Los Angeles Lakers

Bronny James is helping the Los Angeles Lakers prepare for their first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves by taking on the role of Anthony Edwards in practice.

Lakers head coach JJ Redick said the Lakers had James and Shake Milton serve as the Edwards stand-ins on the scout team during Wednesday's practice, per The Athletic's Jovan Buha.

The Timberwolves have meanwhile been using Joe Ingles to play the role of Luka Dončić in their own practices, according to Buha.

The Wolves and Lakers haven't played one another at full strength since Dončić arrived in Los Angeles this February.

The two teams matched up when Dončić and James were in the starting lineup on Feb. 27, but Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle were both out, and Edwards was ejected in the third quarter of the Minnesota loss.

What the Wolves do have is playoff experience facing Dončić, who averaged more than 32 points per game while leading the Dallas Mavericks to a five-game series victory over the Wolves in last spring's Western Conference Finals.

Redick recently said the Lakers are using Dončić's experience against Minnesota as a resource ahead of their own playoff matchups.

"There are nuances to what teams are trying to do against certain opponents," Redick said about getting Dončić's scouting report of the Wolves, per ESPN's Dave McMenamin.

During that series the Mavericks double-teamed Edwards, who still averaged 22 points per game but wasn't able to find his usual dominance under Dallas' coverage.

Edwards is likely now preparing for similar treatment in Los Angeles. Wolves guard Mike Conley said that Edwards has been studying the Lakers ever since Minnesota's first-round opponent was set, per Chris Hine of the Minnesota Star Tribune.

"He’s been locked in since we knew we were playing the Lakers. He was already texting the group and getting us all ready and watching film and getting ready to go, so I know he’s going to be ready," Conley said, per Hine.

The Lakers and Timberwolves tip off Game 1 in Los Angeles on Saturday night at 8:30 p.m. ET.

The Los Angeles Lakers won't make any changes to their roster ahead of the NBA Playoffs.

Per ESPN's Dave McMenamin, the Lakers opted not to convert two-way players Trey Jemison III and Christian Koloko to NBA contracts before the playoffs, meaning the two won't be able to suit up in the postseason.

According to McMenamin, the decision came because Los Angeles “liked the chemistry of the group" heading into the playoffs.

Both Jemison and Koloko made the most of the few minutes they got this season, but keeping them off the roster gives Los Angeles the flexibility to give Alex Len the final roster spot.

Len won't be a huge difference maker in the playoffs—he put up just 1.6 points and 2.1 rebounds in about 12 minutes per game—but having another 7-footer is vital for a Lakers team that doesn't have much depth in the frontcourt.

The two biggest factors for the Lakers this postseason will be their stars, Luka Dončić and LeBron James.

Dončić had a bit of a slow start upon arrival in Los Angeles, but he quickly returned to his typical form. In 28 games, Dončić put up 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists per contest to close out the season.

James has been phenomenal in his 22nd season, averaging 24.4 points, 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds.

This postseason will look a bit different for James because, for the first time in his career, he won't be his team's No. 1 option. With Dončić on the roster, James will get the chance to play off the ball more, which should keep him fresh for what Los Angeles hopes will be a deep playoff run.

The first-round matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves won't be easy, but if Dončić and James play the way they have all season and the Lakers supporting staff of Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and others come to play, Los Angeles should have enough to advance to the second round.

Luka Dončić will be in a familiar situation when he and the Los Angeles Lakers take on the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs.

Dončić helped lead the Dallas Mavericks past the Wolves in five games in the West Conference Finals a year ago, leading to a trip to the NBA Finals. Lakers head coach J.J. Redick said he'll look to Dončić for advice against Minnesota.

"There are nuances to what teams are trying to do against certain opponents," Redick said, per ESPN's Dave McMenamin.

Dončić dominated the Timberwolves in last year's Western Conference Finals, putting up 32.4 points, 9.6 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game in the five-game series. He capped off the series with a 36-point outing in Game 5.

Along with Dončić, the Lakers have another member of the team with experience facing the Timberwolves. Assistant coach Greg St. Jean was a member of the Phoenix Suns coaching staff a year ago when Minnesota beat them in four games in the first round, meaning Los Angeles has two different perspectives heading into the series.

While Minnesota brings back a similar roster, there are a few new faces. The biggest change is that the Timberwolves now have Julius Randle in the paint rather than Karl-Anthony Towns. Minnesota also added some talent off the bench in the Towns trade in Donte DiVincenzo.

Even with the changes, Los Angeles has what it takes to get out of the first round.

The Lakers have been one of the best teams in the NBA since the addition of Dončić, climbing all the way to No. 3 in the West by the end of the season. Dončić couldn't get his first championship a year ago with Dallas, but now he's on another team more than capable of winning a title.

The title run starts against a familiar opponent next week.

The impressive feats of longevity keep coming for LeBron James in his 22nd NBA season.

The Los Angeles Lakers will take on the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the NBA playoffs, marking the 24th different team James has faced in the postseason.

What's more, James isn't slowing down with age—that much is obvious from how his 22nd went.

James could also face a 25th different team as early as the second round. He has never played the Houston Rockets in the postseason, but he could get a matchup with them if they win their first-round series and the Lakers take care of business against the Timberwolves.

James has only missed the playoffs four times in his career and has appeared in 287 postseason games—the most in NBA history by a wide margin.

As he enters his 18th playoff run, James will have a new sidekick alongside him in Luka Dončić. The two have helped lead Los Angeles to a stellar second half of the regular season and are looking to carry that momentum into the postseason.

The first-round matchup won't be easy. The Timberwolves are coming off a Western Conference Finals run a season ago, and their young star, Anthony Edwards, is looking for another deep run this year.

But James, who has four titles under his belt, is looking to continue adding to his impressive resume. James will be motivated by the prospect of a late-career championship, while Dončić is hungry for his first Finals win. That could be enough for Los Angeles to hang its 18th banner.

Bronny James will accomplish a new career milestone in the Los Angeles Lakers' season finale on Sunday.

With the team resting its regular starters like LeBron James, Luka Dončić and others, head coach J.J. Redick gave the rookie the starting nod for the first time in his career.

The matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers should give James the chance to pick up some valuable minutes before the postseason starts.

James saw limited action during his rookie season, appearing in 26 games and playing just 5.5 minutes per contest. He averaged 2.2 points in the few minutes he received.

While he didn't get to showcase his talent at the NBA level this year, he made the most of his time in the G League. In 11 games with the South Bay Lakers, James put up 21.9 points, 5.4 assists and 5.2 rebounds. His scoring was on full display in March when he dropped 39 points for South Bay just days after posting 17 points for Los Angeles.

There were plenty of fans who doubted whether James would be able to find a place in the NBA, but considering the Lakers got him late in the second round, James had a strong rookie year.

Sunday's matchup against the Blazers will likely be one of James' final outings this year. As the playoffs start, the Lakers will have to keep their typical rotation on the court as much as possible as they try to make a deep postseason run.

Los Angeles clinched both the third seed in the West and the Pacific division earlier this weekend. Now the Lakers await their first-round opponent as the final games of the regular season wrap up.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is going to be okay after leaving Friday's win over the Houston Rockets midway through the third quarter.

Head coach JJ Redick told reporters after the game that James is "fine."

There was concern when James subbed out that he may have aggravated his hip or the groin injury that kept him out of action last month. ESPN's Dave McMenamin noted the four-time MVP appeared to be favoring his left side and he was wearing a wrap near his quad/hip area.

Things seemed to be okay for James by the end of the game, based on his celebration from the bench area in the fourth quarter when Austin Reaves made a three.

James suffered a groin injury that sidelined him for two weeks before his return on March 22. He scored 17 points in a 146-115 loss to the Chicago Bulls.

When asked after the game if he's fully recovered, James said of the injury, "I just take it day by day. I hope it's behind [me], but I don't want to go too far in the future."

Besides his groin injury, the 40-year-old has been relatively healthy this season. He's appeared in 70 games while showing no signs of his age catching up to him, averaging 24.4 points, 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds.

With James leading the team, the Lakers clinched the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference after Friday's win. This allows James to sit out the regular-season finale on Sunday, giving him additional rest before they open the playoffs on April 19 or 20.

The midseason acquisition of Luka Dončić has taken so much of the burden off James' shoulders. They are heading into the playoffs with a lot of positive momentum in search of their first trip to the NBA Finals since the 2019-20 season.

Optimism is high within the Los Angeles Lakers for the playoffs after they clinched the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference with a 140-109 victory over the Houston Rockets on Friday night.

Speaking to reporters after the victory, Luka Dončić expressed confidence that the Lakers "have the team" to win a championship.

"That's our only goal," Dončić said. "I think we have the team to do it."

It's easy to craft the narrative about why the Lakers can beat anyone in the playoffs. They will have arguably the best player in any series with Dončić on the roster. He is one year removed from leading the Dallas Mavericks, as the No. 5 seed in the West, to the NBA Finals.

LeBron James' status will be worth monitoring after some concern he tweaked the groin injury that kept him out for seven straight games in March. Head coach JJ Redick said after the game the future Hall of Famer is "fine."

Since returning from the original groin injury, James' performance has been erratic at times. He has scored fewer than 20 points six times and is shooting 32.7 percent from behind the arc in his last 12 games.

It's hard to imagine a scenario where James doesn't level up for the playoffs, so that gives the Lakers two of the best offensive weapons in the NBA. Austin Reaves has been the biggest beneficiary of the attention opposing defenses have to pay to Dončić since his arrival in Los Angeles.

Reaves is averaging 21.9 points on 39.6 percent three-point shooting in 28 games since February 10.

The lack of size and limited use of a true center could cause problems against some of the other contenders in the Western Conference, but the NBA playoffs have historically been determined by which teams have the superstar players.

It's hard not to look at the Lakers' duo of Dončić and James without being tantalized by what they can do in a postseason series against any team that might stand in their way.

Luka Dončić's 39-point outburst in three quarters propelled the Los Angeles Lakers to a comfortable 140-109 home win over a Houston Rockets team resting most of their starters after locking up the Western Conference's No. 2 seed in advance of the playoffs.

Luka, LeBron James and the Lakers set the tone early and never really looked back.

James finished with 14 points, eight assists and four rebounds. Unfortunately, James left the game with an apparent groin injury in the third quarter with his team up 85-68.

Thankfully, James didn't appear too bothered by the ailment. He got some medical wrapping on the bench and never went back to the locker room.

James was also clearly engaged and thrilled with the team's fantastic finish, which notably saw his son, Bronny James, hit a three-pointer near the end of the game.

L.A. shot 61.6 percent from the field and 51.4 percent from three, crushing a Rockets team that did get a very impressive performance from Cam Whitmore (34 points).

However, the main storyline in this game was the performance of Dončić, who naturally received much praise on social media.

Los Angeles closes the regular season on Sunday at the Portland Trail Blazers, but it's a meaningless game for the team with the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference now locked up. The playoffs will start for Los Angeles on either Saturday, April 19 or Sunday, April 20.

Even though JJ Redick has made a point of praising LeBron James' defense throughout the regular season, at least one NBA scout thinks opposing teams might be able to take advantage of the Los Angeles Lakers superstar in the playoffs.

Speaking to ESPN's Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst, the scout explained why James "could be exposed" defensively in the postseason:

"Luka (Dončić) has to guard somebody, and you can wear him down. When LeBron is on the weak side, he switches so he doesn't have to move as much. I've seen him do it several times in one possession. In the playoffs you will see teams target LeBron and Luka, put them in the pick-and-roll.

"The thing with LeBron is he's not going to foul; you can score on him with the right matchup. With the right personnel he could be exposed on defense in the playoffs. He's amazing, taking nothing from him, but it's a worry."

There are some key qualifiers in that analysis, not the least of which is finding a team with the "right personnel" to go after James.

James could have a difficult test right out of the gate with the Lakers matched up with the Golden State Warriors in the first round based on the current standings. Dorian Finney-Smith could draw the primary assignment guarding Stephen Curry, but James would also be keeping an eye on his longtime rival.

The Warriors also have Jimmy Butler, who has a well-documented history of leveling up in the playoffs. He figures to command a lot of attention from James in a potential matchup.

One problem for Golden State is its lack of size, with Draymond Green playing a lot of center down the stretch. The average height of a starting five with Curry, Butler, Green, Brandon Podziemski and Moses Moody is 6'5".

Even though the Lakers also lack a traditional starting big man, their main five-man unit with James, Dončić, Finney-Smith, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura all measures between 6'5" and 6'9".

The Denver Nuggets have given the Lakers fits in the playoffs each of the past two years, but it's hard to know if that would continue this year if they met because things are so different. The Lakers didn't have Dončić before; the Nuggets seem to be in a state of disarray after firing head coach Michael Malone on Tuesday.

It also doesn't help Denver's case that Lakers' playoff nemesis Jamal Murray's status for the postseason is unclear due to a hamstring injury.

Other potential playoff opponents for the Lakers, like the Houston Rockets and Memphis Grizzlies, have to prove they are a viable threat to make a deep run before they get talked about as a title contender.

The Grizzlies lost as the No. 2 seed to Los Angeles in the first round two years ago. They aren't a better team right now than they were at that point.

By process of elimination, the teams that could give James the most problems on defense are the Warriors, Oklahoma City Thunder and, if Kawhi Leonard stays healthy, Los Angeles Clippers.

The Lakers could end up playing at least two of those teams in the playoffs based on the current standings if they were to make a run to the Western Conference Finals.

Upon returning to Dallas for the first time since being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, star guard Luka Doncic had a funny revelation after he took the floor against his former team.

During Thursday's episode of Buha's Block, The Athletic's Jovan Buha detailed an instance where Doncic was surprised by how small the Dallas Mavericks' visiting locker room is at American Airlines Center.

"One of the funniest moments of the night... Luka walks in, I think from treatment, and he's just like, 'S--t, man, I had never been in this locker room before, it's so small,'" Buha said around the 1:26:15 mark. "And I just started busting out laughing, it was the funniest thing because that's a real thing for guys. The home team guys never go in the visiting locker room."

Buha added that the visiting locker room is "oddly shaped" and "very narrow," which can make it get "a bit claustrophobic."

While it may have taken a little time to get his bearings after being a visitor in a place he called home for nearly seven years, Doncic overcame the emotions of his return to Dallas and put forth a special performance. He torched his former team for 45 points, eight rebounds, six assists and four steals to lead the Lakers to a 112-97 win, which clinched a playoff spot for Los Angeles.

Now that Wednesday's game is behind him, Doncic can focus on finishing the season strong and trying to help the Lakers contend for an NBA championship. Los Angeles (49-31) will play its second-to-last game of the regular season on Friday against the Houston Rockets (52-28).