HOUSTON — The Lakers had just advanced to the second round of the playoffs – where a daunting task against the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder awaits – after thoroughly handling the Houston Rockets in Game 6.
And while LeBron James, at 41, naturally commanded the postgame spotlight with his 28-point effort in the 98-78 victory, the series clincher on Friday night was a full-team effort. So, when Lakers coach JJ Redick picked up the microphone after Game 6 at the Toyota Center, he said his mind went to the collective.
Marcus Smart drew three charges and delivered an impressive blocked shot on Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr., who is eight inches taller than the veteran guard. Rui Hachimura scored 21 points, making five 3-pointers, to record his 10th career 20-point playoff performance. Deandre Ayton continued to crash the boards, closing a three-game stretch to end the first-round series with a combined 43 rebounds, while halting Houston center Alperen Sengun from getting in an offensive flow. And Austin Reaves, in just his second game back from a Grade 2 left oblique strain that sidelined him for nearly a month, added 15 points in a starting role.
But Redick’s mind didn’t sway to just the collective, but also to an interaction with local reporters he had after the Lakers defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 127-113, on March 31. On that night, the Lakers closed their 16-2 run through March, a run during which James’ role shrunk into the background behind Reaves and Luka Doncic.
“I remember there was a press conference that we did after one of our games during our 16-2 stretch,” Redick said. “And you guys were like really hammering home a point about a specific player. … I said, ‘The reason our team is winning is because of our team, because each guy is starring in his role and contributing to winning.’ And that’s the story of this playoff series for us, where each guy had moments that helped us win the game.”
Reporters asked Redick on March 31 about James embracing his newfound standing on the Lakers, on a night when he finished with 14 points, six assists and five rebounds.
Later in that press conference, a reporter asked Redick about how James, who denied a layup attempt by Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell with a chase-down block against the backboard just five seconds into the game, inspires his teammates with effort plays such as the swat.
Redick then provided credit to James, who he said Friday had the “greatest career of any NBA player.” But the second-year head coach wanted to make clear on March 31 – it was not just James or Doncic who sparked the team’s sizzling late-season surge, it’s a performance of totality.
“Again, I say this all the time,” Redick said that night. “There are a million different forms of leadership and every guy has their own responsibility to lead in whatever way they can.”
“Maybe you guys aren’t hearing me – our team right now is the reason that we’re winning,” he continued. “Our team; because each guy has contributed to winning.”
The player-by-player contribution has been even more clear since April 2, when Doncic and Reaves were lost to injuries that would sideline them indefinitely in the last game the Lakers played in Oklahoma City before the second round gets underway Tuesday.
Luke Kennard carried the Lakers to a Game 1 victory with a 27-point showing over the Houston Rockets before adding 23 points in the Game 2 victory. In Game 6, the Lakers leaned on Jake LaRavia and Jaxson Hayes for defensive stops, holding Smith and Sengun to uncomfortable shots even when spelling the starting unit.
Even James, who has played in more playoff games than anyone in NBA history, had to shift back to the spotlight with Doncic – the league’s regular-season scoring champion (33.5 ppg) – unavailable for the entirety of the first round, nursing his left hamstring back to health.
“I would say we were a totally different team before April 2,” James said. “And for them to accept the fact to allow me to lead them and kind of command them in a way that I think I saw fit, being an extension of our coaching staff on the floor, it means a lot to me.”
If James was going to bring the passion on Friday, then so were his teammates, Hachimura said. The Japanese forward pointed to a halftime speech from Smart, delivered while they held an 18-point lead, to try to stave off a Houston comeback effort.
“Marcus said it to everybody,” Hachimura said. “He said, ‘Look, Bron brought the whole energy, so we got to bring it too.’ Everybody else got to bring it and I think we did that in the second half, and we closed out the game.”
LAKERS VS. THUNDER, SERIES SCHEDULE
Best-of-seven, second round, all times are PT
Game 1: Tues., May 5 – Lakers at Thunder, 5:30 p.m.
Game 2: Thurs., May 7 – Lakers at Thunder, 6:30 p.m.
Game 3: Sat., May 9 – Thunder at Lakers, 5:30 p.m.
Game 4: Mon., May 11 – Thunder at Lakers, 7:30 p.m.
x-Game 5: Wed., May 13 – Lakers at Thunder, TBD
x-Game 6: Sat., May 16 – Thunder at Lakers, TBD
x-Game 7: Mon., May 18 – Lakers at Thunder, TBD
x – if necessary
