Los Angeles Lakers Insider: Breaking News, Player Interviews & Highlights

Tag: LeBron James injury update

  • Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves Fuel Lakers’ Title Hopes as No. 3 Seed

    Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves Fuel Lakers’ Title Hopes as No. 3 Seed

    After beating the Houston Rockets 140-109 in their final home game of the season, the Los Angeles Lakers clinched the 3rd seed in the Western Conference. For Austin Reaves, this wild season felt like “five seasons in one” but as he looked ahead to the playoffs, he was confident.

    “I think we can win a championship, to be honest with you,” Reaves said, echoing Luka Doncic who scored 39 points in three quarters Friday night.

    Doncic added, “That’s our only goal. I think we have the team to do it.”

    The Lakers celebrated their 50th win with a wild locker room party and doused rookie coach JJ Redick with ice buckets. It was so crazy that Hachimura joked, “The whole locker room is literally water. Straight water.”

    Redick who set lofty goals when he took over last June—win 50 games and 3rd seed—was thrilled to hit both marks.

    “Just incredibly proud of our team,” Redick said laughing about the estimated $17,000 in damage to the locker room carpet. “Winning 50 games in the regular season is an accomplishment in any year, especially in this Western Conference. It’s a credit to our players. They all bought into a winning culture.”

    LeBron James Tweaks Hip, But Appears Fine

    The night ended in celebration but there was a brief moment of concern for LeBron James in the 3rd quarter. The 22 year vet appeared to tweak his left hip/groin area and was done after 22 minutes. He had 14 points and 8 assists before heading to the bench gingerly.

    Coach Redick confirmed he’s “fine” but LeBron didn’t do postgame interviews. Instead he congratulated the team on social media:

    “Man I was going to say something but it’s useless at this point in my career! Anyways more important CONGRATULATIONS JJ on a 50 win season in the WEST & Post Season nod!”

    James’ pregame workout today drew some criticism from former NBA great Isiah Thomas who said on NBA TV that professionalism in the league has gone down. But that didn’t bother the Lakers who are focused on one thing: a championship.

    Playoff Matchup Still Uncertain

    The Lakers are still waiting to find out who they’ll play in the first round. The Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Denver Nuggets are all still in the hunt for the 6th seed, which would mean they’d play the Lakers in the first round. Whoever they play, the Lakers will have a week off before they host Game 1 of their series next weekend.

    This will be the first time since the 2010-11 season (Phil Jackson’s final year as coach) that the Lakers will open the playoffs at home. And with LeBron James (NBA all-time leading playoff scorer) and Luka Doncic (2nd all-time playoff scorer per game) leading the way, the expectations are high.

    A Legacy Duo Leading the Charge

    Heading into the playoffs, the Lakers have the 1-2 punch: LeBron James, the all-time leading scorer in playoff points, and Luka Doncic, the 2nd highest scorer in playoff average. But Doncic says it’s not all about him and LeBron.

    “It’s not just me and LeBron,” Doncic said. “We have a great team around us; everybody helps us in so many ways. So, if we want to win the championship, it’s going to take all of us.”

  • Is LeBron James Facing a Serious Health Issue? ESPN Analyst Weighs In

    Is LeBron James Facing a Serious Health Issue? ESPN Analyst Weighs In

    The Los Angeles Lakers are in the thick of a playoff push, but all eyes are on LeBron James. It’s not just his play that has fans and analysts worried. At 40 years old, James is defying Father Time, but recent games have raised concerns about his health and is he really 100%? With the Western Conference standings tightening the Lakers may have to make some tough decisions about their superstar’s workload.

    A Sluggish Performance Against the Bulls

    In the Lakers’ last game against the Chicago Bulls, LeBron James didn’t look like himself. He still scored 17 points and 12 assists but his shooting efficiency told a different story 8-for-20 from the field and 0-for-5 from 3 . More concerning than the numbers was how he moved on the court.

    James looked slower than usual, less explosive off the dribble and more deliberate. For a player who is known for his athleticism and ability to dominate games at will these are signs that are hard to ignore.

    After the game James said he’s still working on building up his endurance. “I’m getting there,” he said. “It’s a process.” But while James is optimistic others aren’t so sure.

    ESPN Insider Drops Bombshell on LeBron’s Health

    On Wednesday, ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins dropped some bad news that’s going to fuel the James speculation.

    “My sources are telling me he’s not healthy,” Perkins said on air. He didn’t say what’s wrong with him, so we’re all left to wonder what’s going on with the Lakers’ star.

    This is a bad time for the Lakers. They’re fighting for a playoff spot and any extended absence or decline from James could kill their postseason hopes.

    What This Means for the Lakers’ Playoff Push?

    The Lakers are in a tough spot in the Western Conference standings. Every game matters, and they can’t afford to lose many more if they want to miss the playoffs altogether.

    With James struggling to get back to his best, the Lakers have a decision to make: Do they keep riding their 38 year old superstar or rest him to preserve him for a potential playoff run?

    Resting him now would allow him to get healthy and recharge so he’s closer to 100% if they do make the playoffs. But sitting him out risks losing regular season games that could cost them a playoff spot altogether.

    Can LeBron Keep Defying Father Time?

    LeBron James has been rewriting the script on what it means to age in the NBA for years. At 40, he’s still one of the league’s top producers. This season, he’s averaging 25.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game. But even the greatest players eventually feel the weight of time and LeBron may be starting to feel that.

    If the Lakers want to make some noise in the playoffs, they’ll need James to be as close to his best self as he can be. That means being smart about his minutes, addressing any lingering health issues and knowing he has the support of teammates like Anthony Davis and Austin Reaves.

  • JJ Redick Tells Lakers to Focus, Not Complain About the Schedule

    JJ Redick Tells Lakers to Focus, Not Complain About the Schedule

    The Los Angeles Lakers are in the middle of their toughest stretch of the season with games against the Denver Nuggets and Milwaukee Bucks on back to back nights. Add in injuries and fatigue and it’s clear this is a tough period for the team. But head coach JJ Redick has made it clear: no excuses or complaints about the schedule.

    Redick’s No-Excuses Mentality

    “No One Is Going to Feel Sorry for Us”

    During a recent team meeting, JJ Redick called out the Lakers’ excuses. When star point guard Chris Paul mentioned how tough the schedule was, Redick used it as an opportunity to tell the team to stop whining.

    “It was a couple weeks ago during film session at the facility,” Redick said. “I told them straight up: no one is going to feel sorry for us. Back-to-backs? Tough matchups? That’s just part of being in the NBA.”

    Redick said every team faces these kinds of challenges at some point in the season. For the Lakers, this stretch is six games in eight days with three consecutive back-to-backs—a tough ask for any team. But instead of focusing on that, Redick wants his players to have a “next-game mentality.”

    “You gotta play the game in front of you and then move on to the next thing,” he said. “Try to get better each day.”

    Injuries and Roster Issues

    Winning Through Adversity

    The Lakers just got through a four game road trip where they went 0-4, largely due to missing key rotation players like LeBron James. Despite all that, the team has shown some resilience since getting back home and won two in a row against the San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns.

    LeBron and Rui Hachimura are close to returning and the Lakers are hopeful to get full strength back. But even as reinforcements arrive, Redick knows the schedule doesn’t get any easier. He emphasized the importance of staying focused and not getting bogged down by what’s ahead.

    “This two week stretch, starting with Boston and ending with this homestand, was always going to be tough,” Redick said. “There will still be tough parts of the schedule left but we can’t afford to dwell on that. We have to take it one game at a time.”

    Jordan Goodwin’s Role and Contract Dilemma

    One player who has emerged as a key contributor during this stretch is Jordan Goodwin. Signed to a two way contract earlier in the season, Goodwin has earned the coaches trust with his non stop energy and defensive tenacity. After the Lakers win over the Spurs, Redick praised Goodwin.

    “He’s really earned the coaches trust,” Redick said. “But unfortunately that’s the nature of two way contracts, they’re complicated.”

    Goodwin has played in 14 games so far, started three but his eligibility is limited to 50 games unless the Lakers convert his deal to a standard NBA contract by April 13. With only five games left before he hits that cap, the front office has a decision to make: waive someone to create roster space or risk losing Goodwin’s contributions down the stretch.

    Roster Crunch

    Redick said managing the roster has become a tightrope and with Trey Jemison III also on a two way deal, its even more complicated. Both have played well so the Lakers have to think long and hard.

    “It’s something we’re just gonna manage,” Redick said. “Right now with guys out we can’t afford to have [Goodwin] out of the rotation. As we get healthy we’ll reassess.”

    Waiving a guy like Cam Reddish—an offseason signing who has fallen out of the rotation—would seem to be the easy solution but Redick and the front office aren’t in a rush to make moves. They’re using these last few weeks of the season to evaluate every piece of the puzzle.

    Focus on Health and Winning

    Despite all the struggles, the Lakers are still in the playoffs conversation, currently 5th in the west. Their defense has been great since they got Dorian Finney-Smith in December, 4th in efficiency. LeBron, Luka and Austin Reaves are all playing above their normal defensive selves and we can hope for a deep run.

    Finney-Smith echoed Redick’s comments after the Suns win, “We can beat any team in the league when we keep them under 100. All we gotta do is play defense.”

    As they get into the final stretch of the season, the Lakers focus is on being healthy, winning and getting ready for the playoffs. With Redick’s leadership and a sense of accountability, they’re ready for whatever’s ahead.