The Los Angeles Lakers will open their first-round matchup with the Houston Rockets without leading scorers Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, and head coach JJ Redick confirmed Wednesday that rookie guard Bronny James is expected to help fill the void.
“We’re going to need everybody for this series,” Redick told reporters after practice. “Bronny has to be ready. Nick [Smith Jr.] has to be ready. We trust Bronny.”
James, 21, has earned consistent minutes over the past two weeks and impressed Redick with both his shooting and defense. The first-year guard hit 42.9 percent of his three-point attempts in six April appearances and connected on 45.6 percent from deep during 13 G League games earlier in the season, averaging five attempts per contest.
Redick credited that outside touch and defensive growth for James’ elevated role. “I believe in the shooting because of what he did the last two years in the G League,” the coach said. “He’s also gotten a lot better with his positioning on and off the ball, and we want him to keep developing as a disruptive defender.”
With bench rotations typically shrinking during the postseason, minutes for reserve guards are not guaranteed. Still, Redick stressed that both James and Smith Jr. should expect to be called upon against Houston, especially with Doncic and Reaves sidelined.
The Lakers face the Rockets in Game 1 later this week at Crypto.com Arena.
Source: LakersNation.com
