The Lakers were relieved to break even in an exhausting stretch of games over the past week, writes Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. The devastating wildfires that hit Los Angeles in January caused several games to be postponed until later in the season. That resulted in the team playing six times in eight days, with three back-to-backs.
“Big picture … feel good that you go 3-3 in this stretch,” coach J.J. Redick said. “It was going to be tough no matter what. The added game made it harder. I don’t think the game that exists today in the NBA and the modern NBA player is like (built to do this). I wouldn’t be either if this was what I came up in and this was the game that I had to play every night. It’s different than when I first started. You’re not built to play six games in eight nights. The game doesn’t allow you to play six games in eight nights. It’s just impossible. That’s why we, I don’t think, have four in five anymore.”
L.A. played without four of its starters in Thursday’s loss to Milwaukee as Redick, whose team was already short-handed due to injuries, tried to avoid overworking anyone. That game was originally set for Tuesday, but it had to be rescheduled when a San Antonio matchup from January 11 was moved to Monday. Rookie wing Dalton Knecht and two-way guard Jordan Goodwin were the only Lakers to play in each of the last six games.
“What our guys just went through, it’s difficult,” Redick added. “And the old heads are gonna talk about how physical it was in the (1980s) and (1990s) and that’s fine. But the level of physicality in our game and the way that the court has to be covered and all the movement, it’s tough. And I’m just glad to be on the other side of it and hopefully going forward we are healthy and can make a push here.”
There’s more from Los Angeles:
- LeBron James has been cleared to return for tonight’s contest against Chicago, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link). He sat out seven games with a groin injury he suffered two weeks ago. Rui Hachimura, who has missed the last 10 games with patellar tendinopathy, has also been upgraded to available, along with Luka Doncic, Dorian Finney-Smith, Austin Reaves, Jarred Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent, McMenamin adds (Twitter link).
- Bronny James offered some evidence that he can succeed at the NBA level during Thursday’s game, McMenamin states in a full story. With nearly half the roster unavailable, Bronny played 30 minutes and finished with a season-high 17 points on 7-for-10 shooting, along with five assists, three rebounds and a blocked shot. “Not surprised by tonight,” Redick said. “I think his confidence is growing. … I think the next step is just becoming an elite-conditioned athlete. Because when (he) does that, with his physical tools and his burst and his handle — and we think he’s going to be an above-average to really good NBA shooter — he’s going to have a chance to really make an impact.”
- Redick is proving he can handle the challenges of being an NBA head coach, contends Mirjam Swanson of The Orange County Register, who admits she was among the doubters when he was hired last June.
Bronny will never be more than a bench warmer in the NBA and even that is a stretch.
Nepo baby for 17 points. Congrats.
Lakers were -36 in Bronny’s minutes. I get that they were short handed but bugger me, that’s your team being demonstrably quite a lot worse when you’re on the court. I’m not a hater, I just wish they’d stop trying to feed us dirt and tell us it’s chocolate…
They going to give what the market bears and so far in a good article covering many points above Bronny is up 3-0
My brother in law got drunk and I dared him to eat dirt and he ate a fistful and guess what, he was totally fine. So suck it up and take the wins. Lakers fans get Luka and it still ain’t enough. Makes me sick.
The national sports media trying to hype up Bronny James as anything more than a G-League player is just setting him up for great failure. Which I approve of.
Yeah! And when Bronny isn’t a great basketball player, that will really show LeBron James what’s what. He’ll get just what he deserves, when his son in the NBA is exposed as not being the best at basketball. Yeah!
Keep em coming uno
Thump City!
The better he plays, the more hate Bronny gets. Get used to it man. Use it as fuel.
Schedule? How about a home game on Christmas, fly 2150 miles the next day, then play 4 games in 4 nights in 4 different cities? 5 games in 6 nights all at different arenas.
Which team did that (according to you)?
There’s going to be a point where people will either have to admit they don’t truly watch the NBA as a whole or they just irrationally hate James Jr. Because to say he’s not capable of being an NBA player is to ignore the Kris Dunns, Patrick Beverlys, Jose Alvarados, who have decade long careers. It doesn’t really take a lot of imagination to see his floor as a smaller (but stout) defensive guard with length and a decent 3 point shot. Is his ceiling all star? Probably not but that’s ok
Pretty much if he puts out an effort and gets strong connections he will be in the league awhile. The guys you mentioned are examples, PJ Tucker is another he hasn’t done anything the last 5 years and still gets contracts.
No post about the Lakers back somewhat healthy getting destroyed by the Bulls at home by 31?
link to hoopsrumors.com
all these head coaches here talking s**t ,sitting at home unemployed.