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[Los Angeles Lakers]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What’s next for the Lakers…​

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

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

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

JJ Redick Pleased Lakers Got Off To Good Start Against Pelicans

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Timberwolves’ Chris Finch takes jab at JJ Redick​

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

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

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

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

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What’s next for the Lakers…​

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

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

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

JJ Redick Quotes Jay-Z After Lakers Win Over Bucks

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Deandre Ayton excited about Lakers’ 10-4 start​

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

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

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

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

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

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

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

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

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

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

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 16, 2025

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

JJ Redick discusses how Lakers will reintegrate LeBron James​

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

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

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

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

LeBron James discusses sciatica recovery amidst impending return for Lakers​

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

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

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

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What’s next for the Lakers…​

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

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

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

JJ Redick Happy To Have LeBron James Back In Lakers Lineup

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: LeBron James Discusses How He Felt Physically In Season Debut

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James made his season debut in Tuesday night’s win over the Utah Jazz, becoming the first player in NBA history to play in 23 seasons.

James missed the first 14 games of the season due to a sciatica issue on his right side, but he took his time to get back to 100% and looked good in his first action of the year.

After the win, LeBron discussed how he felt physically on the court.

“Wind was a little shaky to begin,” James said. “Obviously, that was expected. As the game went on and on, my wind got a lot better, caught my second wind and caught my third wind. [My] rhythm is still coming back, obviously first game in quite a while almost seven months, so everything that happened tonight was unexpected. I think the pace versus a team like Utah, who play with a lot of pace, a lot of movement, a lot of cutting and things of that nature, tested us and tested me, obviously. I was happy the way I was able to keep up with the guys.”

James emphasized that getting into game shape is still a hurdle he needs to cross but expects to get closer and closer each game.

“My wind. My wind is important, obviously,” he added. “I mean, I don’t have to worry about chemistry-wise. We’re just a great group. Everybody enjoys being around each other, playing for one another, sacrificing for one another. So, get my wind, get my rhythm back.

“I missed a couple of chippies tonight that I’m used to making, but that will come with more games and more fun.”

James played 30 minutes against the Jazz and finished with a modest 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting to go along with three rebounds and 12 assists. The good news for him is that the Lakers don’t play again until Sunday, so the 40-year-old discussed his plan for recovery this week.

“Tomorrow’s our day off, so I’ll do a lot of rehab in the morning to keep going and a lot of recovery and things of that nature,” James said.

“Thursday’s practice, Friday’s practice, Saturday’s prior practice before we get on the flight. We will do what we need to do to keep it going and not overdo it. Obviously, we don’t want to overdo it right now, but we want to keep it going and see what happens. This doesn’t happen much when you get three or four days in between games, so we’ll take what matters. It was opening nights of sorts for you this year.”

LeBron James enjoyed being back on court with Lakers teammates​

LeBron James revealed that this is the first time he’s been hurt to begin the season, which was a challenge for him. He got past it though and enjoyed being back on the floor with his Lakers teammates.

“It was just fun to be out there with the guys,” he said. “Like I said, it’s been rough mentally for me. This is the first time I’ve started a basketball season and not played since I’ve started playing basketball at like nine years old. I’ve never missed the beginning of the basketball season. Just going through that physically, emotionally, spiritually and everything just testing me.

“Keeping my head down with the work and keeping my head up with faith, it’s gotten me to this point today. It’s just great. A lot of joy. You will probably see me smiling and talking a lot on the court today. Just being out with those guys is so fun.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-news-lebron-james-discusses-how-he-felt-physically-in-season-debut/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Jesse Buss Saw Writing On Wall But Says Jeanie Buss ‘Fired Everyone’ Within Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers are making some significant changes to their front office as they let go of Joey and Jesse Buss, as well as a majority of their scouting staff, on Thursday morning.

When Mark Walter originally bought a majority stake in the Lakers, the plan was for Joey and Jesse to remain in their front office roles.

In an interview with Dan Woike and Sam Amick of The Athletic though, Jesse made it clear that his sister Jeanie Buss, who is still the team’s governor and will be for the foreseeable future, was involved in these firings:

“She’s fired everyone,” Jesse Buss said of Jeanie Buss’ dealings with other family members who have worked for the organization.

Jesse added that he has started to see the writing on the wall that he was being pushed out as he was dealing with some health issues:

“I kind of felt siloed quite a bit, dating back to before, I guess, the 2023 draft,” Buss said by phone. “And I kind of didn’t think much of it, but you know, as time went on and there was a lack of communication between not only my sister and I, but you know, the organization as a whole — while I was combating various health issues,” he said. “I kind of felt like the writing was on the wall.

Jesse Buss has been dealing with an unspecified illness over the past few years and is currently receiving immunotherapy treatments.

“The sale of the team happening kind of more or less just solidified it in my mind,” Buss continued. ”And I just, more or less expected it. Obviously this is, you know, a job I’ve loved for a very long time. And I love this organization. I love the fans. I love the city of Los Angeles. It’s pretty much all I’ve known my entire life.”

When the Lakers’ sale went down, reports indicated the decision wasn’t unanimous among the Buss siblings. Joey and Jesse were against the sale, and now the drama that created within the family appears to have cost them their jobs as they shift their focus to their new sports acquisition business.

Joey and Jesse Buss release statement on Lakers firing​

When Joey and Jess Buss were notified of their firing, they took time to thank the Lakers organization.

“We are extremely honored to have been part of this organization for the last 20 seasons,” they said in a statement to ESPN. “Thank you to Laker Nation for embracing our family every step of the way. We wish things could be different with the way our time ended with the team.

“At times like this we wish we could ask our Dad what he would think about it all.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/jesse-buss...ays-jeanie-buss-fired-everyone-within-lakers/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Joey & Jesse Buss Terminated From Lakers Front Office Roles

The Los Angeles Lakers is currently undergoing significant changes with Jeanie Buss and her family selling their majority ownership stake to Mark Walter, the owner of the L.A. Dodgers.

With the sale, Walter is expected to keep Jeanie on as governor for at least the next five years while he takes his time to evaluate the franchise.

It appears there are some more imminent changes happening, however, as according to Shams Charania of ESPN, Jeanie’s younger brothers Joey and Jesse Buss have been terminated from their front office roles:

The Los Angeles Lakers are reorganizing their basketball operations department and terminating executives Joey and Jesse Buss from their respective front office positions, effective immediately, the brothers told ESPN.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 20, 2025

Joey and Jesse issued this statement to Charania on the change:

“We are extremely honored to have been part of this organization for the last 20 seasons. Thank you to Laker Nation for embracing our family every step of the way. We wish things could be different with the way our time ended with the team. At times like this we wish we could ask our Dad what he would think about it all.”

While they will no longer be working in the front office, Joey and Jesse will keep their minority ownership shares with the team:

Joey and Jesse Buss have had key Lakers scouting roles for the last decade, helping find players such as Austin Reaves, Kyle Kuzma, Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr. and Max Christie. The brothers will maintain their minority ownership shares within the Lakers.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 20, 2025

This comes as a surprise as it was previously reported that Joey and Jesse would be keeping their roles in the organization. They have done an exceptional job evaluating and scouting talent over the years, so this is a significant loss for the Lakers.

When the Lakers’ sale went down, it was reported that the decision was not unanimous among the Buss siblings with it being presumed that Joey and Jesse weren’t on board.

Both brothers held a variety of roles, but most recently Joey was the Lakers’ alternate governor and vice president of research and development and Jesse was the team’s assistant general manager. It remains to be seen who will be replacing them in those roles moving forward.

Joey and Jesse Buss launch sports acquisition business​

It was recently announced that Joey and Jesse Buss were launching their own sports acquisition business, so now that they are no longer involved in the Lakers’ front office they will likely shift their focus to doing that on a full-time basis.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/joey-jesse-buss-terminated-from-lakers-front-office-roles/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Rumors: Joey And Jesse Buss Voted Against Sale To Mark Walter

In order for the Los Angeles Lakers to be sold to Los Angeles Dodgers owner Mark Walter, there had to be a vote by the Buss siblings and a majority would have to vote yes in order to approve the sale. While they did get the majority vote needed, it was not unanimous as there were two dissenting votes.

At the time it was unknown which two siblings voted against the sale, but now with the news of Joey and Jesse Buss being fired from their front office positions, more news is beginning to leak out. Both Joey and Jesse were important pieces within the Lakers’ scouting department and, while they will still retain their minority shares in the franchise, they will no longer work within the organization.

Exactly what led to their dismissal is unclear, but according to Shams Charania of ESPN, it was Joey and Jesse who voted against the sale of the Lakers to Walter in that vote:

“Joey and Jesse Buss interestingly were the two siblings that voted against the $10 billion sale of the Lakers to Mark Walter.”

Of course, just because they were the two who voted against the sale it does not mean that this was the reason they were fired from their front office roles. It is very possible that Walter and Jeanie Buss simply felt that a shakeup was needed in the scouting department and there were four other employees let go as well. But the optics of this are sure to raise a few eyebrows.

Scouting has been a strength of the Lakers for the past few years with the team drafting very well for the most part with the likes of Ivica Zubac, Larry Nance Jr., Josh Hart, Jordan Clarkson and Max Christie all being great finds in the late-first or early-second round of the draft, not to mention undrafted finds like Austin Reaves and Alex Caruso.

Regardless, it is Walter’s Lakers now and the franchise under his leadership made the move they felt was necessary for the betterment of this organization.

Jesse Buss feels Lakers need a new vision under Mark Walter​

There don’t seem to be any hard feelings towards Mark Walter from Jesse Buss as he spoke highly of the Lakers owner. In fact, Jesse feels the Lakers are in great hands under Walter and feels the franchise needs a new vision with him in charge now as he doesn’t believe they would see the success they are known for under the previous leadership.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-rumors-joey-and-jesse-buss-voted-against-sale-to-mark-walter/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Rumors: Dodgers’ Andrew Friedman & Farhan Zaidi Have Taken On Advisory Roles

The Los Angeles Lakers are officially majority-owned by Mark Walter, after the sale from the Buss family was approved by the league and finalized at the beginning of the 2025-26 season. That means it’s only a matter of time before Walter begins making structural changes to the Lakers to run them how he sees fit. And part of those changes will be bringing in some of his own people.

Jeanie Buss and Rob Pelinka are still the two — in name — at the helm of the Lakers basketball operations. They made a major change earlier this week in terminating the contracts of Joey and Jesse Buss, as well as a majority of the scouting department.

Behind the scenes, Walter has also been making some changes of his own, bringing in two familiar faces — L.A. Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman and former Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi — in as advisors, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN:

Farhan Zaidi and Andrew Friedman, two key executives with the Los Angeles Dodgers, have begun playing advisory roles with theLos Angeles Lakersas part of the ownership transition from the Buss family to Mark Walter, multiple sources told ESPN.

Zaidi, currently a special adviser to the Dodgers and renowned for his analytics background, is functioning as Walter’s representative in helping with the transition, sources close to the situation said.

Friedman, who currently acts as the president of baseball operations with the Dodgers, has played a lesser role. He mostly consults with Lakers president of basketball operations, Rob Pelinka, sources said. Friedman has helped the Dodgers win three of the last six World Series.

When Walter was announced as the buyer of the majority shares of the Lakers, fans were immediately hopeful that the organization would one day operate similarly to the Dodgers. L.A. has won back-to-back World Series, showing a willingness to spend not only at the Major League level, but in all phases to build an extremely strong organizational structure.

That level of elite competency has not necessarily been shown by the Lakers over the last decade-plus, meaning Walter could usher in a new era of Lakers basketball with Luka Doncic at the helm. And bringing in Zaidi and Friedman as advisors is an incredible step towards that. According to recent reports, Friedman had already build a relationship and was consulting with Pelinka going back to the summer. And when Zaidi returned to the Dodgers organization last year, the plan was for him to help Walter with his other sports ventures, which now obviously includes the Lakers.

Those are two of baseball’s best minds when it comes to roster construction, scouting and many of the most important facets in building a sports franchise. It will be interesting to see what type of influence they have on the Lakers, especially considering they still maintain their roles with the Dodgers and that will be their first priority.

Buss family drama continues to rise in Lakers ranks​

The Lakers have not played a game since Tuesday and won’t play one again until Sunday. But that certainly hasn’t stopped them from being atop the NBA news cycle. On Thursday, it was announced that the Lakers were parting ways with Jesse and Joey Buss, as well as a majority of the franchise’s scouting team, in a move that appears to be spearheaded by Jeanie Buss with approval from Mark Walter.

It’s yet another saga in the family drama that has been the Buss family in the 12 years since Dr. Jerry Buss passed away. Jeanie notably got her brother Jim fired from his role as Vice President of Basketball Operations with the Lakers, replacing him and Mitch Kupchack with Rob Pelinka and Magic Johnson. Pelinka has stayed with the organization ever since and has been the primary basketball decision maker alongside Jeanie.

But it also appears that this firing of Jesse and Joey — who had done remarkable work leading the scouting team over the last decade-plus — was brewing for quite some time, only for Jeanie to pull the trigger on Thursday. In fact, Jeanie and Jesse haven’t been on speaking terms for quite some time now.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-rum...an-farhan-zaidi-have-taken-on-advisory-roles/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Video: Adou Thiero Shines In G League Debut For South Bay

The Los Angeles Lakers welcomed back 2025 second-round pick Adou Thiero to the mix last week. He had missed the first 13 games of the 2025-26 season recovering from knee surgery — a hyperextension he suffered last season — and was activated for L.A.’s win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Thiero is not expected to be a major contributor at the NBA level this season, but his combination of athleticism, defensive prowess and finishing at the rim are all intriguing skillsets that could help him become a legitimate rotation player sooner than the average second-round pick.

But while he still gets his legs under him from all the time he missed, Thiero is going to have some runs with the South Bay Lakers in the G League. He was sent down earlier this week with the Lakers having four full days off and South Bay having a game against the Santa Cruz Warriors on Friday night.

Thiero started for South Bay in that game — alongside some other familiar names in Bronny James, Nick Smith Jr., Christian Koloko and Drew Timme — and impressed in all phases. He finished with 19 points, four rebounds and three steals on 5-of-9 shooting in only 19 minutes of action:

Adou Thiero tonight doing it all:
19 PTS | 4 REB | 1 AST | 3 STL pic.twitter.com/V6lEzo3o6P

— Laker Performances (@LALPerformance) November 22, 2025

Timme, Smith and James all had strong performances of their own as South Bay got the big win to move to 4-1 on the season. But Thiero’s was truly the standout. To lead the team in scoring despite playing less than 20 minutes — and significantly less minutes than the other double-digit scorers — shows an efficiency that he can bring when playing within his game.

The Lakers could arguably use more wing defense and more high-energy players. They have struggled in transition so far this year on both ends of the floor, and their defense looks to be about as expected, which doesn’t bode well for a deep playoff run.

While Thiero may not be a total fix, he could provide some assistance once he gets some more minutes under his belt. Over the course of the regular season, it may not be surprising to see Thiero get some meaningful run in some of these Lakers games after the way he has started the year.

JJ Redick: Lakers must clean up turnover issues​

The Lakers have gotten off to a strong start this season, due in large part to what has been a very good offense. Led by Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, the Lakers have consistently gotten excellent looks and for the most part, have executed the system designed by head coach JJ Redick and his coaching staff.

The Lakers have been extremely efficient, leading the NBA in field goal percentage and true shooting percentage while ranking second in effective field goal percentage. But despite their overall efficiency, the Lakers are just outside of the top 10 in offensive rating and Redick knows the culprit and the thing this team needs to fix most is their turnovers.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-video-adou-thiero-shines-in-g-league-debut-for-south-bay/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: LeBron James Congratulates Chris Paul On Retirement Announcement

When Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James plans to retire remains a mystery, but the end is certainly nearing as he begins his 23rd season. However, he is still playing All-NBA caliber basketball and shows no signs of slowing down.

It is certainly plausible that James decides to return next season to play in his 24th year, but that decision remains far away. At this point, winning is what matters and the motivation to capture his fifth ring keeps him going at 40-years-old.

To demonstrate James’ longevity, his closest friends have essentially all retired as he continues to battle against the new generation of NBA stars. One being Chris Paul, who is calling it a career after this season and the Lakers star showed his respect on social media, via Dan Woike of The Athletic:

LeBron James salutes Chris Paul pic.twitter.com/P22L6uZdDC

— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) November 22, 2025

Paul is in the midst of his 21st season with the Los Angeles Clippers, where he spent the majority of his prime. When he is officially retired, he will be a Hall of Famer and fans see him as one of the greatest playmaking point guards ever.

Along with being a 12-time All-Star, Paul is a five-time assist champion, 11-time All-NBA nominee, nine All-Defensive team selections and winning Rookie of the Year in 2005-2006. A main criticism of his career is that he never won a title, but was a part of great teams with the Clippers and Houston Rockets.

James and Paul shared numerous battles throughout their respective careers but also carry a great friendship. The Lakers and Clippers will play four times this season, so there should be a few more battles between them.

Luka Doncic: Sharing court with LeBron James on Lakers is ‘special’​

At this stage of LeBron James’ career, he is at a point where current players grew up idolizing him as they developed their love of basketball. Luka Doncic was on of those as he believed James was one of the greatest players ever and the 23-year veteran shared mutual respect back.

Fast forward and both of them are now teammates and Doncic gets to learn alongside him during the final year or years in the NBA. Despite only playing a limited amount together, the Slovenian star thinks sharing the court with James is special and hopes they can contend for a championship this season under both of their leadership.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...ulates-chris-paul-on-retirement-announcement/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: JJ Redick Talks Evolution Of Relationship & Legacy Of Chris Paul

JJ Redick has made a seamless transition from playing 15 years in the NBA to now coaching the Los Angeles Lakers.

Despite no previous coaching experience, Redick won 50 games in his rookie season and now has the Lakers off to a good start once again.

Redick has gotten to play and coach a number of great players over the years, one of them being Chris Paul who announced he will be retiring at the end of this season.

Redick and Paul were teammates during their time with the L.A. Clippers, more known as the Lob City era with Blake Griffin and Deandre Jordan.

When asked about his thoughts on Paul’s retirement, Redick detailed what he thinks his legacy will be once he steps away from the game of basketball after this season.

“It will be whatever people decide it as,” Redick said. “I’m not going to craft a narrative, I just know him as a human being, a teammate and a brother. The arc of our relationship is very interesting from going to a decade plus of quite literally hating each other to feeling like he is a part of my family. Getting to watch him evolve as a player, as a competitor, as a leader in the later stages, particularly after I retired has actually been really fun for me. It’s rare that you see guys who have accomplished as much as he accomplished to grow in the ways that he grew, both as a player and a person. We used to talk about this on the Clippers all the time, squeezing the juice out of a possession and he was the master at that. He squeezed the juice out of every possession and that’s the micro version of him is just manipulating the game, thinking the game, squeezing the juice out of every possession. He squeezed the juice out of his career, he’s done that for over two decades and it’s remarkable for a player his size to be able to compete at that level for so long and so consistently. The game will miss him, I’ll say that. The game will miss him and I’m sure he’ll have some amazing opportunities in retirement.”

As Redick mentioned, he and Paul used not to see eye to eye and were enemies early on. The Lakers coach spoke about what led to seeing Paul in a negative light early on in his NBA career and how they great close after becoming teammates.

“My rookie year, I was in a suit and this is when we hated each other,” he continued. “And he came over during a dead ball, he was in the left corner and I was behind the bench. He was like, ‘Yeah, this is a lot different from college, isn’t it JJ?’ And I said, ‘I f—king hate that guy.’ We had our battles. When I was his teammate, what I loved the most was our non-verbal synergy. And it is hard to capture that in a single play or a single moment. But, I always talk about teams feeling like an organism that function together and when a team is really functioning together, there’s a connective tissue to that. I don’t think there was a player that I played with that I felt more of a connective tissue than Chris Paul.”

Paul had a fierce competitiveness and it showed on the court throughout his 20-plus seasons in the NBA. Even though he and Redick had their differences at first, it is great to see how their relationship has matured and grown over time.

JJ Redick challenging Austin Reaves to step up as leader​

After his long NBA career playing with some greats, JJ Redick knows what a leader looks like. With the likes of LeBron James and Luka Doncic on the roster, Redick is still challenging Austin Reaves to embrace a leadership role as he continues his positive trajectory.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...is-evolved-relationship-legacy-of-chris-paul/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Recap: Lakers Return To Action & Hang On To Beat Jazz

After a rare span on four days off, the Los Angeles Lakers were back in action on Sunday night as they traveled for a rematch with the Utah Jazz.

The Lakers beat the Jazz in L.A. earlier in the week and were looking to do so on the road with their full roster healthy and available to start. Despite the long layoff, the Lakers did indeed take care of business with a 108-106 victory to improve to 12-4 on the year.

In the second game of his 23rd season, LeBron James was looking spry early with a dunk in transition to kick things off. He then had a sweet dish to Austin Reaves for a layup before Luka Doncic started going to work.

Turnovers have been an issue for the Lakers to start the season and that continued early, although Doncic led a 10-0 run to get them back on track and L.A. led 32-30 at the end of the first.

The Jazz regained the lead to start the second, but James went into attack mode and created some easy buckets for himself and teammates. Doncic then returned and created some magic with by throwing the ball threw Kevin Love’s legs in transition and then to Jaxson Hayes for an alley-oop.

After a triple by Rui Hachimura to close the half, the Lakers took a 62-55 lead into the locker room.

Deandre Ayton was dealing with a right knee contusion and was ruled out for the night, so Jaxson Hayes started the third quarter in his place and kicked off the scoring with a three-point play. The Jazz responded with a run though as the Lakers called timeout trailing 72-68.

Doncic, James and Reaves scored all of the Lakers’ points in the final 10 minutes of the third quarter, regaining the lead at 84-81 heading into the fourth.

The Jazz continued to hang around as the Lakers found themselves in a dog fight. Doncic had enough though as he went back to work from the midrange and then from deep to extend the lead to double digits.

Utah refused to quit though as back-to-back buckets by Lauri Markkanen got their deficit down to just four in the final couple of minutes. After a miss by James, Markkanen hit another triple and all of a sudden the deficit was one.

The Lakers again didn’t score, but this time Markkanen missed despite getting a good look from midrange. It wasn’t over yet though as Doncic missed a free throw to give Utah one final look.

Keyontae George was defended well so had to force one up from the corner, but he missed and the Lakers hung on to win.

What’s next for the Lakers…​

The Lakers will now return home and wrap up Emirates NBA Cup group play on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Clippers and Friday against the Dallas Mavericks.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/recap-lakers-return-to-action-hang-on-to-beat-jazz/