Dave McMenamin
Multiple Authors
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The NBA playoffs are outdated hat for LeBron James. When the Los Angeles Lakers open their first-round collection towards the Houston Rockets in Game 1 on Saturday (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC), James will tie Karl Malone and John Stockton for essentially the most playoff appearances in league historical past with 19.
James, 41, is wanting forward to a brand new expertise in the postseason this spring, nevertheless: sharing the court docket with his 21-year-old son, Bronny James.
“Me being on the floor with him,” LeBron James stated after apply Thursday, “it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me in my career, above everything that I’ve accomplished. So, the fact that he’s put himself in a position to get his number called for a postseason game is pretty remarkable and pretty cool given the circumstances that he’s been given the last couple years.
“He earned it, he deserves it, and he’ll be prepared.”
The second-year Lakers guard cracked coach JJ Redick’s rotation late in the season after L.A.’s starting backcourt of Luka Doncic (Grade 2 left hamstring strain) and Austin Reaves (Grade 2 left oblique strain) were sidelined.
In the Lakers’ final six games, Bronny James averaged 7.2 points on 47.2% shooting (42.9% from 3), with 1.8 assists and 1.0 rebounds in 17.2 minutes a night.
“I imply, it is what I’ve needed,” Bronny said Thursday. “My dream is to play in the playoffs. I wasn’t in a position to play in March, so it is a larger stage than that, and I’m utterly and completely excited to get on the market with my teammates.”
He missed the South Bay Lakers’ playoff run last month while being called up from the G League to fortify the Lakers’ bench after the Doncic and Reaves injuries. He didn’t play in March Madness in his lone season in college, either, as USC went 15-18 and failed to qualify for the NCAA tournament.
And though he appeared in two playoff games against the Minnesota Timberwolves last year, he logged just four minutes combined at the end of Games 1 and 3 when the Lakers were already well on their way to double-digit losses.
The No. 55 pick in the 2024 draft progressed from his rookie to sophomore campaigns in the league, finishing this season averaging 2.9 points on 40.9% shooting (38.6% from 3) and 1.2 assists, up from 2.3 points on 31.3% (28.1% from 3) and 0.8 assists a year ago.
“We’re going to have to have all fingers on deck for the collection,” Redick said this week. “When you are short-handed, he is received to be prepared. … I feel Bronny’s improved quite a bit. I feel we belief him. The taking pictures piece I’m a believer in due to how effectively he is shot it for the final two years in the G League. … He’s improved a ton defensively, in phrases of his physique positioning each on- and off-ball.”
Bronny’s father said the No. 4-seeded Lakers had “actually good” practices in preparation for the No. 5-seed Rockets — although he spoke to reporters with a hoarse voice as he was getting over being sick.
“Nothing modifications for me from the common season to the postseason apart from simply [having] much more heightened focus,” LeBron James said. “The solely factor that modifications in the postseason, you simply know that you’re going to be taking part in the identical group not less than 4 occasions — so you bought to key in on them and perceive like tendencies much more and be extra thorough.”
The elder James’ preparation has set an example for his son, and the team, to follow.
“He’s been in the playoffs I do not know what number of occasions,” Bronny said. “So, he is received collection, received Finals. I feel we simply want to have our thoughts open and ears open and hear to no matter he says as a result of he is aware of essentially the most. He’s solely saying that as a result of he desires to win. So, he is going to assist us try this and we simply received to hear to him.”
