Lakers Notes: OKC Win, Defense, James, Doncic, DFS, Reaves, Bronny
The Lakers made a statement with their resounding victory over the Western Conference’s top team on Sunday, Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times writes. They hammered the Thunder, 126-99.
“We know it’s the final stretch into the full season, so we’re just trying to rack up great habits,” LeBron James said.
Luka Doncic had 30 points and six assists, while James contributed 19 points. They also made a season-high 22 three-pointers.
We have more on the Lakers:
- The Lakers’ defense was just as stellar as their offense on Sunday, as they held OKC 21 points below its average for the season. MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was limited to 26 points and didn’t get to the free throw line. “Defending the way we defended and holding this team under 100 with a [96] possession game, that’s elite defense. That’s gonna give you a chance to win every night,” coach JJ Redick said, per Khobi Price of the Orange County Register.
- It’s anyone’s guess which players will suit up for the rematch against the Thunder on Tuesday. James and Doncic are listed as questionable due to groin strains, while Dorian Finney-Smith and Austin Reaves are also questionable with ankle injuries. Price tweets. Gabe Vincent (knee) is a 50-50 proposition too, while Rui Hachimura (knee) is out.
- The Los Angeles Times’ Bill Plaschke says he was wrong to criticize the Lakers for drafting Bronny James. Plaschke notes Bronny averaged 22 points, five rebounds and five assists in his last 11 games with the G League’s South Bay Lakers. He scored 30 or more points three times at that level and showed he has the potential to develop into a legitimate NBA player.
Pacific Notes: Curry, Lakers, Beal, Clippers
Warriors star Stephen Curry did a little bit of everything in Friday’s win over Denver, including some coaching, writes Ron Kroichick of The San Francisco Chronicle. Holding a lead during a play stoppage late in the game, Curry motioned for coach Steve Kerr to reinsert Gui Santos to provide energy and defense. Kerr took the suggestion, and Santos helped close out a 118-104 victory.
“I was like, ‘OK, if he’s saying it, then I’m going in,’” Santos said. “When the game matters a lot, in the most important moments, Steph wants everything to be perfect. He sees everything.”
Several players expressed the same message about Curry after the game, which was the Warriors’ first regular season win over the Nuggets in more than three years. Curry’s attention to detail when it’s time for “meaningful basketball” is part of what has made him one of the greatest players in NBA history.
“There’s a completely different focus, but you see the focus everywhere,” Draymond Green said. “It’s not just once Steph steps on the court in the game. It’s in practice, it’s in his workouts. He’s on the phone talking: ‘Yo, we need to do this.’ He gets into the weeds around this time. We try to keep him out of the weeds all year, because it can be a bit exhausting. But he kind of knows when it’s time for him to get in the weeds, and that’s where he is right now. … You can see the look in his eyes from a mile away.”
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Coach J.J. Redick ran several actions involving LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves to finish off Friday’s win over New Orleans, per Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. The Lakers have started winning the minutes with their three stars on the court together, and Doncic believes their chemistry is improving. “Obviously, like we talk about, it’s still a work in progress,” he said. “We haven’t had many practices together, but I think we’re getting more comfortable, like you saw (on Friday). It’s getting better.”
- Suns guard Bradley Beal missed all seven of his shots from the field Friday at Boston, but he felt fine physically after returning to the lineup following an eight-game absence due to a strained left hamstring, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “Just getting back into a rhythm, getting back into the pace of the game,” Beal said. “Just got to be a little more aggressive. It was a little bit trying to feel my way into the game.”
- The Clippers are in playoff mode already as they try to climb into the top six in the West and avoid the play-in tournament, according to Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. L.A. has won 10 of its last 12 and entered tonight in a three-way tie for the sixth spot. “Everyone is treating every game like the playoffs. Honestly, it’s fun,” Ivica Zubac said. “I think what the NBA did with that play-in, I think it’s a really good thing. It’s very competitive and it’s been good. The last few weeks have been fun. You just kind of lock in, treat it as a playoff game, a must-win, and I’m sure other teams are like that too.”
Pacific Notes: Lakers, Redick, Beal, Carter
Saturday’s win over the Grizzlies in Memphis represented perhaps the best overall showing to date for the Lakers‘ trio of LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves. They combined for 85 points, 25 assists, and 21 rebounds, with Reaves (31 points, eight assists, seven rebounds) leading the way.
The performance came on the heels of head coach J.J. Redick gathering James, Doncic, and Reaves for a meeting on Saturday morning, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com.
“We challenged all three of them when we get to their three-man actions to play with a little more force and a little more thrust and a little more creativity,” Redick said of that meeting, noting that it paid immediate dividends. “We played as well as we’ve played so far, offensively.”
“I think the meeting was just still trying to build that chemistry amongst the three of us to help the team be successful,” Reaves added. “(Saturday’s game) just showed that when we play the right way and trust one another, especially offensively, we can have open looks on almost every possession. … It was really just a conversation about how bad all of us want to win and win at a high level.”
James, Doncic, and Reaves have all missed multiple games this month due to new health issues and/or management of old injuries, but they’ve all been available for each of the past five contests. While the Lakers lost the first of those two games, they’ve won two of the past three, with their only loss in that stretch coming on Josh Giddey‘s half-court buzzer beater on Thursday.
Here’s more from around the Pacific:
- Within a feature story about Redick, Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times writes that the first-year head coach has expressed a strong affinity for Los Angeles and hopes his job with the Lakers gives him a reason to remain there for the long term. “I’m not moving again. I’m not moving my kids again,” Redick said. “We’re in it for the long haul. I would love to be the Lakers coach for the next 15 to 20 years. If I’m not the Lakers coach, I’m in it for the long haul in L.A.”
- Suns guard Bradley Beal missed a seventh consecutive game on Sunday due to a left hamstring strain. As Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic writes, Beal is pushing hard in the hopes of returning to action sooner rather than later. “He wants to get back,” rookie guard Ryan Dunn said over the weekend. “He’s working his butt off.” Phoenix is 1.5 games back of a play-in spot and will be without leading scorer Kevin Durant for at least the next three games.
- Kings guard Devin Carter exited Saturday’s game against Orlando early after injuring his right shoulder (Twitter video link via Sean Cunningham of FOX 40 Sacramento) and had his right arm in a sling after the game, tweets Chris Biderman of The Sacramento Bee. Carter, who has a history of shoulder issues, has been ruled out for Monday’s game in Indiana due to a right shoulder contusion, tweets James Ham of The Kings Beat.
Lakers Notes: Playoff Picture, Goodwin, Koloko, Jemison, Bronny
“Devastation” is how coach J.J. Redick described the feeling after the Lakers let a lead slip away on Thursday and lost in Chicago on Josh Giddey‘s half-court shot at the buzzer (Twitter video link), writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. L.A. led by 18 points in the fourth quarter and was up by five with 12.6 seconds left, but couldn’t close out the game.
Patrick Williams hit a corner three-pointer for the Bulls with 9.8 seconds remaining, then Giddey stole a LeBron James inbounds pass that James called a “horrible turnover.” Coby White nailed a three to put Chicago in front, but Austin Reaves responded with a layup with 3.3 seconds left, setting the stage for Giddey’s heroics.
“It sucks,” Reaves said. “We probably had a high-percentage chance of winning after my layup went in. There’s not many half-court buzzer-beaters to lose a game. And it’s just, it’s frustrating.”
It’s a loss that could have huge playoff implications for the Lakers as the season winds down. L.A. dropped into a tie with the Grizzlies for fourth place at 44-29 ahead of a trip to Memphis on Saturday. Both teams are two losses ahead of the Clippers and Warriors and three losses ahead of the Timberwolves as the race for the six automatic playoff spots in the West becomes tighter.
“There’s another game in two days, less than two days, that’s how you do it,” James said. “That’s the NBA. You can’t go into a game on Saturday thinking about what happened on Thursday.”
There’s more on the Lakers:
- Jordan Goodwin had eight points, a steal and two blocks in his first game since being promoted to the 15-man roster. Speaking to reporters before Thursday’s contest, Redick cited “competitive spirit” and “toughness” as the main things Goodwin brings to the team, per Khobi Price of The Orange County Register (Twitter link). “I joked with him this morning, he can’t get soft on us now,” Redick said. “He’s been a banshee for us since he’s been with us on the two-way and has provided not just the attitude, the toughness on the court, but he’s played some really good basketball for us. We’re very confident in him.”
- Two-way players Christian Koloko and Trey Jemison could be battling for another promotion before the season ends, Jovan Buha of The Athletic states in his latest podcast (hat tip to BasketNews). Buha notes that Koloko is more of a rim protector, while Jemison contributes on both ends of the court. He expects both players to be given minutes over the final nine games to help the coaching staff determine who would be more valuable in a playoff series.
- Bronny James turned in his best G League performance this week with a 39-point outing for the South Bay Lakers, per Chuck Schilken of The Los Angeles Times. James admits being motivated by those who doubt that he can succeed at the highest level. “Just that I belong out there,” he said. “That’s all I’m trying to prove. A lot of people say I don’t, but I just come out, work every day, try to get better every day and prove myself every day. … All the criticism that’s thrown my way, it’s just amazing to shut all that down and keep going.”
Lakers Notes: Schedule, LeBron, Bronny, Redick
The Lakers were relieved to break even in an exhausting stretch of games over the past week, writes Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. The devastating wildfires that hit Los Angeles in January caused several games to be postponed until later in the season. That resulted in the team playing six times in eight days, with three back-to-backs.
“Big picture … feel good that you go 3-3 in this stretch,” coach J.J. Redick said. “It was going to be tough no matter what. The added game made it harder. I don’t think the game that exists today in the NBA and the modern NBA player is like (built to do this). I wouldn’t be either if this was what I came up in and this was the game that I had to play every night. It’s different than when I first started. You’re not built to play six games in eight nights. The game doesn’t allow you to play six games in eight nights. It’s just impossible. That’s why we, I don’t think, have four in five anymore.”
L.A. played without four of its starters in Thursday’s loss to Milwaukee as Redick, whose team was already short-handed due to injuries, tried to avoid overworking anyone. That game was originally set for Tuesday, but it had to be rescheduled when a San Antonio matchup from January 11 was moved to Monday. Rookie wing Dalton Knecht and two-way guard Jordan Goodwin were the only Lakers to play in each of the last six games.
“What our guys just went through, it’s difficult,” Redick added. “And the old heads are gonna talk about how physical it was in the (1980s) and (1990s) and that’s fine. But the level of physicality in our game and the way that the court has to be covered and all the movement, it’s tough. And I’m just glad to be on the other side of it and hopefully going forward we are healthy and can make a push here.”
There’s more from Los Angeles:
- LeBron James has been cleared to return for tonight’s contest against Chicago, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link). He sat out seven games with a groin injury he suffered two weeks ago. Rui Hachimura, who has missed the last 10 games with patellar tendinopathy, has also been upgraded to available, along with Luka Doncic, Dorian Finney-Smith, Austin Reaves, Jarred Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent, McMenamin adds (Twitter link).
- Bronny James offered some evidence that he can succeed at the NBA level during Thursday’s game, McMenamin states in a full story. With nearly half the roster unavailable, Bronny played 30 minutes and finished with a season-high 17 points on 7-for-10 shooting, along with five assists, three rebounds and a blocked shot. “Not surprised by tonight,” Redick said. “I think his confidence is growing. … I think the next step is just becoming an elite-conditioned athlete. Because when (he) does that, with his physical tools and his burst and his handle — and we think he’s going to be an above-average to really good NBA shooter — he’s going to have a chance to really make an impact.”
- Redick is proving he can handle the challenges of being an NBA head coach, contends Mirjam Swanson of The Orange County Register, who admits she was among the doubters when he was hired last June.
Lakers Notes: Luka, Reaves, Goodwin, Bronny, More
The Lakers will be shorthanded for Thursday’s matchup with Milwaukee, which is the second end of a back-to-back, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
In addition to LeBron James, who remains sidelined with a left groin strain, the Lakers will also be without superstar guard Luka Doncic, who continues to manage a sprained right ankle, sources tell McMenamin.
Austin Reaves will also be out tonight with his own right ankle sprain, the team announced, and Rui Hachimura will miss his 10th straight game due to left knee tendinopathy. Forwards Dorian Finney-Smith (left ankle injury management) and Jarred Vanderbilt (right groin strain) are listed as doubtful.
As McMenamin notes, Thursday will mark Los Angeles’ sixth game in eight days, including a recent makeup contest against San Antonio from January that was postponed due to the L.A. wildfires. Other than trying to secure a favorable seed entering the playoffs, Vanderbilt said the team is focused on its health.
“Getting healthy,” Vanderbilt said. “S–t, that would be No. 1. Getting healthy. Getting rest with this stretch. And try to get some reps together. The main thing is getting healthy so we can try to keep building our chemistry.”
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- The acquisition of Doncic has transformed L.A.’s offense in numerous ways, as Jovan Buha of The Athletic details. The 25-year-old has been developing burgeoning chemistry with both Reaves and Jaxson Hayes. “He creates such havoc for teams’ defenses that 90 percent of the time people are blitzing him, as you can probably see, and he makes the right play out of the blitz,” Reaves said. “He doesn’t try to force it too much in those situations, and he makes the right play. So therefore you’re playing four-on-three, and it just comes down to playing the game the right way and passing it to the open person, because three people can’t guard four.“
- In another story for ESPN.com, McMenamin outlines how the Lakers have improved over the course of the season on the defensive end. Having Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent healthy and trading for Finney-Smith helped, but L.A.’s supposed liabilities have also been punching above their weight. “Even their biggest defensive liabilities in Reaves, LeBron and Luka, who is only so-so, are playing well above their defensive standards,” a Western Conference scout told ESPN.
- Two-way guard Jordan Goodwin has been another impact defender for the Lakers. As we noted this morning, he only has four active games remaining. “I’m just trying to find any way possible just to keep the job, keep being here. It’s going to be doing the little things,” Goodwin told McMenamin. “We already got our stars so we need guys to come in and be the role players, do the dirty work. So, I’m cool with doing that if that’s what’s going to keep me in the NBA.”
- Although all three of the Lakers’ two-way players are nearing their active game limits, a source with knowledge of the team’s thinking told McMenamin that the Lakers aren’t in a rush to make decisions on the back end of their roster.
- In an interview with Joe Vardon of The Athletic, guard Bronny James says he’s confident in the progress he’s made during his rookie campaign, particularly at the G League level with South Bay. “I definitely think I’ve improved, not only as a player, but just having a different mindset as a player to go out and play my game and play the game that I know how to play,” James said. “I feel really good about it — I see the progress.”
L.A. Notes: Powell, Harden, Hayes, Lakers’ Offseason
The Clippers didn’t ask much from Norman Powell as he returned to the court Sunday night, but they didn’t need a big contribution from their leading scorer in a 35-point win over Charlotte, writes Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. Playing for just the second time since the All-Star break, Powell scored seven points in 22 minutes and Carr observed that the enthusiasm he displayed as he skipped onto the court showed his excitement to be playing again.
Carr notes that coach Tyronn Lue has found a way to keep the team successful without Powell’s 23.4 points per game. While he was sidelined, Lue focused the offense around Kawhi Leonard, Ivica Zubac and James Harden.
“(We were) understanding how we want to play through guys,” Lue said, “and I think we’re getting more comfortable playing through Kawhi, playing through Zu, and James is just James.”
L.A. has managed to stay in contention for an automatic playoff spot, trailing sixth-place Golden State by just a game and a half. Powell’s return comes at a good time as the schedule is about to get much tougher with home games this week against Cleveland, Memphis and Oklahoma City.
“We pretty much need to win these games,” Leonard said. “Obviously, James is playing at a great level, Zu too. They played great individual basketball, being efficient and (Bogdan Bogdanovic) being great as well, making threes. It’s just been a collective group of thinking, just making shots that have been helping us.”
There’s more from Los Angeles:
- Harden has a streak of 15 straight playoff appearances that dates back to his rookie season with the Thunder, Carr adds in a separate story. It’s the fourth-longest such streak in NBA history, but he’ll have to go through the play-in tournament to extend it if the Clippers can’t move into the top six.
- The Lakers also welcomed back an important player on Sunday as center Jaxson Hayes returned after missing the four-game road trip with a bruised right knee, per Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. Hayes tied his season high with 19 points while shooting 8-of-10 from the field, and Price notes that all his baskets came off assists from Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. “Just the vertical spacer is massive,” coach J.J. Redick told reporters before the game. “It’s not just in pick-and-rolls, but it’s on drives. Just the threat of that that Jaxson has provided has been so good for Luka, for LeBron (James), for (Reaves), so excited to get that back.”
- Finding another center will be an offseason priority for the Lakers, whether it’s someone to take over the starting role or serve as a backup to Hayes, Jovan Buha of The Athletic said on his latest podcast (hat tip to BasketNews). L.A. acquired Mark Williams from Charlotte before the deadline, but eventually rescinded the trade due to concerns about Williams’ physical condition. Buha also expects the team to try to work out extensions with Doncic and Reaves and to reach new deals with James and Dorian Finney-Smith. Doncic will become eligible in August for a four-year extension worth an estimated $228.6MM.
Pacific Notes: Sabonis, Kings, Lakers, Reaves, Suns, Plumlee
Friday’s loss to Phoenix was the latest in a string of ugly defeats for the Kings, writes Chris Biderman of The Sacramento Bee. The Kings were blown out for the third game in a row and have now dropped four straight and five of their past six.
“I expected a way better performance out of our guys,” interim head coach Doug Christie said to open his postgame press conference.
Opposing teams have been feasting from behind the arc of late against Sacramento, which gave up a season-high 24 three-pointers to the Suns and made only eight of their own. As Biderman notes in another story, things went from bad to worse in the fourth quarter, when star center Domantas Sabonis appeared to aggravate the left hamstring injury that had sidelined him for the past six games.
“I think he wanted to continue to play,” Christie said. “But (there’s) no conversation. Sit down. When I see you do that, I’m not even playing around with that one. You are way too important to us.”
The Kings, who are currently the No. 9 seed in the West, have dropped to .500 at 33-33 and are only one game up on Dallas and 2.5 games ahead of Phoenix as they vie for a postseason spot.
Here’s more from the Pacific:
- Prior to Friday’s game in Denver, Lakers head coach JJ Redick said that LeBron James, Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes all have a good chance to suit up within the next week, tweets Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet. “They’re all very close to returning,” Redick said. James has missed the past three games with a groin strain, while Hachimura and Hayes are battling knee injuries. The Lakers wound up losing their fourth straight game to conclude their road trip.
- Austin Reaves was a bright spot for the Lakers in their shorthanded road loss to the Nuggets, as Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times relays. Reaves wasn’t sure whether he’d play after injuring his right wrist on Thursday in Milwaukee, but he wound up recording 37 points, 13 assists, eight rebounds and four steals in 39 minutes. “We know when we’re full healthy and got everybody on the team that we have a really good chance to beat anybody,” Reaves said. “I just see this group, coming together, locking in on one common goal and that’s to win. And tonight I think is the biggest testament to that. Very shorthanded and went and played a really good basketball team with probably the best player in the world. And went toe to toe and had an opportunity to win it and just didn’t execute the last 50 seconds.”
- Suns star Kevin Durant credited the play and professionalism of Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro following Friday’s victory over Sacramento, according to Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports (Twitter video link). “It was incredible. … Love playing with those guys and it’s something we need to build on,” Durant said. “We’ve been talking about it for so long, but each game matters, every possession matters. They came out there with that type of mindset.” Both rookies have been in and out of the rotation over the past month.
- Suns backup center Mason Plumlee was ejected for the second straight game on Friday after elbowing Sabonis in the neck area (YouTube link via ESPN). The play was reviewed and Plumlee’s actions were deemed “unnecessary and excessive with contact above the shoulders,” leading to a flagrant 2 foul and automatic ejection. Plumlee was also ejected from Wednesday’s game vs. Houston after a brief scuffle with Steven Adams.
Lakers Notes: Vincent, Luka, LeBron, Reaves, Jemison
The Lakers rallied from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit before ultimately prevailing in overtime during Thursday’s victory over the Knicks. Los Angeles has now won eight straight and 20 of its past 24 games.
As Dave McMenamin of ESPN writes, while Luka Doncic and LeBron James each recorded 30-point double-doubles, both superstars credited the team’s supporting cast for the comeback victory. Gabe Vincent, who was limited to just 11 games last season due to a knee injury, made three three-pointers late in the fourth quarter. Doncic said those timely shots “won the game.”
“It’s part of why I’m here,” Vincent said. “Part of why I’m here is what I’ve done at those moments late in the season. So just try and take the experience I’ve had and built and just try to continue to keep up with winning games.”
The Lakers also received important contributions from rookie forward Dalton Knecht (11 points, four rebounds), starting center Jaxson Hayes (eight points, five rebounds, three assists, two blocks) and backup center Trey Jemison (seven points, four rebounds), McMenamin notes.
“There’s no such thing as non-key players on this team,” James said. “Everybody is key. And everybody who steps on the floor has a role and they go in and match that. And I thought our bench gave us a great lift once again and Gabe was — I’ll single him out — he was spectacular. His play both on the defensive end and obviously his shooting, we needed it.”
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- Jovan Buha and James L. Edwards III of The Athletic share their takeaways from Thursday’s matchup between the Lakers and Knicks. As we relayed in another story, the biggest news from the game was Knicks star Jalen Brunson suffering a right ankle injury in overtime.
- He struggled in the game, going just 2-of-13 from the field in 32 minutes, but it was a positive development that Austin Reaves was able to return from a right calf strain, per Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group. Reaves had missed the past two contests with the injury. “The imaging we got kind of relieved any fears we had,” head coach JJ Redick said before Thursday’s game. “It’s just been more about him feeling comfortable and ready to play. He’s just had an overall great season. He’s been solid – more than solid. He’s been really good through each iteration of this team this season. And I think the more time that him, Bron and Luka could just all be on the court together and get comfortable is good for us going into this home stretch.”
- Although it’s largely a coincidence, since they happened to sign him right when their hot streak began, the Lakers have yet to lose a game in which Jemison has appeared for them in 2024/25, tweets Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. Jemison, who is on a two-way contract, is a candidate to be promoted to the standard roster, as two-way players aren’t eligible for the postseason. The Lakers are now 13-0 when Jemison plays.
Lakers Notes: Doncic, LeBron, Reaves, Buss, Davis
Luka Doncic‘s elite play-making skills can take time to get used to, writes Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. Doncic has brought a new dynamic to the Lakers‘ offense since being acquired from Dallas last month, but it took a while for his new teammates to adjust to the unexpected passes he sometimes delivers.
“There’s a non-cadence to the way Luka plays, if that makes sense,” coach J.J. Redick explained. “A lot of offensive players have pre-programmed reads. He just does [expletive] that you’re like, ‘What, why did you do that?’ There was a blitz against our bench in the second half. Could have made one read, could have made another read, made the read that I would have picked last and we ended up getting the layup on it.”
The Lakers have scored 122.8 points per 100 possessions over their last three games as the team gets more comfortable with Doncic in charge of the offense. The biggest beneficiary has been LeBron James, who has averaged a team-high 27.2 PPG in the 10 games he has played alongside Doncic.
“In order for us to be the team ultimately we need to be, the ball needs to be in Luka’s hands,” James said. “And then when Luka sits down, the ball can be in my hands or be (Austin Reaves’) hands when he gets back. But I’m very comfortable playing off the ball and finding my spots, running the floor, getting the outlet pass from Luka, being on the backside of the defense if he’s either being blitzed in pick-and-rolls or switched in pick-and-rolls. He attracts so many eyes and bodies. I’ve been very blessed to be able to be adaptable to whatever team I’ve been on throughout my career, to be able to change. And this is another instance and I’m looking forward to that.”
There’s more on the Lakers:
- James reached another career milestone Tuesday night, becoming the first player in league history to score 50,000 combined points in the regular season and playoffs, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. James accomplished the feat on his first shot of the night and went on to score 34 points in a victory over New Orleans. “It’s a hell of a lot of points, and I’m super blessed to be able to put that many points up in the best league in the world with the best players in the world over my career,” James said in a post-game interview with Spectrum SportsNet. “It’s pretty special.”
- Reaves is listed as probable for Thursday’s matchup with New York after missing the last two games with a right calf strain, McMenamin tweets. After leaving Friday’s game early due to the injury, Reaves underwent an MRI on Saturday that didn’t reveal any serious damage.
- In a discussion of the Doncic trade during an NPR interview, Lakers owner Jeanie Buss referenced Anthony Davis‘ distaste for playing center and the team’s recent playoff frustrations as reasons for the deal. “We gave up a lot to get Luka Doncic. We’re happy we have him,” Buss said. “We have lost the last three years in a row to the Denver Nuggets in the playoffs, and we really didn’t have anything that was going to look different going into the playoffs again. Anthony Davis was complaining about where he was being played and he wasn’t happy. So I think this was a positive for both teams. They got what they were looking for; we got what we were looking for. And I didn’t realize it was going to be international news like it was, but that’s the power of the Laker brand and its ability to draw big names who want to write their own chapter in Lakers history.”