Los Angeles Lakers fans finally saw LeBron James back in action as he suited up for the team’s second preseason game against the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night.
While the night’s main event was LeBron playing alongside his son, Bronny James, for the first time, the Lakers overall performed better with their star on the court.
LeBron played about 16 minutes in the first half, but he was highly productive, leading the team with 19 points on efficient 8-of-12 shooting, adding five rebounds, four assists, and two blocks. The 39-year-old looked energetic, moving up and down the court with ease and displaying his elite athleticism.
Offensively, the Lakers appeared more cohesive, though LeBron acknowledged there’s still work to be done. “We did some good things,” LeBron said. “A couple things we could’ve done a little better. We still working on our habits.”
“I liked the way we played offensively, we shared the ball. We had some turnovers from myself that I didn’t particularly like, but I’m also trying to do some things that are different, which is a good thing. We want to push the ball, we want to kick the ball ahead, we want to be better with that. But all in all, I thought we had great energy, we paid attention to detail, and I feel like we got better. So that’s a win for us.”
With only a few practices completed, it will take time for LeBron and the team to adjust under new head coach JJ Redick.
Redick has stressed more outside shooting and player movement, and so far, the team is working to implement those strategies.
The early signs are encouraging, and the Lakers should only improve as they get more preseason reps. With a few days off before their next preseason game against the Milwaukee Bucks, it will be interesting to see how much progress they can make.
Bronny James commented on playing with his father, LeBron, expressing that while it was surreal for his dad, he felt like it was just another game once he got subbed in.
