talents in league history. Bryant’s has now sold for $7 million, Sotheby’s announced.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...rn-jersey-sells-for-record-amount-in-auction/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Austin Reaves: Lakers Still Have Another Day To Fight

The Los Angeles Lakers had a chance to win both Games 3 and 4 on the road against the Minnesota Timberwolves but were not able to close it out in either contest, so they now face a daunting 3-1 series deficit.

In Game 4, L.A. had a double-digit lead in the second half and looked to be on their way to evening the series. JJ Redick opted to play the same five guys the entire second half, and it came back to bite them as Minnesota came back and hung on for the win. Austin Reaves had a chance to tie it with a corner triple at the buzzer, but it unfortunately rimmed out.

Winning three straight against this Timberwolves team will not be easy, but Reaves knows the series isn’t over, as seen on Spectrum SportsNet:

“Anytime you have an opportunity to go lace them up and play again, you’re not out of it. A lot of these games besides Game 1… could’ve gone our way if we made a couple more plays down the stretch. But we didn’t, dug ourselves in a hole. The sun will come up tomorrow and we still another day to fight.”

In Game 4, the Lakers had a 36-point third quarter to appear to take control of the game, outscoring the Timberwolves by 13 in the frame. Reaves discussed what they did well that they can replicate to find more success to get back in the series:

“I thought we did a lot of good in that third quarter. As you can tell, we outscored them by 13 and we just continued to get good looks. We gotta watch the film and see how we can do that almost every possession. You gotta have a good look almost every possession. Even in that fourth quarter, we had some good looks that we didn’t convert. I think I had two 3s that were basically wide open that I didn’t make. I think Bron had a layup, Luka had a layup. So you just gotta continue to fight and believe in yourself.”

The fourth quarter was the difference in both Games 3 and 4, so if Reaves and the Lakers want to make this a series, then they must figure out how to execute better to close out these games. They now have a couple of days to regroup before returning to Crypto.com Arena for Game 5 on Wednesday night.

Luka Doncic: Lakers need to ‘believe’ to erase 3-1 deficit​

Luka Doncic agreed with Austin Reaves that this series isn’t over and stressed the need for the Lakers to continue believing.

“It’s definitely disappointing, but nothing is lost. We haven’t lost nothing yet. It’s first to four wins and we just gotta still believe.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/austin-reaves-lakers-still-have-another-day-to-fight/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

NBA Admits To Costly Mistake In Lakers’ Game 4 Loss To Timberwolves

The Los Angeles Lakers find themselves in a 3-1 series deficit to the Minnesota Timberwolves after dropping both Games 3 and 4 in close ones on the road.

Game 4, in particular, was frustrating as the Lakers led almost the whole way but gave it away at the end. A key play in that was in the final minute when the Lakers had the ball trailing by one.

Luka Doncic was bringing the ball up the court when he appeared to be tripped by Jaden McDaniels. He fell to the floor just before half court, but no whistle was blown so he was forced to call timeout. There was 17 on the shot clock at the time, so L.A. had just one second to get it across the line after the timeout and wound up turning it over. Anthony Edwards then made a pair of free throws and Austin Reaves missed a game-tying triple at the buzzer, resulting in the three-point loss.

If the foul had been called then Doncic would have went to the line with a chance to give the Lakers the lead. They also would have kept the timeout they had to burn.

After the game, Lakers head coach JJ Redick was understandably upset as he felt a foul should have been called, via Spectrum SportsNet:

“Well let’s just start with Luka got tripped. That was a blatant trip, he doesn’t just fall on his own. We watched it, he gets tripped. So we should’ve been at the free throw line. That’s not an excuse for why we lost, but he got fouled and we had a chance to go up.”

Doncic also felt that he got tripped and the Lakers had to call a timeout as a result:

“I think I got tripped, for sure. We had to call timeout.”

The NBA released their daily Last Two-Minute Report on Monday and confirmed that Doncic was indeed fouled when he was tripped by McDaniels:

Not that it matters, but the L2M report confirmed that Luka Doncic was fouled by Jaden McDaniels on the trip. pic.twitter.com/MMgMtAzYwu

— Daniel Starkand (@DStarkand) April 28, 2025

This of course means nothing as they are not going to go back and replay the game. The Lakers still face a 3-1 series deficit and must win three straight to keep their season alive, starting with Game 5 at home on Wednesday night.

Regardless of how well the officials do though, the Lakers need to take it upon themselves to close out these contests as both Games 3 and 4 were there for the taking and they couldn’t get it done.

Rui Hachimura: Lakers must fix ‘little things’ late in games​

As far as how the Lakers can be better late in games, Rui Hachimura believes it comes down to doing the little things.

“I think we’re right there, we just gotta fix little things and we have to execute. Those last five minutes, six minutes whatever that is we gotta be more focused mentally, physically. We gotta be stronger, we gotta make those shots. So yeah we’re right there, we just gotta fix those.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/nba-admits-to-costly-mistake-in-lakers-game-4-loss-to-timberwolves/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

JJ Redick: Lakers Are ‘On Edge’ Heading Into Must-Win Game 5 Vs. Timberwolves

In what appeared to be a very promising first season for JJ Redick as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, they are now fighting for their lives facing a 3-1 series deficit to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round.

The inability to close out Games 3 and 4 despite leading late on the road has the Lakers in this spot, and now they must win three straight to keep their season alive.

Speaking with the media after practice on Tuesday, Redick discussed the mood of the team. “I would describe us as on edge, as we should be,” he said.

Redick added that his team cannot focus on the past or the future and can only think about winning on Wednesday.

“You have to play with a sense of desperation. You can’t change what’s already happened and you can’t feel sorry for yourself… Our focus is on Game 5. We have to win Game 5. And that’s been conveyed by the coaches, players. Tomorrow is a Game 7 for us,” Redick added.

In order to make that happen though, the Lakers can’t beat themselves, which has been a theme of the series up until this point.

“There’s a lot of stuff that we did defensively that is preventable,” Redick said. “In both games up there, I thought there was a lot of self-inflicted wounds.”

The Lakers have been in a tough spot before after dropping Game 1 at home to start the series. They bounced back and won Game 2, but Redick feels a 3-1 deficit is completely different.

“I think it’s a different situation when you go down 1-0 versus being down 3-1. I think it’s a different situation.”

Teams have come back from down 3-1 before, and although it isn’t easy, the Lakers can give themselves a chance by handling business in Game 5 to send the series back to Minnesota.

JJ Redick: Fatigue wasn’t factor for Lakers’ fourth-quarter struggles​

The Lakers had a chance to win both Games 3 and 4 on the road but were unable to close it out down the stretch both times. In Game 4, JJ Redick stuck with the same five players for the entire second half, but he doesn’t think fatigue played a factor in the fourth-quarter struggles.

“No. And you know what, looking back now, what have we scored, 19, 20, 13 in the fourth quarters? It’s a trend, more so than [fatigue]. Our two best players missed layups at the rim. I don’t think they missed layups because they were tired,” Redick said after practice on Tuesday.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/jj-redick-lakers-are-on-edge-heading-into-must-win-game-5-vs-timberwolves/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Shaquille O’Neal Named Men’s Basketball General Manager At Sacramento State University

There are very few NBA players, active or retired, that have more on their plate than Los Angeles Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal. The Hall of Fame big man can regularly be seen in commercials for The General and Icy Hot while also being a board member for Papa John’s and the President of Basketball at Reebok.

And of course, Shaq also remains part of “Inside the NBA,” arguably the best in-game studio show in all of sports. But O’Neal is always looking for more and with the change in collegiate sports across the country, many schools now require a general manager for their sports programs.

And Shaq is now jumping at the opportunity as the Lakers legend has agreed to become the man’s basketball general manager at Sacramento State where his son Shaqir plays, and where former Sacramento Kings point guard Mike Bibby is the head coach, via Shams Charania of ESPN:

Shaquille O'Neal has agreed to become the men's basketball general manager of Sacramento State, sources tell ESPN. It will be a voluntary role for Shaq, whose son, Shaqir O'Neal, also plays for Sac State under Mike Bibby. Shaq and Bibby form a star duo as college GM and coach. pic.twitter.com/3F2NQBbhf7

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 29, 2025

It is pretty funny to see Shaq and Bibby teamed up after all of the fierce battles the two waged against one another in the early-2000s when the Lakers-Kings rivalry was at its peak. Nonetheless, both are now on board in trying to turn this Sacramento State program around.

O’Neal’s son being there surely played a role in his decision, but Shaq has always been someone who takes his jobs and investments seriously and he would not have taken on this role if he wasn’t really committed. It won’t be easy, however, as the Hornets have just one winning season in their program’s history and won just seven games last season.

Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal explains why he was so hard on Dwight Howard​

The ongoing beef between Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal and soon-to-be Hall of Famer Dwight Howard finally seems to have come to an end as the former agreed to walk the latter out at his Hall of Fame ceremony. But the two continually exchanged barbs through the years and it seemed as if Shaq was a bit extra in his criticisms.

But Howard appeared on “The Big Podcast” with Shaq and the Lakers legend claimed that his goal was to make Howard hate him so that he would reach another level of dominance that he felt he was capable of.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...neral-manager-at-sacramento-state-university/