In the Memphis Grizzlies’ 131-114 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis guard Desmond Bane gave a playful nod to his teammate Scotty Pippen Jr. after the game. Bane interrupted Pippen’s post-game interview to commend him for a highlight-reel steal against none other than LeBron James, whom Bane jokingly called “that old man.” This moment came as Pippen stepped up to play point guard after Ja Morant exited the game with a hamstring injury. Bane’s excitement over Pippen’s performance highlighted the energy Memphis brought to the matchup.
Meanwhile, in the Lakers’ locker room, head coach JJ Redick used James’ performance as an example of how the rest of the team should be playing. Despite being close to 40 years old, James led the Lakers with a season-high 39 points on 15-for-24 shooting, even with Anthony Davis and Rui Hachimura sidelined by injuries. Redick was clearly impressed by James’ effort, calling it the hardest anyone on the team had played that night. Redick’s praise for James also served as an implicit critique of his younger players’ lack of intensity, particularly disappointing given the Lakers’ 1-4 finish to their five-game road trip.
In an attempt to shake things up and send a message, Redick adjusted his lineup during the second half, limiting D’Angelo Russell’s playing time to a season-low 22 minutes. The coach cited Russell’s inconsistency with defensive effort and attention to detail as the primary reason for the reduced minutes, noting that it wasn’t meant to be a punishment, but rather a tactical move. Despite this, Russell finished with only 12 points on inefficient shooting, while other Lakers, including Austin Reaves and Gabe Vincent, also struggled to make shots. Redick’s changes underscored his frustration with the team’s overall energy and effort on the court.
After the game, LeBron James echoed his coach’s sentiments about effort and intensity. With multiple players out, James emphasized that it was crucial for everyone on the team to play harder, especially on both ends of the floor. Reflecting on his own matchup with Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr., James noted that the Lakers had moments of strong effort but lacked consistency throughout the game. His comments, coming as he reached the milestone of 1,500 career games, highlighted a gap in urgency within the team, which has been struggling with maintaining energy and focus.
The Lakers’ defensive struggles continued to be a significant issue in this game, marking the second time on their road trip that they allowed over 130 points. Currently ranked 28th in defensive efficiency, the Lakers are conceding 118.8 points per 100 possessions. James pointed out that while improving their shooting would help, the team’s defense needed the most attention. Allowing Memphis easy access to high shooting percentages, offensive rebounds, and transition points, the Lakers’ defensive lapses have been costly, underscoring a pressing need for improvement in effort and team cohesion on defense.
