Los Angeles Lakers forward Jake LaRavia has flipped the page on a difficult December by delivering two strong performances to open 2026.
After shooting 41.0% from the field and 25.7% from three-point range across 12 December games, the 23-year-old was elevated to the starting lineup on Jan. 4 at Crypto.com Arena due to injuries to Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura. The move immediately paid off: LaRavia totaled 47 points in back-to-back victories over the Memphis Grizzlies, connecting on 17 of 28 shots overall and 7 of 16 from beyond the arc. He added six assists with only one turnover and posted a plus-15 over the two contests.
“I’m just trusting the work that I’ve been putting in,” LaRavia said after Sunday’s win. “Coach and the players kept telling me to keep shooting. They trust me, I trust myself, so it’s really just about going into the game and doing it.”
The forward, signed to a two-year deal last offseason, credited regular conversations with head coach JJ Redick and assistant Beau Levesque. “When you tell me the things that you want me to do, I’m going to go out there and do them,” he explained. “Shots aren’t going to fall every game, but I can control my effort—crashing the offensive glass and bringing energy every night.”
LaRavia’s resurgence arrived against familiar faces; he spent time with Memphis before a trade to Sacramento last season. “It’s fun to play against guys that I know,” he noted, downplaying any added motivation beyond a “regular game.”
The Lakers, now owners of consecutive wins, visit the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday in search of a third straight victory. They will remain without Hachimura, who is sidelined by a calf strain and will also miss Thursday’s game in San Antonio. Redick said the forward’s earliest return could come Friday at home versus the Milwaukee Bucks.
Source: LakersNation.com
