Lakers Notes: Game 3 Comeback, Smart, Reaves, Bronny
The Lakers hold a 3-0 lead in their series with Houston after pulling off one of the most remarkable comebacks in their long playoff history, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Trailing by six points with less than 30 seconds remaining, L.A. rallied to tie the game before claiming a 112-108 win in overtime.
Marcus Smart made a game-changing play by picking off a pass from Jabari Smith Jr. in the backcourt with 27.8 seconds left. He immediately shot an errant three-pointer, but sank all three free throws after being fouled by Jae’Sean Tate.
“It was a smart play,” said Smart, who had five steals in the game. “My vet savvy. Been in the league for 12 years. I picked up some tricks.”
On the next possession, LeBron James knocked the ball away from Reed Sheppard, then drilled a three-pointer after Rui Hachimura passed it back to him.
The Lakers became the second team in the past 30 years to win a playoff game after trailing by six or more points in the final 30 seconds of regulation, McMenamin notes. They are remarkably on the verge of sweeping a series with Luka Doncic (left hamstring) and Austin Reaves (left oblique) sidelined by injuries.
“The last week of the season, the last thing you would want or even want to imagine or think about is, s–t, two of your best players going down with injuries and not being ready for the postseason,” James said. “So it was a shift for all of us, it’s challenging for all of us … and we’re figuring it out together on the fly.”
There’s more on the Lakers:
- In its Last Two Minutes Report, the NBA determined that Smart stepped over the line before the ball hit the rim on his final free throw and should have been whistled for a lane violation, McMenamin adds in a separate story.
- Reaves is listed as questionable for Sunday’s Game 4, per Khobi Price of The California Post (Twitter link). Reaves was also questionable for Game 3 and wound up not playing.
- Bronny James admitted being nervous when he made his 2026 playoff debut in Game 1, but he’s getting more comfortable as the series wears on,
Lakers Notes: Kennard, James, Bronny, Game 1
Luke Kennard was brought to the Lakers to be a shooting specialist, but in Game 1 of Los Angeles’ series against the Rockets, with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves sidelined, he stepped up as the hero of the game, Benjamin Royer writes for the Southern California News Group.
Kennard scored 27 points, his career playoff high, while hitting all five of his three-pointers, including the dagger that put the game away. His previous postseason high was 21 points, which he recorded in the 2019 playoffs.
“It’s one of the greatest feelings for sure, to have that — to know they’re (cheering) for you and your team, and you know you did something special to help this team win,” Kennard said.
Kennard added that the play-making role he has taken on with Doncic and Reaves out isn’t entirely unprecedented for him, noting that he occasionally took on similar responsibilities earlier in his career.
“I’ve been in situations like this, maybe not at this level, but I have played in the playoffs where I’ve been a play-maker, and had the ball in my hands once, but it was a long time ago,” he said. “And I think now, everything kind of leading up to now – I’ve been prepared for moments like this, and I’m going to, you know, hopefully take advantage of it and and try to help as much as I can to lift everybody up.”
We have more from the Lakers:
- With L.A.’s two offensive engines sidelined, LeBron James opened Game 1 by handing out eight assists in the first quarter, the most he has registered in any playoff quarter during his 23-year career, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin writes. James finished the game with 19 points, 13 assists, and 8 rebounds. “I got to do a little bit of everything,” said James. “It’s what the job requires. So being a triple threat, being able to rebound, being able to pass, being able to shoot and also defend and put myself in position where I can bring value to this ball club, bring value to this team throughout this series.”
- Bronny James played just four minutes in the nine-point victory and didn’t record a positive stat, but his presence was still historic, making him and LeBron the first father-son duo to play together in a playoff game, Law Murray writes for The Athletic. Bronny wasn’t a rotation regular for most of the season, but with a thin backcourt, head coach JJ Redick turned to him briefly for his energy and defense.
- There were two things Redick said the Lakers needed to do against the Rockets: not turn the ball over and rebound. They did neither of those things in Game 1, committing 20 turnovers and giving up 21 offensive rebounds, but still came away with the victory, The Athletic’s Dan Woike writes. Instead, they relied on keeping their composure and letting their lone star, James, organize the offense.
Lakers Notes: Smart, LeBron, Bronny, Schedule, Ayton
The Lakers are big underdogs in their series against the Rockets due to the injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. At least initially, that could work to the Lakers’ advantage, according to guard Marcus Smart.
“It’s going to take everybody,” Smart said, per Greg Beacham of The Associated Press. “With that, it’s a different style of play, and I don’t think it’s something that Houston has prepared for. To be fair, they haven’t seen us without those guys. When they’re playing us, they’ve always played us with them. They’ve always had a matchup and game plan for them, and it’ll be interesting to see how they play us without them.”
In any case, Smart says his team will put up a fight, regardless of playing shorthanded.
“We’re competitors,” he said. “They’re going to try to come in and punk us, and if you will allow that, you will be punked. I don’t think we have any guys that are going to be punked on this team. We might not be the most athletic and the strongest, but we’ve got to have the most heart.”
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- LeBron James and son Bronny James will share the floor at times during the series. Bronny has carved out a rotation role due to the backcourt injuries. “Me being on the floor with him, it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me in my career, above everything that I’ve accomplished,” LeBron said to Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “So, the fact that he’s put himself in a position to get his number called for a postseason game is pretty remarkable and pretty cool given the circumstances that he’s been given the last couple years. He earned it, he deserves it, and he’ll be ready.”
- If the Lakers can make it a series, they could get Doncic and/or Reaves back at some point. The playoff schedule works in the Lakers’ favor, with two days off between multiple games, Dan Woike of The Athletic tweets — despite starting on Saturday, the series could stretch to May 3, the latest possible Game 7 date. “The mindset for our team and for those two guys, like we’re gonna try to make this season as long as possible so that we can get those guys back at some point,” coach JJ Redick said. “We don’t know what that is, and that’s just our job. And their job is to do everything they can to be in a position to come back at some point. It may not work, but that’s what we’re trying to do.”
- Deandre Ayton will be making his first playoff appearance since 2023. The Lakers big man knows he’ll have to ramp up his production. “I can play hard on offense. I can play hard on defense,” he said, per Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. “So, that’s just really my goal — running the floor always and closing out possessions with rebounds and protecting the rim. So, just trying to enhance everything I can coming into the playoffs.” Redick says the team can play at an elite level when Ayton is productive. “The whole season for him has been about finding consistency,” he said. “When he’s at his best, we’re an elite basketball team. That’s just the reality. He raises our ceiling so much — and it’s on both sides of the ball.”
Pacific Notes: Doncic, Jackson, Harris, Gillespie
If Lakers star Luka Doncic can’t play the remainder of the regular season — which seems likely due to his hamstring injury — he would be the first scoring leader to not make an All-NBA team since 1976, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.
Doncic needs to play in one more game to reach the 65-game threshold for All-NBA consideration. The star guard is averaging 33.5 points per game, nearly two more than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (31.6), who’s second in the league. In 1976, Bob McAdoo won his third consecutive scoring title and was second in the MVP race but didn’t make All-NBA.
On a related topic, Doncic’s absence will test the team’s depth, Thuc Nhi Nguyen of the Los Angeles Times points out. Marcus Smart has missed the last six games with an ankle sprain, though he could return this weekend. Bronny James could see his backcourt role expand in Doncic’s absence.
Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- The Clippers, who are already dealing with a number of frontcourt injuries, may not have Isaiah Jackson for the rest of the season. Jackson has a high ankle sprain and will not join the team on its road trip. He will be out at least one week, Janis Carr of the Orange County Register tweets.
- The Kings’ NBA G League GM, Gabriel Harris, is heading to the college ranks, as he’ll be named the University of Memphis Tigers’ general manager, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets. Harris and the Stockton Kings won the 2025 G League championship.
- Collin Gillespie, who is headed to free agency this summer, set the Suns’ franchise record for three-pointers in a season on Thursday night, according to The Associated Press. Gillespie set the mark in the second quarter of the Suns’ 127-107 loss to the Hornets. He made his 227th three-pointer from the wing, surpassing the record of 226 threes, set by Quentin Richardson in the 2004/05 season. “It’s a great accomplishment,” Gillespie said. “And I’m extremely grateful and thankful to everybody here for helping me, but at the end of the day, it doesn’t really mean much right now with the loss.”
L.A. Notes: Garland, Lopez, LeBron, Bronny, Lakers
As far back as last summer, Darius Garland figured he wouldn’t be playing for the Cavaliers much longer. His premonition came true this winter when the high-scoring guard was dealt to the Clippers, according to Jared Weiss of The Athletic.
“It’s a new chapter of my life,” Garland said. “(Agent) Rich (Paul) talked about it even last summer, before it happened, (saying) it’s probably going to be our last year there. So, I was ready for it. I knew it was going to come sooner or later. So, when it happened, I was like, ‘Let’s just do it. Let’s rock out.’”
Garland is averaging 21.3 points and 7.0 assists per game in his first 13 outings with his new team.
“It’s like a new breath of life, like a revamp,” Garland said. “Being around the guys makes it a lot easier because they’re so welcoming. Everybody’s super silly. Everybody’s talkative. My first day there, they were holding their arms out, for real, like, ‘Welcome.’ A lot of big brothers on this team.”
Garland is wrapping up the third season of a five-year, $197.2MM contract.
Here’s more on the Los Angeles teams:
- Milwaukee rolled out a tribute video for Brook Lopez when the Clippers center returned to the team on which he won a championship. “I mean, I pointed to the crew but obviously the banner, too,” Lopez said, per Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “A lot of good memories here. I appreciate the love and support. I think we had fun tonight.” Lopez had eight points and seven rebounds in the Clippers’ 14-point win on Sunday.
- LeBron James and son Bronny James had a special moment against the Nets on Friday. The Lakers teammates recorded the first assist from a father to a son in NBA history. Bronny referred to it as a “special moment with us two,” adding that there’s “a lot more to come down the road,” per Benjamin Royer of the Orange County Register. “Well, I just think just not take it for granted and just being in a moment of us being on the floor once again, that’s two games back to back, playing meaningful minutes,” LeBron said. “I got doubled and he was able to fake the pass to the corner and then knock down the three. So definitely a cool moment for us and also for the family.”
- A much-needed two-day break on the Lakers’ schedule allowed them to rest up for today’s game against the Wizards. Luka Doncic will serve his one-game suspension after picking up his 16th technical foul of the season. “Yeah, for me, I think, based on all of them wanting to come in at 10 a.m. on a Sunday, I think it is as much mental and spiritual and emotional,” Lakers coach JJ Redick told Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times after practice. “We didn’t want to have these guys in here long today. But we got a lot done, watched some film and cleaned some stuff up. But there is these two days for us. It’s a great reset for us.”
Lakers Notes: Luka, Hachimura, Ayton, Smart, Bronny, LeBron
Lakers superstar Luka Doncic might miss Friday’s game against Brooklyn — he has been listed as questionable due to left hamstring soreness, per Dan Woike of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Doncic has appeared in 61 of the Lakers’ 73 games thus far in 2025/26. He needs to play 20-plus minutes in four of the team’s final nine games to qualify for major postseason awards like MVP and All-NBA.
It’s a little concerning that Doncic is dealing with another soft-tissue injury, but the fact that the 27-year-old is listed as questionable instead of out — and that he’s dealing with soreness and not a strain — suggests it may not be a serious issue. Additionally, the Nets have lost nine straight games and 19 of their past 21, so if Doncic has to miss a game, Friday’s contest may be the right one to sit out.
While Doncic was downgraded to questionable after playing in 19 straight games, the opposite is true for Rui Hachimura, who was upgraded to questionable after missing the last two games due to a right calf injury.
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- Starting center Deandre Ayton is not on tomorrow’s injury report after he sat out Wednesday’s win at Indiana due to a back issue, notes Dave McMenamin of ESPN (via Twitter). Fellow starter Marcus Smart will miss his third consecutive game due to a right ankle contusion.
- Head coach JJ Redick and Austin Reaves discussed Smart’s impact on the Lakers following Monday’s loss in Detroit, per Benjamin Royer of The Southern California News Group. Reaves praised Smart’s unselfishness, defense and intensity, referring to the 12-year veteran as the team’s “glue guy.” Redick said Los Angeles is focused on being as healthy as possible entering the playoffs, Royer adds. “That’s important for us, that we can get healthy and we can play our rotation,” Redick said Monday night. “Post-Luke (Kennard) trade, I think when all nine guys have played, we’ve been a good basketball team. … You need Smart for his ball-handling, you need Smart for his defense, you need Rui for his shooting. Those pieces are important to complement everybody. And you know, we need to finish the season strong, but we also need to finish the season healthy.”
- With Smart, Hachimura and Ayton out on Wednesday, reserve Bronny James got a chance to play rotation minutes and contributed four points, two steals, one block, one rebound and one assist in 13 minutes. The second-year guard, who is having a strong regular season in the G League with South Bay, has been a standout in stay-ready games for several weeks, Redick said after the victory (story via Royer). James also played alongside his father LeBron James for just the second time this season. “I’m not really thinking about it,” Bronny said. “Just thinking about what I can do to impact the game and pull out a win. I’ve been around him and basketball at the same time for a while now, so it’s not that special. The first couple times were of course, but it’s my second year now. And I’m just trying to prove myself and get better as a player.”
- While Bronny downplayed the moment, LeBron relished it, saying he was “super proud” of his son, according to Woike of The Athletic. Bronny’s suffered cardiac arrest during a July 2023 workout with USC, but he has gradually rebuilt his confidence the past few years after the life-altering incident. “Real, meaningful minutes. I couldn’t dream of better. I couldn’t dream of something better than that. Just couldn’t,” LeBron told The Athletic. “For him to go out and, you know, I mean obviously he’s… he’s shown over this — almost two years, year and a half — his progression. And why he belongs in this league. And what he can do in this league. So, for the coaching staff to trust him tonight, and for him to have significant playing time and make … make plays — and for me to be out there on the floor with him — that’s … I couldn’t, I couldn’t dream of a better feeling than that. I could not.”
Lakers Notes: LeBron, Doncic, Ayton, Bronny
LeBron James‘ future beyond this season, whether with the Lakers or elsewhere, has been a subject of speculation in recent months. And much of that speculation has centered on a specific hypothetical, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, who says there is widespread talk about James returning to the Cavaliers for a final reunion with his hometown team.
“I don’t know if LeBron knows what he’s going to do,” MacMahon said on NBA Today (YouTube link; hat tip to RealGM. “I certainly don’t know what he’s going to do. I know what the rampant speculation is around the league and that is this summer there’s going to be a reunion and potentially a retirement tour for the ages back home again with the Cleveland Cavaliers next year.”
While the financial realities of adding James could be complicated for the Cavs, he would fit a positional need, as Cleveland has long struggled to find a permanent wing starter to play between Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley.
James has also been linked to the Warriors and Knicks, though other teams would surely have interest if he became available on the free agent market.
We have more from the Lakers:
- James added another record to his collection on Thursday, becoming the oldest player in NBA history to record a triple-double, writes ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. The record had previously been held by Karl Malone, who was 40 years and 127 days old when he accomplished the feat. James was 41 years and 44 days old on Thursday as he put together a 28-point, 12-assist, 10-rebound performance to lead Los Angeles to a 124-104 victory over the Mavs. “To be able to do it and get the win is, that means more to me than anything,” James said. “But I’m very blessed to play this game, play it at a high level.”
- Luka Doncic was traded to the Lakers just over a year ago, a move that has had massive implications for the franchise — notably, switching from a team built around James’ timeline to one built around Doncic’s, writes Kevin Pelton for ESPN. As Pelton notes, this year’s record of 33-21 is not dissimilar to the team’s record last year, when they were 32-19 after winning the first game of the Doncic era. But while the team’s record and the Slovenian star’s statistical production might not be vastly different from their pre-trade levels, L.A.’s team-building approach has shifted to be more future-facing. After previously being very aggressive to put complementary pieces around James, the team has chosen not to send out first-round picks since the voided Mark Williams deal collapsed, Pelton points out. The Lakers are prioritizing flexibility, and will head into the 2026/27 season with just four players on guaranteed deals: Doncic, Dalton Knecht, Jake LaRavia, and Jarred Vanderbilt, though Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart, and Austin Reaves hold player options.
- Doncic remains day-t0-day for the Lakers with a left hamstring injury, Benjamin Royer writes for the OC Register. “He’s progressed really good,” coach JJ Redick said of the decision to sit him on Thursday’s game against the Mavericks. “I think part of him, you know, wanted to push to get back part of the break, but, you know, we just got to be cautious with the soft tissue injuries … We all feel comfortable with the decision to hold him out and should be good to go post-All-Star (break).” Redick declined to comment on whether Doncic needed to check off certain recovery boxes before he could suit up for Sunday’s festivities, but Marc Stein reports that the star guard is expected to play a short stint (Twitter link).
- Ayton underwent imaging due to the lingering right knee soreness that has caused him to miss the last two games, reports Dan Woike of The Athletic (Twitter link). The tests came back clean and the Lakers are hopeful that the time off will allow the veteran center to recover and return to play following the All-Star break, per Woike.
- Bronny James‘ counting stats might not look wildly different in year two than they did in his rookie season, but he can feel his own growth when he’s on the court, Royer notes in a separate story. “(I) feel different. Feel way more comfortable,” Bronny said. “My teammates believe in me, my coaches believe in me. That’s all I’ve wanted. It’s just good to get out there and take advantage of the minutes I get.” The younger James had his best game of the season on Tuesday, recording 12 points and six assists in 25 minutes and even taking some matchups against Victor Wembanyama that impressed Redick. “In terms of the physicality we wanted on defense, he had two really good possessions in the first half against Wemby,” Redick said. While his shot has been much more efficient this season, James knows that if he wants to carve out a role on this Lakers team, it will start on the defensive end.
Jeanie Buss Reportedly Considered Trading LeBron James
Lakers governor Jeanie Buss harbored resentment toward LeBron James and considered trading him at one point, ESPN’s Baxter Holmes claims in a lengthy examination of the state of the franchise while it was under control of the Buss siblings.
Sources tell Holmes that Buss privately complained about James’ “outsized ego” and the influence that he and Klutch Sports exercised over the organization after he arrived in 2018. She also resented the idea that James was celebrated for joining the Lakers in free agency, rather than team leaders being praised for signing him. According to Holmes, team sources have said for years that James’ camp informed Lakers brass in 2017 that he was planning to come to L.A. when his contract expired.
Buss was particularly upset about the fallout from the ill-fated Russell Westbrook trade in the summer of 2021, Holmes adds. The Lakers added the former MVP to appease James, but he was mostly able to escape responsibility for the deal after it went bad. L.A. missed the playoffs during Westbrook’s lone full season with the team, and he was pulled from the starting lineup and then traded the following year.
In 2022, Buss considered not negotiating an extension with James or even trading him, with the Clippers mentioned as a possibility, according to Holmes’ sources. He eventually received a two-year, $104MM contract in July 2024 that included a no-trade clause. Buss also believes James didn’t display enough gratitude for the team’s decision to take his son, Bronny James, with the 55th pick in the 2024 draft, Holmes adds.
Buss issued a statement to The Athletic in response to the claims made by Holmes, relays Sam Amick (Twitter link). “It’s really not right, given all the great things LeBron has done for the Lakers, that he has to be pulled into my family drama,” it reads. “To say that it wasn’t appreciated is just not true and completely unfair to him.”
Holmes touches on many more subjects in the in-depth piece, which is worth reading in full. Here are a few highlights:
- Joey Buss and Jesse Buss tried to convince their siblings to sell a smaller portion of the family’s 66% controlling interest in the team. They presented the plan to the Lakers’ chief financial officer and chief legal counsel as a way to provide cash for the older Buss siblings while maintaining control of the franchise. However, they learned at meetings last summer about Jeanie’s intention to sell most of the family’s stake to Mark Walter at a $10 billion valuation. The family retains 17% ownership, just above the 15% required to allow Jeanie to remain in her role as governor for the next five years.
- Sources tell Holmes that Jeanie made the decision to sell because she wasn’t convinced that the family could continue to keep the Lakers competitive in a league where an increasing number of teams are owned by billionaires. Joey and Jesse reportedly disagreed with that logic because of restrictions in the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement that place limitations on the amount that teams can spend.
- Holmes states that several members of Jeanie’s inner circle received large bonuses as a result of the sale, including former player Kurt Rambis and his wife Linda Rambis. A person with knowledge of the agreement told Holmes that Linda received $24MM and Kurt got $8MM, amounts that were chosen based on Kobe Bryant‘s uniform numbers.
- Joey and Jesse were told that “new ownership” was responsible for their dismissal from front office roles in November, but sources tell Holmes they discovered that Jeanie made the decision. “Dr. (Jerry) Buss’ idea was for Joey and I to run basketball operations one day,” Jesse said in a statement. “But Jeanie has effectively kept herself in place with her siblings fired.”
Lakers Notes: Jesse Buss, Scouts, Bronny, Thiero, Offense
After being removed from his role as the Lakers‘ assistant general manager on Thursday, Jesse Buss told Dan Woike of The Athletic that he’ll always be a fan of the team, but that he hasn’t spoken to to general manager Rob Pelinka or his sister Jeanie Buss in five months and feels as if his voice was diminished in recent years.
“I kind of felt siloed quite a bit, dating back to before, I guess, the 2023 draft,” Jesse explained. “And I kind of didn’t think much of it. But as time went on and there was a lack of communication between not only my sister and I, but the organization as a whole while I was combating various health issues, I kind of felt like the writing was on the wall. The sale of the team happening kind of more or less just solidified it in my mind. And I just more or less expected (to be let go).
“Obviously this is 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 it comes down to it, even if I’m not part of the organization in any capacity, I’m always gonna root for this team. And obviously I root for players that Joey and I had a part of bringing in on the team, such as Austin (Reaves) and Rui (Hachimura).”
According to Jesse, his father – the late Jerry Buss – envisioned having him and Joey work their way up the basketball operations department and eventually run the Lakers’ front office.
“That was something that was discussed over 15 years ago,” Jesse said. “And what he had told me at the time was that he wanted Jimmy (Buss) to retire at some point within the next five to seven years, so this was about 2010, and he started to slowly incorporate Joey and I into the day-to-day operations. And eventually, I think the plan was (that) Jeanie was gonna run the business side and Joey and I were gonna help run the basketball operations department.”
Jesse became a key member of the Lakers’ scouting department who had a “large amount of input” on the club’s draft picks, and he tells Woike that he was also consulted on certain free agent decisions and potential trades over the years. However, he said his involvement with the team “came in waves” before declining in recent years.
“Oftentimes within the organization, it kind of felt like I was being treated like I was working against them,” Jesse said. “And, I guess you could say, like an enemy. But the only thing I ever wanted was the most success for this team. The credit, or whoever was involved with those decisions, it didn’t really matter as long as it was the best possible thing for the Lakers.”
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- Besides Jesse and Joey Buss, other scouting personnel let go by the Lakers on Thursday included scouts Sean Buss and Aaron Jackson, international scout Can Pelister, and scout support and strategy coordinator Moses Zapata, tweets ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
- With a fully healthy roster, the Lakers have assigned a pair of young players – guard Bronny James and forward Adou Thiero – to the G League, according to Khobi Price of the Southern California News Group (Twitter link). Both players could suit up for the South Bay Lakers on Friday when Los Angeles’ affiliate hosts the Santa Cruz Warriors.
- In a story for The Orange County Register, Price explores how LeBron James‘ return on Tuesday helped provide a glimpse of the Lakers’ offensive upside going forward. While Utah – which ranks 25th in the NBA in defensive rating – wasn’t exactly a formidable opponent, the fact that the Lakers set season highs in points (140) and efficiency (59.5% shooting) while making so many of their offensive possessions look “effortless” was a very encouraging sign, Price writes.
Lakers Notes: Hachimura, Thiero, Game Ball, LeBron, AD
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 MPG.
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.