“I’m just speaking to y’all from the heart,” the NBA’s all-time leading scorer told the audience Thursday night at the Time 100 Sports gala in New York.
In James’ heart and on his mind at that moment was his oldest son Bronny James, who nearly three years ago suffered sudden cardiac arrest as an 18-year-old rising freshman while practicing with the USC basketball team. He later was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect but eventually was able to resume his basketball career.
James and his son ended up becoming Lakers teammates for two seasons before the 23-year veteran became a free agent this summer. Bronny James is entering his third season with the Lakers after contract became fully guaranteed earlier this month.
“Obviously, if it wasn’t for the coaching staff and the medical team and everybody at USC being there in a timely fashion, we’d possibly be sitting here without our oldest son,” said James “So thank you to everybody and all the efforts when it comes to cardiac arrest.”
In June, Time magazine released its inaugural issue highlighting the 100 most influential people in sports, with James on the cover as “athlete of the century.”
James was one of the featured speakers at the gala honoring those individuals, as were fellow Time 100 Sports list members New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson, Olympic gold medalist skater Alysa Liu, Invictus Games founder Prince Harry and women’s soccer legend Alex Morgan.
Savy King and Damar Hamlin speak onstage during the Time 100 Sports gala July 16 in New York.
(Jemal Countess / Getty Images for TIME)
Earlier in the evening, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin and Angel City FC defender Savy King gave a presentation on their experiences as athletes who suffered cardiac arrest while playing in games for their respective teams.
Like Bronny James, they were both young athletes at the time of their incidents — Hamlin was 24; King was 20 — and both were fortunate to have trained medical staff members on hand to perform CPR and use defribulators to save their lives.
Their message hit home for James.
“Guys, take that serious,” he said. “If you got kids in elementary, you got kids in middle school, kids in high school, colleges. Make sure they have these devices available where you can get them, practice them. It’s very important, super, super important. Obviously, we know how important it is to our family, so we’re a big advocate of that.”
NEW YORK — If LeBron James knows where he will play this coming season, he’s still not saying.
The NBA’s career scoring king and current free agent spoke publicly for the first time in weeks Thursday afternoon, though stopped short of revealing which team he’ll choose to play for this fall — despite at least one cry from someone in a jampacked room shouting for him to “pick a team.”
“It’s going to be fun wherever I land,” James said.
The four-time NBA champion was recording an episode of his “Mind the Game” podcast alongside guest co-host Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers in New York on the opening day of Fanatics Fest, a four-day event featuring dozens of athletes, celebrities and sports legends. Single-day general admission tickets were sold out, organizers said, and it’s likely that many of those patrons — there were at least several hundred there, phones out to capture the moment — were hoping to hear James’ next decision.
Not yet, he said.
“There’s no decision,” James said.
Thursday’s appearance has been planned for months; it was announced publicly in May. James playfully chided Haliburton for asking him about his future — “didn’t we talk about this in the back?” James asked, and Haliburton said he’d ”leave it alone.”
Of course, they didn’t leave it alone. James made reference to a slew of teams such as Cleveland, Miami, Philadelphia and Golden State, though didn’t appear to give much in the way of hints. He did sip from a bottle of red wine that he opened and shared with Haliburton, calling it one of his podcast traditions.
And when fans shouted out suggestions for James’ next team — one even asked him to play for the New York Yankees — no clues were forthcoming.
“We’ll see,” he said.
If former Lakers forward LeBron James knows where he plans to play next season, he wasn’t sharing that news with fans on Thursday.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
James is the NBA’s oldest active player at 41 and the only player in league history to have a career spanning 23 seasons; this coming season will be his 24th. Speculation has been rampant for more than two months about his future, officially starting in May when the Lakers were eliminated from the NBA playoffs.
At that time, James said he didn’t know what he would be doing.
And the only developments that he’s revealed since came on June 30, when he said he would play this coming season and that he was leaving the Lakers after an eight-season run highlighted by the 2020 NBA title.
For more than two weeks, the NBA has been waiting to hear what comes next. James, as he did in a social media post at the time, lauded his time with the Lakers, who also offered him well wishes as he moves forward.
“I spent eight great years with the Los Angeles Lakers,” James said.
James’ resume is beyond compare in NBA history. He’s a 22-time All-Star, a 21-time All-NBA selection, a four-time Most Valuable Player, a four-time NBA Finals MVP, a three-time All-Star Game MVP, and was a member of the NBA’s 75th anniversary team.
He’s also coming off a season where he averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game. For his career, he’s averaged 26.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.4 assists in more than 1,600 games.
The podcast was the first of two known speaking engagements for James in New York on Thursday.
He also has an appearance at the Game Plan Summit, an invitation-only event presented by CNBC and Boardroom. James is slated to have a conversation with Boardroom co-founder Rich Kleiman — Kevin Durant’s longtime business partner — about “how he’s built an empire beyond basketball, what’s ahead for him in business, and why the next generation of athletes is poised to wield more influence than ever before.”
James started his career in Cleveland in 2003 and spent seven seasons with the Cavaliers before heading to Miami for four seasons — where he won his first two titles. He then returned to Cleveland for four more seasons, leaving in 2018 to start an eight-season run with the Lakers.
Cleveland and Miami are believed to be on James’ radar again as he weighs this decision, as are several other teams including Philadelphia, Minnesota and Golden State.
“I’m looking forward to what comes next as I wind down my journey,” James said.
Whyno and Reynolds write for the Associated Press. Reynolds reported from Miami.
LAS VEGAS — From the time Austin Reaves joined the Lakers in 2021 as an undrafted prospect, his basketball life centered around playing with a savant in LeBron James.
Reaves was stunned when he heard about James’ decision while playing golf in Lake Tahoe. Nearly two weeks later, Reaves says he still is trying to process the development.
“I kind of was thinking about it last night when I got here,” Reaves said Monday in his first news conference since re-signing. “Starting the season without him being on the team is going to be different for me. He’s kind of all I’ve ever known. Just him being around, joking around, acting like he’s 15. But that’s his decision and like I said in Tahoe, anytime I’ve talked about it, I got nothing but love and respect for him and yeah, let’s play some golf soon.”
The contract Reaves signed was the richest in NBA history for an undrafted player. At 28 and entering his sixth season, Reaves wanted to stay in L.A.
“I wanted to be a Laker the whole time. We had that period from when the season ended until the first [of July] to get something done and we figured it out before then,” he said. “My heart was in L.A. the whole time.”
Reaves will become one of the de facto leaders of the Lakers along with Luka Doncic. The two once again will be one of the most dynamic backcourts in the NBA.
“Obviously my relationship with the guys that were on the team last year,” Reaves said of why he wanted to stay. “And then Luka. I mean, he’s one of my best friends on this planet. Talk to him almost every single day. He sends me videos of his golf swing and asks me what he can do to get better and I tell him I’m not a coach.”
The Lakers have overhauled the roster: All the players who started alongside Reaves in the playoffs last spring are gone. With the signing of former Brooklyn Nets forward Ziaire Williams on Monday, the Lakers have nine new players, all of them arriving either via trades, free agency or the draft.
“They’re good,” Reaves said of the moves. “Obviously, I’ve been with the guys that are leaving for a couple years and with Bron for five years and I hate to see guys like that go. But the pieces that are coming in, I’m very excited about and I’m happy to get started today and see where it goes.”
Walker Kessler dunks during a game between the Utah Jazz and Cleveland Cavaliers on March 23.
(Rob Gray / Associated Press)
One of those new players is Walker Kessler, a 7-foot-2 center the Lakers felt fit best around Doncic and Reaves because he’s a lob threat, rim-protector and good defender and is developing his three-point shooting.
The Lakers got him from the Utah Jazz in a trade and then signed him to a four-year, $130-million contract. The Lakers sent out two unprotected first-round picks (2031, 2033) and two first-round pick swaps (2028, 2030).
Kessler, who played only five games last season after having surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder, is aware the Lakers paid a big price to get him.
“It definitely makes you feel a certain way when you know an organization believes in you,” Kessler said Monday in his introduction. “And I think what they’ve invested, they’re showing that belief in a monetary value, not just with money, but like you said, assets. And for me, I’m somebody that if I know that they have that belief in me, I’m gonna run through a brick wall for them. That’s just how I’ve been wired my whole life and it definitely makes it a lot easier to go out there and compete for a team.”
Power forward Sandro Mamukelashvili could become a fan favorite, in part because of the tattoo he has on his lower left leg — a No. 24 in honor of Kobe Bryant.
Mamukelashvili, who signed a four-year, $52-million deal, averaged 11.2 points last season with the Toronto Raptors and shot 52.3% from the field, including 38.9% from three-point range.
“I got a Mamba Mentality tattoo. I just love his mindset,” Mamukelashvili said. “Growing up, I used to always say, “Mah-moo Mentality!’ So, I know it’s a little far from each other. But we are getting closer.”
When guard Collin Sexton, another new Laker, was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2018, James left and signed with the Lakers. When Sexton signed a two-year, $19-million deal with the Lakers this month, James left again.
Sexton could only laugh about missing out on playing with James.
“He’s just leaving every time I arrive,” Sexton said, laughing. “That’s what it is. No, but one of the other coaches made the same joke yesterday. It’s cool, I know. I’ve always wanted to team up with him for sure, but it’s definitely cool knowing him and just having normal conversations and stuff, so that’s cool.”
Sexton averaged 15.4 points and shot 48.5% last season with Chicago and Charlotte. He’s ready for whatever role coach JJ Redick and the Lakers want for him.
“They believe in me,” he said. “And I just feel like at the end of the day, whenever a coach believes in you and like he said, he’s going to be hard on me and yelling and screaming at me. So, I like that. I think that’s what gets the best from me.”
I will miss watching the greatest maestro and savant in the history of basketball, LeBron James. He is to basketball what Van Gogh was to painting, Coltrane to music, Hemingway to literature. He came from poverty and rose to a global hero and gave back. His after-game interviews were always intelligent and sometimes humorous. To all his detractors and haters? Eat your hearts out, he is a happy man.
Dell Franklin Cayucos
I have always been in awe of LeBron’s athleticism and basketball IQ. And I greatly admire his dedication to maintaining his physical abilities throughout the years and his philanthropic pursuits.
But, as a lifelong Lakers fan, I will not miss LeBron. He was never a true Laker. He made it clear when he announced that he was taking his talents to South Beach that he cared only about LeBron, not the team.
So, as he closes out his career elsewhere, I will enjoy watching his superior playing prowess from afar. But I will be grateful that I can now cheer for my Lakers without the drama LeBron brings to every team he’s been on.
Linda Salzman Rancho Palos Verdes
I agree that it was probably time to move on from LeBron simply in the interest to pursue a long-term player versus one more year from the King. But Bill Plaschke’s argument that he was tired of the mind games LeBron supposedly was playing is a terrible take. Losing 27-7-7 is not replaceable overnight, if ever.
George Metalsky Redondo Beach
While acknowledging LeBron James as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, it never really felt as if he was selflessly committed to the Purple and Gold team concept like so many of the legendary players that preceded him.
During his eight years as a Laker there seemed to be countless occasions when Lakers brass capitulated to his “demands.” Year after year we endured a mishmash roster with his hand-picked players, just to appease LeBron.
During the Lakers’ dynasty we had championship teams. With LeBron we had a king shaping his fiefdom to first and foremost best serve him.
He’s a great player but a horrible GM. The Lakers will be a better team without him.
David Griffin Westwood
I only have one question regarding LeBron James: What happens to Bronny now?
Of all the calculated maneuvers by LeBron James during his eight years with the Lakers, he saved his smartest for last.
He left before the door could hit him in the butt.
He knew the Lakers didn’t want him back, so he skipped out before they had a chance to say goodbye.
He leaked the news alone, before the Lakers could publicly confirm, because he wanted to sell that this was his decision, when it absolutely was not.
This was not his idea. This was not his call. This was the Lakers saying, enough is enough. This was the Lakers saying, we want our team back.
This was arguably the greatest player in basketball getting the message and getting out before they threw him out.
Officially, on Tuesday, James informed the Lakers that he’s going to leave them as a free agent and finish his career elsewhere.
Unofficially, yay!
LeBron is gone, and he left without a fight, and the Lakers couldn’t be luckier.
LeBron is history, and it didn’t cost the Lakers a penny, and now they can breath again.
“LeBron James is one of the greatest athletes in history,” Lakers governor Jeanie Buss said on social media after the news dropped Tuesday morning. “We will always be thankful for his eight years with the Lakers — including the title he led us to in 2020 under the toughest imaginable circumstances and the countless records he broke in purple and gold. We wish him all the best in the future, both on the court and off. He will always be a cherished part of the Lakers family.”
Cherished, but gone, and thank goodness somebody over there had the conviction to let history walk.
Kudos to the new Lakers ownership for resisting every business impulse in their body to keep him while summoning the strength to stare down the most famous basketball player in the world and tell him to hit the road.
Lakers forward LeBron James looks to pass while being defended by Kings guard Daeqwon Plowden during a game in March.
(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
They could have been suckered into signing him just to throw him a grand farewell tour. They weren’t.
They could have been fooled by the 15-2 success he enjoyed when playing with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves during that glorious month this spring. They weren’t.
They could have, as with past Laker regimes, simply been bullied by Rich Paul and his cronies. They weren’t.
They didn’t even make him an offer!
In losing LeBron, the Lakers reclaimed a bit of their soul. In letting LeBron leave, they sent a clear message to everyone who stayed.
This team belongs to Luka. This team belongs to the future. This team again belongs to the Lakers.
“Truly a honor to wear the (purple and gold),” James posted on social media. “Hope I made a few proud during my stint.”
He made many proud. He made the Lakers proud. He led them to their only championship in the last 16 years, he became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, and, in his 23rd season, he set all sorts of records for longevity.
Lakers forward LeBron James (23) and his son Bronny (9) on the court together during a playoff game against the Rockets in April.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
In his final glorious act this spring, at age 41, he dragged a shorthanded Lakers team into the second round of the playoffs. His widely acclaimed effort against the Houston Rockets proved he could still play. He was still among the top 20 players in the league.
But, goodness, he drove the Lakers crazy.
His eight-year tenure was filled with quiet demands for roster changes amid veiled threats to leave. The Lakers were so afraid of losing him or displeasing Paul and all of his other star clients that they constantly, sometimes embarrassingly, bowed to the King.
In doing everything from acquiring Russell Westbrook to drafting James’ son, Bronny, the Lakers contorted themselves to please their leader.
And for what? Outside of that bubble title in 2020, James never led the Lakers to much of anything. Despite setting some of his records in front of them, he never connected with Lakers fans, perhaps because of the continuous passive-aggressive mind games he played with management.
Here’s guessing he wanted to stay in Los Angeles, and would have eventually accepted a massive pay cut from last year’s $52.6 million. Here’s guessing he would have chosen to remain in the town that contains one of his family homes and many of his businesses for a chance to end his career in a Laker uniform with a farewell celebration that matched the royal ones given the likes of Kobe Bryant and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
But the Lakers never gave him that choice. As it turns out, even 43,440 points were not enough to endear him to an organization that still prefers to call itself the Lakers and not the LeBrons. While he seemed invincible, LeBron was not indisposable, and now he can take his act to Golden State or Cleveland or somewhere else willing to kiss the ring.
Give him credit, though, for pulling one last move.
LeBron leaked his announcement one day after son Bronny’s $2.3 million contract became fully guaranteed.
LeBron James is continuing his record-setting NBA career, but he won’t do it with the Lakers.
The 41-year-old superstar has informed the Lakers he intends to sign with a different team as an unrestricted free agent, The Times confirmed Tuesday. After eight seasons, James felt it was best to part ways with the Lakers, according to people familiar with the situation not authorized to discuss it publicly.
James’ tenure with the Lakers was his longest continuous stint with any franchise during his illustrious career. He led the team to its 17th NBA championship in 2020, broke the NBA’s all-time scoring record while wearing the purple and gold and set the league record for seasons played, reaching 23 unprecedented years.
His record-extending 24th season will now be elsewhere.
The Golden State Warriors were reported as a potential option after Draymond Green opted out of his contract Monday, potentially freeing enough cap space to add James. He made $52.6 million last season but could sign for a pay cut to join fellow superstar Stephen Curry.
“LeBron James is one of the greatest athletes in history,” Lakers governor Jeanie Buss said in a statement posted on social media. “We will always be thankful for his eight years with the Lakers — including the title he led us to in 2020 under the toughest imaginable circumstances and the countless records he broke in purple and gold. We wish him all the best in the future, both on the court and off. He will always be a cherished part of the Lakers family.”
James averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game last season for the Lakers while claiming a slew of NBA records, including marks for games played, all-time wins and field goals made. Despite his age James was still considered one of the top free agents in a relatively pedestrian class.
James earned his record 22nd All-Star appearance last season, maintained his streak of averaging more than 20 points per game every season of his career and willed a shorthanded Lakers team past the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs last season.
But he also gave up ground in his decades-long bout with Father Time.
James missed the first 14 games of the season while dealing with a right sciatic nerve problem, marking the first time in his career that he wasn’t ready to suit up for the season opener. His 15.3 field goal attempts per game was a career low, and he was ineligible for end-of-season awards because he missed 22 regular-season games, ending his streak of 21 years with All-NBA honors.
The Lakers needed James to reach the second round of the Western Conference playoffs last season — when the team was without star Luka Doncic for the entire postseason — but the NBA’s all-time leading scorer was set to take a supporting role within the franchise.
Doncic, 27, remains the top priority for the Lakers. Doncic signed a three-year, $165-million contract extension last summer. The Lakers also agreed to a four-year, $185-million max deal to keep Austin Reaves, who opted out of his contract to become a free agent.
Lakers stars LeBron James and Luka Doncic high-five after Doncic scored on a crucial three-point shot in overtime against the Knicks at Crypto.com Arena in March.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
With eight players from last year’s roster entering unrestricted free agency or holding player options, the Lakers were in position to completely remake their roster around Doncic two offseasons after the Slovenian superstar landed in the Lakers’ laps in a mind-blowing trade with the Dallas Mavericks for Anthony Davis.
President of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka said after the season that the roster would be “retrofitted” around Doncic, meaning the Lakers wanted to target athletic, defensive-minded wings, knock-down shooters and a rim-running center.
Serena Williams opted to let Nike break the news about her pro tennis comeback at age 44 in two slick commercials. The abrupt end to her doubles foray at the HSBC Queen’s Club Championships was more muted.
Williams’ playing partner Victoria Mboko injured her left knee in a fall during a singles match Wednesday. The turn of events restricted Williams’ return to tennis to one match, a 7-6(2), 6-2 victory with the Canadian teenager over No. 3 seeds Erin Routliffe and Nicole Melichar-Martinez.
Shed no tears for Williams. She pivoted quickly and will partner with Czech tennis star Karolína Muchová in doubles at the grass-court WTA 500 Berlin Open next week.
“Every tournament I add to my schedule right now feels special, and Berlin is no exception,” Williams said in a statement. “I’m excited to compete in front of the German fans and continue building momentum throughout the grass-court season.”
Another commercial by Nike, her collaborator and business partner of more than two decades, probably isn’t necessary. Williams’ announcement that she would play for the first time since the 2022 U.S. Open came via a pair of clips from the athletic footwear and apparel conglomerate.
One was captioned “good news travels fast.” Talk about buzzy. Her phone makes all sorts of sounds while she’s working out on the court, ending with the text: “Guess everybody heard the news,” and her saying, “I gotta change my number.”
The second is even zanier, a bit with LeBron James and Nike executives pitching a film called “The GOAT’s Goodbye” to Williams, who wants none of it because she still wants to play. James says to the suits, “You’re gonna have to find someone else,” and Williams walks onto the court with racket in hand.
Tagline: “The GOAT’s back.”
For now, her comeback is open-ended. Wimbledon begins June 29 and Williams has not indicated whether she will play. She has 14 titles in the prestigious tournament, six in doubles, one mixed doubles and seven in singles.
Asked shortly after her lone doubles victory at the Queen’s Club why she returned to the tour after a hiatus punctuated by the birth in 2023 of her second child, Adira River Ohanian, Williams shrugged.
“I don’t know, I had nothing better to do,” she said with a smile. “I got tired of sitting at home. My kids are out of school for the summer, so why not?”
It’s sad and stony-hearted that the Lakers should unload LeBron James, recoup resources, unload his albatross-like salary, and build a championship contender bolstered by Luka Doncic. Yes, James is still a top-15 player, but unable to lead an ill-balanced team to the NBA Finals.
The Lakers allowed sentimentality toward Kobe Bryant to distort their vision, signing Bryant to a two-year, $48.5-million extension. Bryant missed 39% of the games while the Lakers won 38 times in the two seasons. Abysmal.
The Lakers should use James’ $52.6-million salary to sign long, athletic players who can drain threes with regularity.
James might make a great addition to a championship contending team like the Cleveland Cavaliers. Otherwise, thank him for his greatness as a Laker.
Marc D. Greenwood Opelika, Ala.
Some legendary athletes, like Jim Brown and Sandy Koufax, retired at the peak of their careers. Other greats, like Muhammad Ali, Johnny Unitas and Willie Mays, waited too long. Memo to LeBron James: Which camp will you choose?
Denny Freidenrich Laguna Beach
After reading Bill Plaschke’s article about LeBron James — which closes with the line “Anywhere but here” — I have a better idea. Keep LeBron, get rid of Bill. Let him write anywhere but here.
Tom Irish Rancho Palos Verdes
Father Time is as undefeated just as Bill Plaschke is winless with predictions. Many before Bill have buried LeBron James, only to see him rise to the occasion once again and prove them wrong.
If this is in fact LeBron’s last go-round, it’s been epic! Thanks for the memories. If not, let’s see him alongside an injury-free Luka Doncic for a full run to next year’s championship!
There was a moment when the Lakers were humming along near the end of the NBA’s regular season, when they went 16-2 in the month of March as Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and LeBron James found their groove together as a dynamic threesome.
But on April 2 at Oklahoma City, Doncic (Grade 2 left hamstring strain) and Reaves (Grade 2 left oblique muscle strain) went down with injuries and it was left to James to lead the group.
James did, leading the Lakers past the Houston Rockets in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. Reaves joined James in Game 5 of that series and the two of them led the charge into the Western Conference semifinals against the Thunder, a series in which Los Angeles got swept, 4-0.
Through it all, Doncic was and still is the center of the Lakers’ universe.
So with James and Reaves looking at free agency, Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka said Tuesday at the team’s exit interviews that the organization wants both players back to team up with Doncic.
James, 41 and in his 23rd season, made $52.6 million last season but will be a free agent this offseason, when he can retire, return to the Lakers or play for another team.
“I think in terms of LeBron, we probably haven’t seen a player that has honored the game to the extent that he’s honored the game. He’s given so much to his teammates, to this organization,” Pelinka said. “And the thing we want to do more than anything else is honor him back. And I think the first order of business there is allowing him to spend the time he needs to decide what his next steps are.
“Does he want to play another year in the NBA? And that’ll be, as he said to you guys last night, family time [and] I think time with his inner circle. And we just want to honor that for him. Of course, any team, including ours, would love to have LeBron James on their roster. That’s a blessing in itself just with what he does.”
Reaves is expected to opt out of his contract that will pay him $14.8 million next season and become a free agent. The Lakers can pay Reaves the most, a maximum deal of $241 million over five years, with a starting salary of about $41.5 million next season. Reaves could sign with another team that has cap space, but that deal would be for four years and about $178 million.
“He started his journey here as a Laker and has made it very clear to us that he wants his journey to continue as a Laker,” Pelinka said. “And we feel the same way. We want his odyssey to continue to unfold in the purple and gold. As you know, there’s rules and timing to all of that, but I think both sides have made it abundantly clear that we want to work something out where he continues his prolific career here.”
The Lakers have their star in Doncic and will collaborate with him going forward.
He led the NBA in scoring (33.5 points per game), was third in assists (8.3) and was a most valuable player candidate.
Doncic, who missed the last five regular-season games and all of the playoffs, signed a three-year extension last summer for $165 million.
The Lakers want to build on that.
“He’s an incredible partner,” Pelinka said of Doncic. “His basketball IQ on the court is something we get to see as fans. [Lakers coach] JJ [Redick]) and I get to see his basketball knowledge in terms of other players in the league and the way he wants to play and who he wants to play with.
“His knowledge-base is vast and so those collaborations with him are really inspirational. He also does it in a way that he wants to do his job great, and he wants to let JJ do his job great and let me do my job great. So, they really are productive conversations through that lens.”
Broderick Turner and Thuc Nhi Nguyen reported that Lakers coach JJ Redick said, “The Thunder is one of the greatest teams ever in NBA history.” Maybe Redick is right. The Lakers were able to contain Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and with Jalen Williams not playing, OKC still won Games 1 and 2 by 18 points each.
Hopefully the Lakers can avoid a sweep when they return to The Crypt, but it doesn’t look very likely, not when committing 39 turnovers in two games.
Vaughn Hardenberg Westwood
It was so bush league to see the Lakers crowd around the beleagued referees at the end of an 18-point loss to the Thunder in Game 2. The number of free throws was nearly even, favoring OKC 26-21. There are no bigger whiners in the league than LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Deandre Ayton, who have in their minds never committed a foul and are always fouled with no call on any possession. This is playoff basketball — grow up and play ball. The results in this series speak for themselves.
Bob Goldstone
Corona del Mar
You cannot tell me that the defensive “mauling” allowed by NBA officials during the playoffs would be tolerated during the regular season. It almost looks like the NBA upper brass — Adam Silver and his cohorts/consultants — have directly or indirectly “suggested” that referees simply “let ‘em play.”
This inconsistency and change of “style“ by the officials has either confused or frustrated many offensive players as well as some fans. To me, a foul is a foul, period! Considerations like superstar or rookie, home team or visitors, the fourth quarter versus the first, closing minutes or seconds of a game, regular season versus the playoffs should not matter.
Rick Solomon Lake Balboa
I’m watching Lakers-Thunder Game 2 and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is running into people and getting the Michael Jordan treatment. Everything is a foul against the Lakers. On the another hand, LeBron James is getting the stuffing beat out of him and no calls. Coach JJ Redick needs to bring this bias up with the media and put the spotlight on the refs. That’s what Phil Jackson and Pat Riley would do. Lakers fans can start a go-fund-me page for the fine.
Nov. 12, 2025, in Oklahoma City Thunder 121, Lakers 92 Neither team was at full strength with James sidelined because of sciatica and the Thunder without Luguentz Dort and Jalen Williams. Oklahoma City still dominated behind an effortless 30-point, nine-assist night from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. It was the largest defeat of the season for the Lakers until April.
Feb. 9, in Los Angeles Thunder 119, Lakers 110 Both teams were without their MVP candidates as Gilegous-Alexander sat because of a strained abdominal muscle and Doncic was sidelined by a hamstring injury. The Thunder proved their depth and chemistry by holding off the Lakers in the fourth quarter. This was one of just eight clutch-time losses for the Lakers during the regular season.
April 2, in Oklahoma City Thunder 139, Lakers 96 The nightmare score wasn’t as scary for the Lakers as seeing their two leading scorers injured in the same game. Reaves played through what was later diagnosed as a Grade 2 oblique muscle strain, and Doncic left in the third quarter with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain. The game was expected to be a major showdown between MVP candidates and a litmus test for the Lakers, who entered with 13 wins in their previous 14 games.
April 8, in Los Angeles Thunder 123, Lakers 87 The Lakers were without four starters and still reeling from the regular season-ending injuries suffered by Doncic and Reaves the previous week. Matching up with the Thunder again only exacerbated the emotional hangover. Redick tried to inject some energy into the group by benching veterans Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt for small mistakes early, but the coach later admitted the tactic didn’t work.
Former Lakers assistant coach Damon Jones became the first among 34 defendants to plead guilty Tuesday in an expansive gambling indictment that also ensnared Hall of Fame player Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat star Terry Rozier and organized crime figures.
Jones was a Lakers coach in 2022 and 2023, long after he retired from an 11-year NBA playing career with 11 teams. Before a Feb. 9, 2023, game between the Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks in which LeBron James was a late scratch because of a foot injury, evidence showed that Jones urged a co-conspirator to “get a big bet on Milwaukee before the information is out!”
Jones urged his co-conspirator in a text: “Bet enough so Djones can eat to [sic] now!!!”
Jones and James were considered good friends for years. A person close to James told The Times in October that the Lakers star didn’t know that Jones was selling injury information to gamblers placing bets.
Jones had entered not guilty pleas in November to the two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his role in sports betting and rigged poker game schemes. However, during back-to-back hearings in Brooklyn federal court Tuesday, he entered guilty pleas to those charges.
Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 6 before separate judges in the two cases. Guidelines call for 21 to 27 months in prison for the sports gambling charge and 63 to 78 months for the charge on rigged poker games. Prosecutors said they agreed to shave 15 months from the sentence in exchange for Jones pleading guilty by April 30.
He pleaded guilty in the sports betting case first. In a prepared statement, he acknowledged that he conspired with others to defraud sports betting companies by using “insider information that I obtained as a result of my relationships as a former player.”
Jones, 49, said the goal of the sports betting conspiracy was to use his insider knowledge of injuries to players to make money gambling.
“I would like to sincerely apologize to the court, my family, my peers and also the National Basketball Association,” said Jones, who was paid $21 million as a player.
Next came pleading guilty to participating in rigged poker games. Jones admitted that he was paid to use his NBA celebrity to lure deep-pocketed gamblers to poker games in Miami and New York.
Again reading from a statement, Jones said that, based on conversations with his co-conspirators at poker games, “I knew these games were rigged and that players were being cheated.”
And again he concluded with an apology, addressing the court, his family and friends.
“I’m really sorry to everyone involved for my actions,” he said.
Prosecutors said Monday they would seek additional charges against Rozier in the sports betting case because they had developed evidence that the 10-year NBA veteran solicited a bribe during an alleged gambling scheme.
According to the original indictment, when Rozier played for the Charlotte Hornets in 2023, he told friends he was planning to leave a game early with a “supposed injury,” allowing others to place wagers. Rozier has made $135 million as a player.
Billups, who played with the Clippers for two seasons and later was a member of Clippers coach Ty Lue’s staff before being named head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers in 2021, is charged with rigging underground poker games that authorities said were backed by three of New York’s Mafia families. Billups, who was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2024, made $107 million as a player.
HOUSTON — Deandre Ayton has a simple explanation for his first career ejection.
“We’re both sweaty guys,” the Lakers center said after his accidental elbow to the back of Alperen Sengun‘s head resulted in his ejection from Sunday’s loss to the Houston Rockets.
The Lakers center was assessed a flagrant foul 2 with 5:41 remaining in the third quarter of the 115-96 Game 4 loss. It “looked crazy on camera,” Ayton acknowledged, but it was not malicious.
Ayton said he was bracing for contact against the 6-foot-11, 243-pound Sengun and Ayton’s arm simply slipped off Sengun’s shoulder and hit his head. It didn’t affect Sengun at all: he finished with 19 points and six rebounds on six-of-12 shooting as the Rockets forced a Game 5 on Wednesday at 7 p.m. PDT at Crypto.com Arena.
“I’m not no guy who is a dirty player or plays like that,” Ayton said. “If anything, me trying to play dirty, I’ll damn near hurt myself. I just hope he’s all right and they don’t think it was intentional.”
Sengun and Rockets coach Ime Udoka both said the flagrant 2 call — which characterizes an act as “unnecessary and excessive” — was “soft.” Sengun said he didn’t expect Ayton to be ejected for the play. When crew chief James Williams declared that Ayton would be sent off, the Lakers center simply dropped his head and walked to the locker room. Injured Rockets star Kevin Durant, who missed the game with a bone bruise in his sprained left ankle, waved goodbye from the Rockets bench.
“We’re proud of the way he handled it, and I think that just speaks volume about who he is and his progression,” Lakers guard Marcus Smart said. “He’s learning, he’s continuing — it probably would have been justifiable if he went off, right? But to keep his composure and stay positive, I think that’s only going to help him and this team.”
Lakers’ Jarred Vanderbilt (2) and Deandre Ayton (5) go up for a rebound against Houston forward Tari Eason during the first half Sunday.
(Karen Warren / Associated Press)
It was the first time Ayton was ejected in his eight-year NBA career. The center, to the chagrin of many in the NBA, has long been known more for his finesse touch shots than physical play. Lakers coach JJ Redick called Ayton, “a sweet, just, like, kind soul.”
Lakers coaches and teammates have tried to encourage him to increase his intensity and aggressiveness. General manager Rob Pelinka even made a custom shirt with half of Ayton’s face next to the face of a lion.
Ayton answered the call Sunday with 19 points and 10 rebounds. He was one of the Lakers’ only forms of consistent offense in the blowout loss. Outside of Ayton and Rui Hachimura, who shot six for 10 with 13 points, the Lakers were shooting 31.3% from the field in the first three quarters. They trailed by as many as 26 points as Smart and LeBron James, veterans who led the team to a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, looked worn down with Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) still sidelined.
“It’s been tough for DA,” said Smart, who had nine points, five assists and four turnovers. “We’ve been hard on him. He’s been hard on himself. You guys have been hard on him. … He’s been taking it, embracing it and trying to get better and better. Today he showed that. He came out, we relied on him a little bit more. He made plays for us.”
Ayton soon had company in the Lakers locker room after teammate Adou Thiero and Rockets guard Aaron Holiday were both ejected after receiving two technical fouls with 1:11 remaining in the fourth quarter. They got tangled up under the basket and exchanged words briefly.
Thiero, who entered the game midway through the fourth quarter when the Lakers cleared their bench, made a memorable playoff debut by scoring his first postseason basket with an emphatic alley-oop dunk over Dorian Finney-Smith. But the premature ending to his first postseason appearance was “uncalled for,” James said.
“It made no sense,” said James, who had 10 points and nine assists but eight turnovers. “… I don’t think that was warranted. Give him two technicals? The kid just got in the game.”
At the end of the physical game, players from both teams jawed back and forth at midcourt after the final buzzer. Much of the Lakers bench and some coaches approached to help diffuse the situation. Redick said he was simply poking his head into the situation the way people might turn their heads to gawk at commotion in a bar. When he determined nothing was happening, he left.
“Hilarious,” Smart said with a smirk of the postgame skirmish. “Very hilarious.”
HOUSTON — While leading the Lakers to a commanding 3-0 lead over the Houston Rockets in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs, LeBron James has stepped out of his airtight postseason mindset for only a few fleeting moments.
He has a good reason.
“All those moments has been with Bronny,” James said Friday after leading the Lakers to a 112-108 win over Houston. “It keeps getting better and better. It’s like, wow.”
Steadily growing under the postseason spotlight, Bronny James scored his first playoff points Friday in a five-point, 26-second flurry in which he drained a three behind a screen from his dad and then hit a reverse layup to complete the NBA’s first father-son postseason alley-oop. The Lakers can clinch the first-round, best-of-seven series Sunday at Toyota Center.
Without Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) to run the Lakers’ halfcourt sets, the team has placed an emphasis on running in transition. When Deandre Ayton blocked a shot at the rim with 7:18 remaining in the second quarter, LeBron corralled the rebound and pushed the ball up the court. Bronny, the youngest player on the Lakers’ roster, knows he can beat anyone up the court. He locked eyes with his dad as they sprinted toward the basket.
It’s been a while since Bronny caught a lob from his 41-year-old dad. Maybe not since last year’s training camp, he estimated. Getting to connect again while contributing to the Lakers’ thrilling overtime win is “what I always wanted,” Bronny said.
“Especially a playoff game, the first playoff bucket is great for me, great for my confidence and how I approach the rest of the playoffs,” he added.
The 21-year-old got his first postseason rotation minutes in Game 1, starting the second quarter. The Crypto.com Arena crowd cheered when he got his first touch of the ball.
He had one turnover and two fouls in his nearly four-minute shift. Several of his passes were slightly off the mark, forcing teammates to reach for the ball. Assistant coach Greg St. Jean pulled him aside for words of encouragement before the second-year pro returned to the bench. He didn’t reenter the game.
LeBron remembered the nerves he had during his first postseason game in 2006 against Washington, he said after Game 1, and there was little advice he could give his son that would make the experience easier until he actually did it.
“I was nervous for my first playoff game too,” Bronny said. “I definitely think I’ve gained a little more confidence and relaxed myself over these three games.”
The Lakers are going to need his minutes. Still waiting for Doncic and Reaves to return, the Lakers can’t turn down any advantageous shots, coach JJ Redick said.
Seeing him confidently step into a three-pointer Friday was even more important than the fact that Bronny made the shot for his first playoff points.
Lakers guard Bronny James (9) and Rockets guard Reed Sheppard (15) chase after a loose ball during Game 3 on Friday night in Houston.
(Michael Wyke / Associated Press)
“The amount of confidence that a young kid in our league can get from a postseason game is like — a regular-season game would never,” LeBron said. “You will never get nervous from a regular-season moment ever again when you play meaningful postseason games and postseason minutes. And he’s done that, and I think that’s pretty cool for his career, for his confidence.”
Not only has Bronny gained confidence in his shot, but also Redick praised his improvement on defense throughout the season. Against the famously physical Rockets, the 6-foot-2 guard doesn’t look out of place on defense. In the moments LeBron zooms out to realize his son is playing, he marvels at his oldest child’s attention to detail, improvements on the ball and defensive mindset.
Bronny is appreciative of the coaches’ trust in him. The former five-star recruit out of Sierra Canyon High still is growing into his career, especially after surgery for a congenital heart defect derailed his brief college experience at USC. That he didn’t get to play a March Madness game will irk him for the rest of his life, Bronny said. But the Lakers’ postseason run isn’t a bad consolation prize.
“Got to do it in the playoffs,” Bronny said, “and that’s just the best feeling.”
Injury updates
Austin Reaves remains questionable for Game 4 in Houston on Sunday . Reaves participated in an individual shooting workout Saturday.
Reaves and Doncic are less than four weeks removed from their Grade 2 injuries suffered April 2. Doncic remains out for Game 4, but with the Lakers close to extending their season into the second round, Doncic’s potential postseason return becomes more realistic.
Needing a win Sunday to extend his season, the Rockets’ Kevin Durant is questionable because of a left ankle sprain. The superstar forward missed Game 1 because of a bruised right knee and injured his ankle late in Game 2. He has been receiving treatment “around the clock,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka told reporters Saturday. Durant was running on an underwater treadmill during Friday’s game and will test the ankle again beforeGame 4.
“Every day that goes by, the likelihood goes up,” Udoka said of Durant playing. “But I thought he might be OK [Friday] based on shootaround and that’s different going half speed and then ramping it up right before a game. And so you really can’t tell, but he’s doing everything he can to get back.”
The Lakers were cooked, the playoff magic finally drained from a team without its two leading scorers, a team in the process of making every conceivable mistake, reality bouncing off their feet and ricocheting off their hips and falling out of their hands.
On a jarring Friday night at Houston’s Toyota Center, the Rockets led by six with 30 seconds remaining and had possession of the ball. They just needed to get it upcourt. They just needed to play catch.
The Lakers were done.
And if you believe that, then you don’t believe what they believe.
They believed Smart would steal a terrible backcourt pass, absorb a terrible shooting foul and make three free throws.
They believed James would knock away a dribble on the next possession, run to beyond the three-point line, take a pass from Kennard and sink a game-tying trey.
They believed in the miracle of forcing this game into overtime, then believed in the destiny of a 112-108 victory to take an historically insurmountable three-games-to-none lead in a first-round playoff series they should have lost.
How frantic was that finish? In the postseason over the last 29 years, NBA teams that led by six or more points in the last 30 seconds are now 1,713-2.
“It was just a gutty win for us,” James said.
Gutty, gritty, growling, great, great win.
“Everything that we needed to do, even when it wasn’t pretty, we just kind of found a way to do it,” said coach JJ Redick. “And … we’re playing hard. I mean, that’s what you have to do to put yourself in a position to win.”
Lakers center Deandre Ayton, right, and guard Marcus Smart slap hands as they celebrate in overtime during their win Friday.
(Kenneth Richmond / Getty Images)
They are true believers, this bunch, as much as any Laker team has believed since the 2020 championship run, perhaps more than any other Lakers team in history.
They believe in their legendary leader, LeBron. They believe in the playoff-tough Smart. They believe in their connectivity, in their desperation, in their destiny.
They believe this is a special team. Once they get their two injured scorers back — and Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic are apparently returning faster than anyone imagined — they believe this could be a championship-contending team.
They will find out in the next round, when their opponent will be either the defending champions from Oklahoma City or the the Phoenix Suns.
Even if they finish off the Rockets in a sweep — and this series is already over considering NBA teams are 159-0 with a 3-0 lead — they will be considerable underdogs moving forward.
Surely they were lucky that star Kevin Durant didn’t play in two of these three games, including missing Friday’s Game 3 with a sprained ankle.
Surely they can’t keep winning games with 21 turnovers and half as many offensive rebounds and blown 15-point leads.
Surely that even if Reaves and Doncic return, they will revert to being the same team that lost to Oklahoma City by 43 points and lost to San Antonio by 16 in their most recent meetings while at full strength.
Surely they’re not this deep and committed and inspired as they’ve shown in these first three games.
Right? Wrong. Were you watching?
The Rockets used numerous Lakers mistakes and defensive mistakes to take the lead in the final five minutes and seemingly hold it for a series-changing victory. The dagger appeared to be a fastbreak dunk by Alperen Sengun to give the Rockets a 101-95 lead and eventually the ball with the crowd roaring and barely 30 seconds left.
Little did they know the Lakers had them right where they wanted them.
“We’ve talked … about elevating everything,” said Redick, later adding, “You have to elevate your poise, you have to elevate your composure, recognizing that there’s going to be moments where the crowd’s going crazy or you get down, they make a run, whatever it may be. We weathered a lot tonight. … And then, in that moment, just to have the poise to just keep playing.”
The Lakers had that poise. The Rockets lost their cool.
In that moment… what was Jabari Smith Jr. doing throwing a looping backcourt pass to apparently nobody? And after Smart grabbed it and threw up a desperate three… what was Jae’Sean Tate doing fouling him?
“I see Tate running really fast and I’m like, ‘OK, he probably not going to be able to stop in time,’” explained Smart. “So, I just pulled up right away and he ran right under me, exactly what happened. So, it was a smart play. That’s part of my vet, being a vet and my vet savvy. Been in the league for 12 years. I picked up some tricks from some guys.”
Even after the vet’s three free throws, the Rockets still could have easily won this, but… what was Reed Sheppard doing casually dribbling the ball upcourt without noticing James behind him? James knocked the ball away for the steal, eventually got it back, and drained a trey with 13 seconds remaining for the eventual overtime-sending gut punch.
“We don’t have the luxury of being passive or being complacent,” James said. “Our whole mindset is we have to do everything it takes in that particular game and that particular moment in that particular possession in order for us to win basketball games, because we don’t have a long leash of error. We don’t have a lot [of room] for error.”
Once they reached the extra period, well, it was over the moment an angrily stunned Sengun threw a towel to the floor in front of the Rockets’ bench moments after the end of regulation.
The Rockets were unnerved and eventually undone.
Smart started the extra period by hitting a three, then kept the Lakers’ mojo going with a flying save of a rebound that became a Rui Hachimura layup.
Soon thereafter James went to the floor fighting for a ball, then missed a shot that Smart came out of nowhere to grab the offensive rebound, leading to two free throws that eventually put the game out of reach.
Even on a night when James scored 29 points, had 13 rebounds, and threw an ally-oop pass to son Bronny for a reverse layup — so cool! — the hero here was Smart.
He was signed by the Lakers last summer for his postseason toughness and savvy, and he showed every bit of it Friday, with 21 points, 10 assists and five steals. Not to mention, eight points in overtime.
“You got to leave it all on the court, because you never know,” Smart said. ”Because you never know. It can be taken away at any moment, right? And with two of our best players down, we got to play desperate. We got to be the most desperate team and that’s how we have been playing and that’s how we are winning, right? The chemistry has been built because of that.”
It’s a chemistry that works. It’s a chemistry that has built a faith even amid Friday night’s immeasurably high hurdle, a faith that should persist beyond the framework of this finished first-round series.
Down six. Thirty seconds left. Steal the game. Steal the series.
HOUSTON — LeBron James tapped the ball away from Houston’s Reed Sheppard. Marcus Smart fired a two-handed pass to James, who bobbled it and slapped it to Luke Kennard. Kennard faked a shot. He whipped a pass back to James.
Down three with 14 seconds left in regulation of Game 3 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs Friday, James lined up a three. Two Houston players ran into each other while desperately trying to defend the shot.
With the ball hanging in the air and the game on the line, was there ever a doubt on the Lakers’ bench?
“Absolutely not,” guard Bronny James said. “It’s the Lakers.”
Already one of the league’s best clutch-time teams, the Lakers stirred up magic again Friday, overcoming a six-point deficit in the final 30 seconds of the fourth quarter to earn a 112-108 overtime win over the Houston Rockets. The Lakers took a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series and will go for their first playoff series sweep since the second round in 2010 on Sunday in Houston.
The Lakers already won two nervy road games over the Rockets during the regular season. But the hero from those wins was dressed in a crisp white T-shirt and gray pants Friday. Luka Doncic, nursing a left hamstring injury, even took off his white jacket during the dramatic overtime. He had no reason to worry with James at the helm.
The 41-year-old played 45 minutes and four seconds, hit the game-tying three-pointer with 13.6 seconds left in regulation and had a team-high 29 points, 13 rebounds and six assists. Smart had 21 points, 10 assists and, for the second straight game, five steals, including one with 27.8 seconds left in regulation that set up three critical free throws.
The veterans have played in 406 combined playoff games and, hoping to add another win, showed the mentality shaped through each one.
Lakers forwards Jarred Vanderbilt, left, and LeBron James celebrate after their overtime against the Houston Rockets in Game 3 on Friday night.
(Michael Wyke / Associated Press)
“We’re just trying to have that killer mentality right now,” said Smart, who had eight of the Lakers’ 11 overtime points. “We got them on the ropes and then it’s our job to try to finish.”
The Rockets were desperate to avoid the dreaded 0-3 hole. They stormed back from a 15-point first-half deficit and took a one-point lead with 4:59 remaining on a three-pointer from Sheppard. The Houston crowd, which did not fill up until well into the first quarter, erupted.
James turned the ball over for the fourth time in the fourth quarter when Alperen Sengun tipped a bounce pass away from Kennard. Sengun appeared to punctuate the season-saving win with a one-handed dunk over James with 40.6 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
In the moment, Lakers forward Rui Hachimura admitted later, the Lakers felt a slight dip in their energy. They needed something to turn the tide.
Smart intercepted a lazy pass by Houston forward Jabari Smith Jr., and Jae’Sean Tate fouled the Lakers guard on a three-point attempt with 25.4 seconds left. He made all three free throws. The crowd grew restless. When James hit the game-tying three, those wearing the Rockets’ red T-shirts stood in stunned silence.
A vocal minority of Lakers fans were buzzing.
“Next play. Next play,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said of the Lakers’ mindset during the critical stages of the game. “I mean, look, there’s a lot of things that happened tonight that were not perfect. … But you just kind of get onto the next play. And that, to me, is a hallmark of poise; that’s a hallmark of composure.”
While the Lakers had the league’s best record in clutch time games during the regular season (22-8), the Rockets ranked 16th. With a 22-23 record in games within five points in the final five minutes, the Rockets had the fifth-most clutch-time losses. Only Indiana, Memphis, Brooklyn, Dallas and New Orleans had more such losses.
Houston coach Ime Udoka called the foul on Smart “terrible.” Instead of passing to a wide-open Sengun, Sheppard tried to split a double-team on the decisive turnover. Sengun’s attempt at a game-winner when he got stood up by Jaxon Hayes on a turnaround baseline floater wasn’t the play the Rockets drew up, Udoka said.
“Horrendous mistakes,” the third-year Rockets coach said. “I don’t want to say youth or scared of the moment or whatever the case.”
The Rockets, who lost in seven games in the first round of the playoffs last year, were without star Kevin Durant for the second time this series. He missed the game with a sprained left ankle, an injury he sustained in the fourth quarter of Game 2. He was sidelined for Game 1 because of a knee contusion he picked up in practice. The 37-year-old was remarkably durable this season, ranking second in the NBA in minutes played. His presence was a lifeline for a team that lost point guard Fred VanVleet to a torn anterior cruciate ligament last September.
Durant was ruled out about 90 minutes before tip off. When told of the injury update during his pregame news conference, Redick was not fazed. The Lakers know who they have on their side.
They did the heavy lifting for the Lakers, combining for 76 points, 16 rebounds and 16 assists to carry the Lakers to a 101-94 win over the Houston Rockets in Game 2 of the Western Conference playoffs Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena.
James had another near triple-double with 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists to help the Lakers take a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. He capped his night with a two-handed dunk with 55.3 seconds left to make sure the Lakers didn’t blow a 15-point lead they built in the first half.
Lakers guard Marcus Smart, sprawled on the court, steals the ball from Rockets forward Kevin Durant during the first quarter of Game 2.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Smart had 25 points, seven assists and two rebounds while his defense was outstanding once again. Smart, who was eight-for-13 from the field, drilled a big-time three-pointer late in the fourth quarter to give the Lakers an eight-point lead.
Kennard had 23 points, six rebounds and two assists. His two free throws with 14.3 seconds left capped the scoring.
And once again, the Lakers showed their clutch genes, this time doing so with Luka Doncic (Grade 2 left hamstring strain) and Austin Reaves (Grade 2 left oblique muscle strain), sitting on the bench injured.
The Lakers had the best clutch record in the NBA during the regular season, going 22-8 in games when the score was within five points in the final five minutes. The Rockets on the other hand, went 22-23 during clutch moments, ranking 16th in the league.
“We all got to pick up our play,” James said. “When you’ve got two big guns out like we have, we all got to pick up our play. And that’s all it’s about. We’re all just trying to contribute, make contributions in all facets of the game, pick up our play. Obviously, we’re missing Luka and missing AR, so we’re just trying to seize the opportunity. That’s all.”
Kevin Durant returned to play after missing Game 1 because of a right knee contusion, and he was sharp early on, scoring 20 points in the first half. But Durant had just three points in the second half and he had nine turnovers for the game.
With the Rockets hosting Game 3 on Friday night, James said he found no comfort in how the Lakers defended Durant.
“None. That just makes him even madder going into Game 3. No satisfaction,” James, who played 39 minutes and 12 seconds, said. “You know, we did our job. We did that. But the guy’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer and he’s going to make way more great plays than not. So, we don’t have no satisfaction. That game is over and done with, but it’s still a tall challenge.”
Lakers guard Luke Kennard takes the ball from Rockets forward Kevin Durant during Game 2 of their first-round playoff series at Crypto.Com Arena on Tuesday.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
The starting backcourt of Smart and Kennard, starting in place of Doncic and Reaves, had the kind of first-quarter scoring display Doncic is known for delivering.
Smart had 14 points in the first 12 minutes, shooting five for seven from the field and three for four from three-point range. Kennard had 10 points in the first, shooting four for six from the field and two for three from three-point range.
“Whether those guys are here or not, obviously we would love for them to be here,” said Smart, who played 35:29. “They elevate us to a whole other level, right? And we understand that. But they’re not and there’s nothing we can do about it but step our game up for those guys.”
During the regular season, Doncic, Reaves and James were the Big Three for the Lakers.
But James has two new mates to help the cause, and Smart and Kennard are holding it down.
It started in Game 1, when James, Smart and Kennard combined for 61 of the Lakers’ 107 points, 14 rebounds and 24 assists.
Houston forward Kevin Durant passes the ball under pressure from Lakers forward Rui Hachimura and center Jaxson Hayes Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
“We know throughout the game we’re going to have the ball in our hands the most, us three,” said Kennard, who played 41:58. “Again, it’s just playing within the flow of the game when we can. Seeing what adjustments they made earlier in the game and just trying to find ways to beat it. I thought we did a good job of staying poised and under control overall. … But, like I said, us three, we know we’re going to have the ball the majority of the time when it comes down to it and we have to be aggressive and look for the right play each time.”
Etc.
When asked about a report saying Reaves has progressed to one-on-one court work and what Doncic is able to do, Lakers coach JJ Redick said, “Yeah, no update on the timeline for either of those guys.”
“Austin has started a return-to-play [plan,] but we don’t have any timeline update for him,” Redick added. “And then Luka I think is gonna start some court work here soon. But again, no update on timeline.”
Redick was asked if Reaves returning to play meant he is starting some support work.
“Yeah. But he, again, it’s an upper-body injury versus a lower-body injury, so it’s different things,” Redick said.
Redick was asked one last time what return-to-play progression looks like for Reaves.
