Despite losing the dynamic duo of Austin Reaves and Luka Dončić to injuries, the Los Angeles Lakers finished the regular season on a high note, dealing the Utah Jazz a 131-107 blowout on Monday.
In only his second season as an NBA head coach, JJ Redick finished with three more wins than last year, boasting a 53-29 slate entering the postseason with homecourt advantage.
“The playoffs, to me, are all about resiliency… There’s a bunch of things that are gonna happen, some good, some bad. You have to play with resiliency,” Redick said postgame.
Lakers Role Players Shine as Postseason Nears
After facing criticism all season long, mostly due to their inconsistent production, the Lakers’ Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton shut out all the noise in their regular season finale, with both players notching exactly 22 points and 10 rebounds each to spearhead the LA offense.
Gearing up to be the head of the pack once again, LeBron James only needed the first half to string his tunes, notching 18 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists in only 17 minutes of action. Meanwhile, defensive guard Marcus Smart notched 5 points and 10 assists.
The Lakers’ offensive momentum carried on until the end of the bench, as third-stringers Dalton Knecht and Bronny James also provided huge sparks, tallying 17 and 11 points, respectively.
On the other hand, another lottery season for Utah is in the books, as stars Walker Kessler and Isaiah Collier did not see action in their final game due to injuries. Oscar Tshiebwe paced the Jazz in the loss with 29 points and 17 boards.
LeBron and Durant Meet Again in Postseason—Possibly for the Final Time
With the Denver Nuggets clinching the third spot after a win against the Spurs, longtime rivals LeBron and Kevin Durant are set to jostle in the postseason once again—but perhaps for the last time.
The two forwards last met in the playoffs in 2018, when the Slim Reaper led the Golden State Warriors to a dynasty, sweeping James and the Cleveland Cavaliers to notch the Dubs’ third ring in four years.
Still missing the services of Dončić and Reaves to start the first round, the King will need to lead the way once again, with the Rockets being a tall first order—literally and figuratively, as Houston’s starting unit averages a height of 6-foot-10 and above.
The Lakers will look to take Game 1 on their home floor on Sunday, April 19.
