After beating the Milwaukee Bucks 107-102 in their third exhibition, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James and head coach JJ Redick praised Exhibit-10 rookie Quincy Olivari for his efficient shooting. At the same time, the Lakers’ second-round pick, Bronny James, turned in yet another abysmal performance as his struggles continued. Los Angeles is 2-1 in preseason, and James has the worst plus/minus through its early slate, per The Sporting News’ Stephen Noh.
“Bronny James has the worst plus/minus of all 494 players to log exhibition minutes thus far,”
Through three preseason games, Bronny James has the worst plus/minus of all 494 players to log exhibition minutes thus far 😳@StephNoh on Bronny's early struggles 👇https://t.co/9DK2Y16pNI pic.twitter.com/ExU4ys683j
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) October 11, 2024
After finishing scoreless (0-for-1) with two rebounds and four turnovers in 13:25 in the Lakers’ 118-114 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Sunday, Bronny went 0-for-4, including 0-for-2 from deep in their win against the Bucks. Overall, James is 1-for-11 from the floor in preseason play.
Rui Hachimura’s 14 points led five Lakers players in double figures, including LeBron James (11 points), Anthony Davis (11 points, eight rebounds), and Olivari (11 points). Despite Bronny’s slow start, the vibes are reportedly positive within the locker room, and it has a lot to do with the Lakers player’s excitement surrounding coach Redick being on the cusp of entering his first regular season as head coach.
There is enough excitement to keep everyone in a great mood throughout the Lakers’ preseason schedule, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
“The early sense is how detail-oriented JJ Redick is, the focus that he has, and how much he lives, eats, and just digests basketball on a daily basis. That is what everyone in Los Angeles that I speak to says about JJ Redick,” Charania said. “And I had one person with the Lakers tell me the other day, the accountability and how detailed he is and focus with his game planning, his prep, his out-of-bounds plays, that is what gets players up and gets them excited about this. And right now, he has LeBron James and Anthony Davis’ buy-in, and that’s the most important part.”
"The early sense is how detail-oriented JJ Redick is, the focus that he has… The accountability… focus with his game planning… that is what gets players up & gets them excited about this."@ShamsCharania on the early vibes at Lakers training camp.pic.twitter.com/rdwPz4Owd9
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 10, 2024




JJ Redick praises Quincy Olivari after win versus Bucks

Amidst Bronny James' struggles, Los Angeles Lakers’ Exhibit-10 guard Quincy Olivari drained 3-for-4 from deep en route to 11 points in nine minutes in the Lakers’ win against the Bucks. He also finished with five rebounds and two assists while maximizing his opportunity and memorable praise from his head coach.
“Quincy completely changed the game…picking up full court, being disruptive, taking time off the shot clock. I thought he executed exactly what we want from someone in his position,” Redick said after the preseason win.
“Quincy completely changed the game … picking up full court, being disruptive, taking time off the shot clock. I thought he executed exactly what we want from someone in his position.” – JJ Redick pic.twitter.com/FGyJTgAPc8
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) October 11, 2024
The Lakers will face the Golden State Warriors next Tuesday.