Rui Hachimura missed his first game of the season on Saturday in Milwaukee due to a sore left calf, an issue Lakers head coach JJ Redick said the starting forward had been dealing with “all week,” writes Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group.
“With a back-to-back, probably just smart to hold him out,” Redick said. “But I don’t think it will be a lingering thing. We’ll miss him. It feels like every game I’m coaching, it’s this way. So, nothing changes.”
Marcus Smart (viral illness) was also ruled out of Saturday’s game, with Bronny James and Jake LaRavia sliding into the starting lineup. It was James’ first start of the season and second of his career, Price notes. The 2024 second-round pick has been part of the rotation amid backcourt injuries this fall, though he only played 10 minutes against the Bucks, below his season average of 11.9.
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- Rookie forward Adou Thiero made his NBA debut in Saturday’s lopsided win, recording four points and one rebound in a little under five minutes of action. As Dave McMenamin of ESPN details, while the outcome of the game was never in question, there was a minor controversy after the final buzzer ended. Jarred Vanderbilt was holding the game ball to give it to Thiero for scoring his first career points, but apparently crew chief Pat Fraher had other plans, as he took the ball from Vanderbilt and gave it to a Bucks team attendant, telling players it belonged to Milwaukee. “[Fraher] said he’s going to write me up,” Vanderbilt told ESPN. “I don’t know what the hell he’s talking about. These refs, they just want to have their power or something, I don’t know. I don’t know what he was reaching for. That’s been a thing since way before I was in the league. What, was he going to take the ball home or something?“
- According to McMenamin, Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo intervened at center court, taking the ball from the attendant and handing it to Luka Doncic, who presented the ball to Thiero in the Lakers’ locker room. “At first I didn’t realize it was all for me,” said Thiero, who was selected No. 36 overall in June’s draft. “But I’m very thankful for this team. I think that shows how connected we are and how much we want each other to succeed.”
- LeBron James, who practiced two times with the team’s G League affiliate in recent days, could make his season debut as soon as Tuesday, McMenamin adds. The 40-year-old star has been recovering from sciatica on his right side.
- Before sending him to Dallas in February as part of the Doncic blockbuster, the Lakers quietly gauged trade interest in Anthony Davis last December, per Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. Siegel hears those December conversations centered around the possibility of dealing Davis during the 2025 offseason, not before the February trade deadline, but obviously things changed when the Lakers were presented with the opportunity to acquire Doncic.
I am just waiting for the press release of the Lakers hiring Nico as assistant GM, that would drive Maverick fans nuts!
We’ll see if these were Thiero’s last points of the season. In college, dude would get a hangnail and miss several games.
i just do not understand why Bronny is not in teh G league learning plays and getting better on offense? His offensive plays is just run to the corner and wait for the ball. He needs to learn positioning and rotations and being on teh bench playing a few minutes will never make him a better player.
To be fair on him, it’s Luka’s show. That’s hard to learn off the bat. Bronny is trash and is a Euro leaguer at best, but look at how the Lakers are running plays right now, it’s basically Luka or Reaves and Ayton screens for them. LaRavia is also being used as a primary source of offense. Tough for any undersized PG to break into that, especially when he has no elite tools.
my point is why isn’t he in the G league improving himself and becoming a complete player. He does have some talent but being a bench warmer is he going to improve? You need to get out there and play the game to improve at that young age. You are correct the plays are give Luka the ball and everyone feed off him. bronny passed up a few shots to only pass it back toward Luke last night. Wait until LeBron comes back there will be friction because he will want the ball in his hands.
The Bucks lineup around Giannis is just pathetic. Kuzma is awful and he’s part of their “big 3”?
They want Giannis out. Golden State beckons…we need Steph+Giannis…
Even Turner looked bad out there like he didn’t want to play agressive and just backed off on defense. Kuzma is a wasted player on teh Bucks. lakers defense was not great just let the Bucks miss shot after shot on wide open looks. Bucks had no defense on Luka he was just schooling them all night.
Steph Curry just put 46 and 49 on Wemby’s head in back to back games where the Warriors won both. And yall think Lebron was better? Nope. Never true. 2010-2012 Lebron when we all made fun of him for being a swagless loser was the real timeline. Curry was always better. Curry should have 5 MVPs and 4 FMVPs but does not because Lebron and Klutch media paid off writers to not vote for any Warriors, and especially not Steph.
If Smart is DPOY with a 1.7 DBPM why is Curry considered “bad” with the same number in 2014-15? Because of Lebron and Klutch media’s smear campaign against Curry and the Warriors.
KLUTCH Sports Group
United Talent Agency
https://www.unitedtalent.com › klutch
Founded in 2012 by CEO Rich Paul, KLUTCH Sports Group represents some of the world’s biggest athletes across major sports.
Real interesting how after 2012 all we ever heard was “Lebron #1 all-time” “Lebron GOAT” when we were all clowning him for going to Miami and losing finals, etc.