The Los Angeles Lakers took on the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday in the second meeting of their back-to-back duels. The Lakers put on a dominant display, managing to beat the Grizzlies twice.
While there’s no denying that it was thanks to the collective efforts of the Lakers players and coaching staff, apparently, LeBron James’ agent, Rich Paul, once got involved in one of the team’s plays.
LeBron James Ran Rich Paul’s Play in the Second Half
According to Paul, he suggested to James a play that could help the Lakers achieve a better outcome. During the most recent episode of “Game Over Podcast”, Paul revealed that James approached him, which allowed him to suggest a play.
“When I catch eye contact with my guys, if they have an opportunity, they’ll come over,” Paul said. “So Bron came over, and I was telling him what I saw and if he saw the same thing.”
Paul then recommended that James should get Luka Dončić off the ball if the Lakers want to use him efficiently. The agent noticed how his client easily draws attention when getting inside, leaving the Slovenian star open.
“I was like ‘if you catch the ball with a live dribble it’ll bring two and get Luka off the ball for a second,'” Paul continued.”
True enough, with a little under two minutes remaining in the third quarter of Sunday’s game, James found himself attacking the basket when a double team came his way. James then found Luka waiting on the elbow, leaving him wide open for a three-point bomb.
Towards the end of the game, Paul managed to squeeze in another play, suggesting that James run his idea again. This time, it involved Deandre Ayton. Paul wanted James to be the primary ball handler once again, while Ayton provides a screen for Dončić to get open.
“Then we talked with 4 minutes to go,” Paul added. “‘I like you and Luka in the P&R.’ He was like, ‘You like 5? And I said No, 77’. If you watch at the end, they were running the ball screen.”
Towards the fourth quarter, James drew attention to himself in the left corner beyond the arc. This allowed Dončić to conceal his presence from the top of the key. Ayton then provided a screen inside the paint for James to dish the ball to an open Jake LaRavia.
LaRavia then made an extra pass to Dončić, giving him the opportunity to splash another three-point shot, extending the Lakers’ lead to six with 2:35 minutes remaining on the clock.
Rich Paul says he gave LeBron coaching advice during the Lakers game yesterday and the Lakers ran it 😭
“When I catch eye contact with my guys if they have an opportunity they’ll come over. So Bron came over and I was telling him what I saw and if he saw the same thing. I was… pic.twitter.com/m02oIB9x7W
— Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) January 5, 2026
Ultimately, the Lakers came out on top with a 120-114 finish. James had a dominant double-double performance, putting up 26 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds, and one steal.
Meanwhile, Dončić nearly put up a triple-double, posting 36 points, nine rebounds, eight assists, and one block.
