Lakers Notes: Rotation, Smart, Vanderbilt, Reaves, Season
The Lakers have been left searching for answers in the wake of multi-week injuries to star guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, writes Benjamin Royer of The Southern California News Group. Head coach JJ Redick is trying to find a workable rotation with three regular season games remaining before the playoffs, but some of the players who seemed like locks for more minutes and touches have struggled.
Starting center Deandre Ayton, for instance, only had three points (on 1-of-4 shooting) and three rebounds in Tuesday’s blowout loss to Oklahoma City. Redick said he’s been calling plenty of plays for the No. 1 overall pick, yet the Bahamian big man hasn’t been able to capitalize on those opportunities.
“He’s just had trouble catching the ball,” Redick said. “And I don’t know if that’s the passing or if it’s, you know, him trying to get position, he just, he hasn’t been able to catch the ball.”
Entering last week’s game against the Thunder, in which both Doncic and Reaves sustained their respective injuries, the Lakers had gone 16-2 over their last 18 games. They’ve now dropped three straight, with lingering uncertainty about what the rotation will look like in the postseason.
“Chemistry was high,” guard Luke Kennard said. “We were really close as a group, and it still is. I feel like this might have brought us even closer. Obviously, it’s a different look out there on the court and different voices, but it was definitely a shock and something we weren’t expecting this late in the year going into the playoffs.”
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- Law Murray of The Athletic takes a look at which players might be part of the playoff rotation, listing them in tiers based on their likelihood of receiving minutes. LeBron James is in his own tier as “the anchor,” followed by Kennard, Marcus Smart, Jaxson Hayes and Jake LaRavia, who are in the “rotation locks” tier. Smart will miss his ninth consecutive game Thursday at Golden State due to a right ankle contusion, tweets Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times. Redick continues to refer to Smart as day-to-day, according to Murray, though the second-year coach acknowledged the team thought the veteran guard would have returned from the injury by now.
- Redick downplayed a spat he had with Jarred Vanderbilt in the second quarter of Tuesday’s game, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com. Redick called timeout just 16 seconds into the second quarter to remove Vanderbilt, though it wasn’t clear why, and the 27-year-old responded by verbally lashing out at his coach. Redick said a “confluence of things” led to the incident. “It’s nothing personal with him. Normal stuff from my end,” Redick said after the loss. “I think for all of us, being undermanned, we’ve got to scrap and claw, we’ve got to all be on the same page, we got to be great teammates, we got to all play hard. Called a timeout to get him out of the game. And he reacted. But again, normal interaction for me.” Vanderbilt, who didn’t play at all after the incident, finished with three points, two rebounds, one assist and one steal in five minutes. The eighth-year forward left the arena before reporters were permitted into the locker room, McMenamin notes.
- Reaves is widely expected to decline his $14.9MM player option for next season to become a free agent this summer. How much money will he make in unrestricted free agency? Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report explores that question, writing that the 27-year-old will likely receive a multiyear deal with a starting salary somewhere between $30MM and $41.3MM (his max) in 2026/27.
- The Lakers aren’t going anywhere in the playoffs and the team should shut down Doncic and Reaves for the rest of the season so they don’t risk long-term damage by attempting to rush back from their injuries, argues Bill Plaschke of The Los Angeles Times. Doncic traveled to Europe to try to expedite his recovery process from a Grade 2 hamstring strain, while Reaves is battling a strained oblique muscle.
Lakers’ Redick Defends Decision To Play Doncic, Reaves In Blowout
The Lakers‘ season took an unfortunate turn last Thursday as Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves were injured during a 134-96 loss to Oklahoma City. Speaking with reporters before Sunday’s game at Dallas, head coach JJ Redick explained his decision to use both players in the second half with the team trailing by a wide margin, per Dan Woike of The Athletic.
Doncic was diagnosed on Friday with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain that could sideline him for a month or more. He plans to seek treatment in Europe in hopes of making a faster recovery. On Saturday, the Lakers learned that Reaves will miss four-to-six weeks with a Grade 2 left oblique muscle injury.
Redick said internal medical data didn’t show any signs that Doncic was being overused heading into Thursday. He grabbed at his left hamstring at one point in the first half, but received medical clearance to go back into the game. He suffered the injury early in the third quarter after planting his left leg and again reached for his hamstring.
Reaves experienced a tweak in his left side during the first half of Thursday’s game and went to the locker room to have it checked. He returned in the third quarter and appeared to aggravate the initial injury.
“As a coach, you go on the information you have,” Redick said. “He was medically cleared. When Austin came back, I asked directly. I thought he was hurt. (I was told), ‘No, he’s medically cleared.’ The group wanted to go for it in the second half. Talked about it at halftime. And I think, for both those guys, the nature of playing heavy minutes, that’s certainly a part of, like any equation when you’re trying to manage workloads. We also rely on the tracking data, and we’re looking at that after every game. You know, acceleration, jumps, workload, all of those things.
“And there have been a few times this year where it’s gone, away from the standard deviation of whatever their baseline is, and we make the proper adjustments. There was nothing leading into that game that would suggest either those guys were ‘running hot,’ as we call it.”
Redick also talked about the need to “extend the season” so Doncic and Reaves can return at some point in the playoffs. L.A. is currently tied with Denver at 50-28 and holds the tie-breaker for the No. 3 seed in the West, but a challenging schedule lies ahead with games this week against Oklahoma City, Golden State, Phoenix and Utah.
The Lakers got their first look at what life is going to be like in the meantime in Sunday’s loss to the Mavericks, per Dave McMenamin and Shams Charania of ESPN. L.A. gave up 41 points in the first quarter and trailed by 22 at one point before rallying to make the game close.
They used a starting lineup of LeBron James, Luke Kennard, Deandre Ayton, Rui Hachimura and Jake LaRavia that had never played together before Sunday. McMenamin and Charania note that the group that started the second quarter – James, Jarred Vanderbilt, Jaxson Hayes, Maxi Kleber and Kobe Bufkin – was also playing together for the first time.
James talked about the shock of finding out about Reaves’ absence in the wake of Doncic’s injury.
“I took my nap after practice, and I woke up with that news, it was like another shot to the [head],” James said. “It was a shot to the heart, obviously, and to the chest and to the mainframe with Luka. … But we kind of got that news kind of quick, and AR … we knew he was going to get an MRI, but I woke up from my nap yesterday and then saw that news, and I was like, ‘S–t.’ That was literally my tone.”
James took on a larger role with the other two stars sidelined, but the Lakers are going to be careful not to overuse him for the rest of the regular season, according to Khobi Price of The California Post. He finished with 30 points, nine rebounds and 15 assists in 39 minutes – marking just his sixth 30-point game of the season, along with his highest assist total of 2025/26.
“We did enough intentionally to get him sort of out of actions and not have him involved in every single play when he was out there,” Redick said. “And then there were times when he would get an outlet pass or get the ball and just kind of manipulated the half-court set for us and we got some good stuff.”
Austin Reaves Out 4-6 Weeks With Oblique Muscle Injury
The Lakers announced that Austin Reaves will miss the remainder of the regular season after being diagnosed with a Grade 2 left oblique muscle injury, relays Khobi Price of The California Post (Twitter link). Reaves is expected to miss four-to-six weeks, sources tell ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link), which puts his projected return somewhere in the second or third round of the playoffs
Reaves, who left Thursday’s game early, underwent an MRI Saturday in Dallas on his left oblique/rib area, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
Reaves tweaked something in his left side during the first half of the lopsided loss to Oklahoma City. He went to the locker room to have it checked, but was able to return to the game, finishing with 15 points in 27 minutes before being removed.
“I went back to get a rebound, overextended a little bit, and I felt something,” Reaves told reporters after the game. “But I feel decent right now, so we’ll see.”
McMenamin adds that Reaves had to get two MRIs done because the first one didn’t focus on the correct portion of his body.
“I don’t know where the chain of command lies with Dallas imaging, but they scanned the wrong area,” coach JJ Redick said. “Not on our end.”
It’s another devastating blow for the Lakers after Luka Doncic was diagnosed Friday with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain that will keep him out for the rest of the season and probably at least the first round of the playoffs.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday before Reaves’ MRI results were announced, Redick said the team is remaining strong in the face of the injuries, and its mission to clinch the No. 3 seed and advance through the first round hasn’t changed. “And we’ll see what happens with Luka,” he added.
Redick plans to expand the scoring responsibilities while Doncic and Reaves are unavailable, mentioning LeBron James, Luke Kennard, Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton as players who can expect to see larger roles in the offense.
Since Reaves returned to the lineup in early February, James has mostly settled in as a third option, contributing in other ways while Doncic and Reaves have been the primary play-makers. Over the past seven games, James is averaging 15.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 7.3 assists. He’s taking just 11.7 shots per game in that span, well below his career average of 18.6.
“You got to flip the mindset a little bit when your role changes, whatever the case may be, or what’s needed out of [you for] the team,” James said. “So the mindset changes a little bit, for sure.”
Veteran guard Marcus Smart, who has missed the past six games with groin and ankle injuries, is now considered day-to-day, McMenamin adds, but he’s not certain to play against Dallas. Smart wasn’t able to fully participate in Saturday’s practice.
Redick plans to finish the season with an “all hands on deck approach,” stretching his normal rotation from nine to possibly 11 players. He stated that Kobe Bufkin, Nick Smith Jr. and Dalton Knecht will all join the team after participating in the G League playoffs Sunday night with the South Bay Lakers.
The injuries make L.A.’s hold on the third spot in the West somewhat tenuous after it looked solid earlier in the week. The Lakers currently have a one-game lead over Denver and a two-game cushion over Houston. After Sunday’s contest, they’ll host Oklahoma City on Tuesday, travel to Golden State on Thursday and then finish the season with home games against Phoenix on Friday and Utah on Sunday.
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.”
Deandre Ayton Says He Has ‘Bought In’ To Role With Lakers
After airing his displeasure last month with the way the Lakers were using him, Deandre Ayton now says he’s fully committed to succeeding in his role and helping the team win, writes Dan Woike of The Athletic. Since returning from a brief bout with knee soreness, Ayton has been stringing together productive outings and has been a factor in L.A.’s six-game winning streak.
“I’ve completely … I bought in,” he said. “Completely, like 110 percent. I hope you see the work.”
Woike notes that coach JJ Redick‘s reliance on Ayton fluctuates from night to night, as he sometimes closes games with Jaxson Hayes or Maxi Kleber in the middle or goes without a traditional center. The Lakers have been asking Ayton to accept a smaller role on offense than he had in his other NBA stops. His primary responsibilities are to work hard on defense, attack the boards on both ends and blend into the offense by setting screens and rolling to the basket.
The limitations of that role caused him to declare three weeks ago, “They’re trying to make me Clint Capela,” but Woike states that Ayton has been learning how to make an impact on the game without being a primary scorer.
“I scratched that, I took that out,” Ayton said. “I said … when it comes to scoring, we don’t need that. We need you to put that energy what you have for offense and into defense. I just started looking in the mirror and said ‘Yo bro, … you’re not that guy. You don’t need to be on this team doing that at all. This team, you came here to be the effort guy and close out possessions, rebound. Run the damn floor hard as hell, make bigs work, make superstars work.’ And I’m having fun with it.”
The first pick in the 2018 draft, Ayton wasn’t able to achieve stardom during his five seasons in Phoenix or two years in Portland. He was ready for a fresh start after reaching a buyout agreement with the Trail Blazers last summer and signed with the Lakers for $8.1MM this season and the same amount as a player option for 2026/27.
Ayton relishes the thought of returning to the playoffs for the first time in three years, even if it’s in a reduced role.
“I really like that the team is trusting me, man,” he added. “I just don’t want to lose the trust, bro. That’s really what’s getting my juices going and me biting my fingernails waiting to get back in the damn game for real. Just getting back to having fun — I’m not gonna lie.”
Lakers Notes: Luka, Reaves, LeBron, Smart, Ayton, Playoffs
Several members of the Lakers contributed in key moments down the stretch during Saturday’s thrilling overtime victory over Denver, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Austin Reaves was at the foul line with Los Angeles down three and 5.2 seconds remaining, and after making the first free throw, he intentionally missed the second, grabbed the offensive rebound, and converted a floater to send the game to an extra period.
Reaves’ heroics set the stage for Luka Doncic, who converted a step-back jumper to put the Lakers up two with a half-second remaining. The star guard then blocked Tim Hardaway Jr.‘s three-pointer to seal the win, McMenamin notes.
“Just a big-time shot by a f—ing generational player,” LeBron James said of Doncic. “He’s just a big-time player, man. … We wanted the last shot. We wanted to put the ball in our guy’s hands. … It’s going to be just the first of many game winners like that for him in a Lakers uniform.”
According to McMenamin, head coach JJ Redick told the Lakers he wanted them to treat the game like it was a playoff matchup. He was pleased with the team’s effort after the game.
“Is ‘coalesce’ a word? Is that the right word? For coming together?” Redick asked. “I think it feels like we’re coalescing right now in a really nice way. Still got a long way to go, still got a long way to go, but certainly optimistic with how we handled this stretch of games. … It’s big time.”
We have more on the Lakers:
- Including Monday’s victory over Houston, Los Angeles has now won six straight games. As Law Murray writes for The Athletic, the Lakers have beaten three potential playoff opponents (the Wolves, Nuggets and Rockets) over that span and have secured the regular season edge over both Minnesota and Denver. The Lakers spent most of the first half of the season looking pretty underwhelming despite having a solid record, Murray states, but they’re hitting their stride at the right time and are showing they should at least be considered a tough playoff matchup, with Doncic, Reaves, James, Marcus Smart and Deandre Ayton all making big plays in crunch time.
- Prior to Monday’s game, Redick discussed the challenges Doncic, Reaves and James have faced trying to find a rhythm when they’re sharing the court together, largely due to injuries to James and Reaves, per Benjamin Royer of The Southern California News Group (Twitter video link). Redick acknowledged James’ current role isn’t one he’s ever played before. “The best thing for our team is (LeBron) being the third-highest-used player,” Redick said in part.
- In a feature story for ESPN, McMenamin details how Smart nearly lost his basketball career by punching a framed photo in his hotel room after missing a potential game-winning three against the Lakers as a member of the Celtics in January 2018. He had a five-inch piece of glass in his hand and said he was rushed to the ER and passed out from blood loss. “The doctor looked at me in my eye and told me, ‘I don’t know how you still have use of your right hand,’” Smart said. “‘You should honestly be thanking God every day.’ … They said it laid perfectly in between every tendon in my hand without damaging anything. And they had to leave the extra piece in, because they said it will cause more damage if we go get it out.” Smart required 20 stitches and missed 11 games, but the glass stuck in his hand continued to bother him years later, he told McMenamin. “For six years after the incident with the glass, I still had glass in my hand and I played with it,” Smart said. “And there would be times where because of that, my hand would go numb. A lot of times, a lot of games, I couldn’t control it. I had to play and there were a lot of times when I’m shooting the ball and just, I had no feeling in the arm, the hand.”
- Smart was determined to turn his career around after a couple of injury-plagued season-and-a-half in Memphis and a short stint with Washington to end 2024/25, McMenamin writes, and the Lakers had a major need for a strong point-of-attack defender who could slow down top perimeter scorers. Smart had 21 points and five steals on Saturday and helped limit Jamal Murray to five points on 1-of-14 shooting in 36 minutes. “He competes every night,” Reaves told ESPN. “It’s not always pretty, but his competitive level’s going to be at an all-time high every single night. And you need guys like that. I think he’s the one that sets the example for us on the court to go out there and play as hard as we possibly can, because you know he’s going to do that. When he’s doing that, every single night flying around, it makes you be accountable to the effort that you bring.”
Pacific Notes: Warriors Injuries, Porzingis, Lopez, Ayton
The injuries keep piling up for the Warriors. Already without Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler, they are dealing with four more injuries, as Anthony Slater of ESPN details.
Draymond Green was scratched 30 minutes before tip-off of Friday’s loss to Minnesota because of lower back soreness. Al Horford departed after five minutes with right calf tightness. Seth Curry limped to the locker room in the second quarter with left adductor soreness and Quinten Post sprained his left ankle.
“We’re going through it,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “We’re about as beaten up as any team I can ever remember.”
Kerr expects Horford to miss several games. “With a calf, we’re not going to rush him back,” he said.
Stephen Curry missed his 16th consecutive game and the Warriors have gone 5-11 in that stretch. Now, they embark on a six-game road trip.
Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- There was a bright spot for the Warriors on Friday. Midseason acquisition Kristaps Porzingis scored 20 points and told reporters after the game that he feels like he’s fitting in, according to Michael Wagaman of NBC Sports Bay Area. “We’re starting to develop a decent feel,” Porziņgis said. “I think guys are getting accustomed to playing with me. It’s progress. We’re getting better for sure. Overall, I think we’re heading in the right direction.”
- Clippers center Brook Lopez is in the midst of his 18th season and he’s aiming for more, he told Marc J. Spears of Andscape. “I always had a number of 20 years. A lot of great players played 20 years [whom] I looked up to,” he said. “Timmy [Duncan], Kobe [Bryant]. I think Ticket [Kevin Garnett] got there. That’s always been a goal of mine, but I feel great. So now that we’re as far along as we are, I don’t really want to put a cap on it. Just see how long we can keep going until we fall.” The Clippers have a decision to make early in the summer regarding Lopez. They hold a $9.19MM team option on his 2026/27 contract. He’s averaging 11.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game since the All-Star break.
- Deandre Ayton has developed into the Lakers’ X factor, Khobi Price of the California Post contends. The Lakers are 27-8 when he grabs at least eight rebounds and 24-9 when he takes at least eight shot attempts. Ayton had 23 points and 10 rebounds against Chicago on Thursday. Ayton holds a $8.1MM player option on his contract for next season.
Lakers Notes: LeBron, Doncic, Reaves, Ayton, Injuries
LeBron James returned Thursday after missing three games with foot, elbow and hip injuries, but it was mostly in a supporting role as the Lakers defeated Chicago for their fourth straight win, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. James posted 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, but he took just 13 shots as Luka Doncic (51) and Austin Reaves (30) dominated the scoring. According to McMenamin, L.A. is 8-3 this season when James isn’t one of the team’s top two players in field goal attempts.
“LeBron and I, we talked, we had a great conversation over the last couple days,” coach JJ Redick said. “He wants to do everything possible to help his team win, and he understands the importance of making sure Luka and AR can be at their best. And you know, that’s incredible with him. It speaks a lot to just how much he cares about this team and his teammates, and how much he wants to win.”
Although James is still capable of huge scoring nights, he has become more of a complementary player at age 41. He called Doncic and Reaves “magical and dynamic” on offense and said he’s willing to do whatever is needed to help the Lakers succeed.
“I mean, if it benefits others, it benefits the team. The team is most important,” James said. “Everybody’s successful when we win. So yeah, it is a sacrifice. I know what I’m capable of still doing as an individual, but what’s important for this team, I’m able to adapt to. … And that’s the only thing that matters. And the win is the only thing that matters.”
There’s more from Los Angeles:
- Doncic celebrated his first 50-point game with the Lakers and his highest scoring total since being traded last February. Reaves topped 25 points for the third straight game, which McMenamin notes is his longest streak since suffering a calf injury in November that led to an extended absence. “I obviously have delusional confidence in myself when it comes to basketball,” Reaves said. “But when the game’s over and I’ve got to go home and think about it, I don’t really think of myself in the category of some of these other guys. But I just enjoy playing basketball, playing the right way and continuing to get better.”
- Deandre Ayton is averaging 14.3 points and 10.0 rebounds over the last three games after being sidelined by knee soreness last week, McMenamin tweets. “Felt like I picked up my energy and my focus,” Ayton said. “You know, I finally caught up with the team.”
- Before the game, Redick told reporters that Maxi Kleber is expected to miss more time with a lumbar issue, McMenamin adds (Twitter link). The team is waiting for results after Jaxson Hayes underwent imaging on his back, while Marcus Smart, who sat out Thursday’s contest with a hip issue, may be able to return Saturday against Denver.
Pacific Notes: Curry, Lakers, Clippers, Dunn
Stephen Curry hasn’t played for the Warriors since January 30 and won’t be back for at least 10 more days. In the absence of Curry and Jimmy Butler, the Warriors’ hopes for the season have begun to flat-line, punctuated by back-to-back losses to the Jazz and Bulls, Monte Poole writes for NBC Sports Bay Area.
In the face of Golden State’s injuries, Poole suggests the goal should be to seize the eighth seed in the West, which would give them a better chance at getting through the play-in. Poole acknowledges that the goal is more modest than what the team imagined for itself coming into the season, but it reflects the current state of the team.
Beyond playoff seeding, there’s another reason it would be beneficial to get Curry back in the lineup sooner rather than later: it would allow him to establish some chemistry with Kristaps Porzingis, who spoke this week about looking forward to taking the floor with the two-time MVP for the first time.
We have more from around the Pacific Division:
- The Lakers are cruising right now. On Tuesday vs. the Timberwolves, they turned a season-long weakness — their defense — into a strength to extend their current hot streak, Thuc Nhi Nguyen writes for the Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles has won six of its last seven games and, entering Wednesday’s games, had passed the Wolves for the No. 4 seed in the West. The Lakers’ players, including hot-and-cold big man Deandre Ayton, seem to have bought into their roles as of late, says The Athletic’s Dan Woike. Coach JJ Redick was glad to see his center put together such a positive game. “It’s great for his teammates to see him have a really good performance on both ends of the floor,” Redick said. “I think it’s bigger for DA to have a game like that against a really good team, one of the best teams in basketball.”
- After registering one of the worst starts to the season for any team with playoff ambitions, the Clippers have turned things around and have clawed their way back to a .500 record heading into Wednesday’s matchup against Minnesota. While L.A.’s 32-32 record wasn’t necessarily what the team hoped for at this point in the season, it means a lot after that slow start, writes Law Murray for The Athletic. “This team, ever since I’ve been here for six years, our guys always continue to keep fighting when our backs’ against the wall,” head coach Ty Lue said. “And I credit all my coaching staff, just for doing a great job, like I said earlier. Just staying with it, being positive, continue to help these guys get better. And you know, to start 6-21 and be .500 right now, it’s a big thing for us.” Kawhi Leonard has been the driving force behind the team’s success, but he knows none of it matters unless they’re ready for the playoffs.
- Another big part of the Clippers‘ success has been the play of 31-year-old guard Kris Dunn. While Dunn has never been much of a scorer, he has become an All-Defense level guard during his time in Los Angeles, his teammates and coach argue. “It’s a no-brainer that he’s definitely a first-team All-Defensive guy,” Lue said, per Mark Medina of Sportsnaut. “He’s a lockdown defender. Usually in the case when you have great defenders like that, they are good on-ball defenders. But they’re not really good off the ball or they’re not really good in team defense. But he’s all of it.” In a wide-ranging interview with Medina, Dunn discussed his desire for that recognition, his back-and-forths with Luka Doncic, and more.
Lakers Notes: Reaves, Defense, Ayton, Hayes
Austin Reaves is starting to look like the player he was early in the season, which could make the Lakers far more dangerous as the playoffs near, writes Melissa Rohlin of The California Post. Reaves’ scoring has been down since he returned from a strained left calf in early February, but he was aggressively looking for his shot in Sunday’s win over New York. He wound up with 25 points, marking just the third time he has reached the 20-point mark in the past 15 games.
“I think the messaging to him has just been to be himself,” coach JJ Redick said. “And I think sometimes when you miss time and there’s circumstances going on with the team that you can kind of be a little passive. … We want him to be aggressive. Every time he gets the ball, we want him to be aggressive and have a mentality to touch the paint.”
Reaves played like an All-Star as the season began, looking worthy of the five-year, $241MM contract that he’ll be eligible to collect this summer (if he declines his $14.9MM player option, as expected). If he can return to that level, the Lakers will be in position to challenge anyone in the West.
“Have fun,” he explained to reporters about his approach to the Sunday afternoon contest. “Woke up, early game, I was tired when I got here. I just told myself to have fun. I don’t feel like I’ve played bad, I just haven’t made a lot of shots. I feel like I’ve done a lot of other things well. Just continuing to play the game the right way, and I feel like good will come to good.”
There’s more on the Lakers:
- With LeBron James sidelined by elbow and foot issues, the Lakers turned up their defense in Sunday’s blowout win, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Defense has frequently been an issue for L.A. throughout the season, but the team was in top form against New York, holding the league’s third-most efficient offense to 42.7% from the field and forcing 19 turnovers. Redick singled out Reaves, Luka Doncic and Marcus Smart for their willingness to take charges. “That’s a sacrificial play,” Redick said. “You got to put your body on the line. Our guys have been motivated to do that all year.”
- Deandre Ayton‘s up-and-down play has been an issue, but the Lakers haven’t lost confidence in him, McMenamin tweets. He played 20 minutes on Sunday after sitting out most of the past two games with knee soreness. “We’re hopeful and optimistic that we’re going to get a consistent version of him down the stretch of the season,” Redick said.
- In a subscriber-only story, Benjamin Royer of The Orange County Register examines the connection that Doncic has formed with Jaxson Hayes and looks at how getting him easy baskets can unlock the rest of the Lakers’ offense.