The Los Angeles Lakers are beginning to find their footing after enduring a cold stretch that had head coach JJ Redick questioning whether they were a good basketball team. The Lakers have now won three straight games and appear to be clicking better offensively. Redick has been vocal about the offense struggling since LeBron James returned from injury to start the season.
“Since we’ve gotten Bron back, we haven’t been as organized offensively,” Redick said. “Too many random possessions. That’s on me. It’s those 3 things: defensive clarity, role clarity and offensive organization.”
Even though James continues to play at a high level, the Lakers remain focused on building around Luka Doncic. Given how the season nearly unraveled earlier, there was a growing belief that the Lakers might simply let this year play out.
“Waiting for the right opportunity instead of making one for yourself is always a dangerous strategy in every aspect of life. The same is true here. Doncic is 26 years old, getting ready to turn 27 in February. That should still give the Lakers a handful of seasons to get it right with their superstar. However, the idea of potentially punting on a season with him playing elite basketball is worrisome,” Lake Show Life’s Svyatoslav Rovenchuk wrote.
One persistent rumor has been that Doncic and James can’t coexist offensively or that the chemistry isn’t there. James has already dismissed those concerns, and following a win over the New Orleans Pelicans, he again shut down the notion that they can’t play together.
“Luka [Doncic] don't need to bend his game [for me]. Luka is our [26-year-old] franchise for this ball club. He don't need to bend his game. It's up to us to bend our game around him and figure it out,” James said.
James has acknowledged that this is now Doncic’s team in Los Angeles. He understands that he must adjust his style, as Doncic is more of an on-ball player. It’s becoming clear that James is finding a rhythm within this new offensive approach.
Once again, James has quieted the noise suggesting that he and Doncic are incapable of playing together. The Lakers’ current winning streak is largely a result of the duo thriving alongside one another, with James embracing the necessary adjustments to make it work.