The Los Angeles Lakers head into Monday night’s home game against the Washington Wizards without their best player. Luka Dončić is serving a one-game suspension after picking up his 16th technical foul of the season, and JJ Redick has made clear that filling the void will require contributions from every corner of the roster.
JJ Redick Calls on Bronny James, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Maxi Kleber To Step Up
The Lakers used a two-day break between games to reset mentally and physically, holding an early practice Sunday morning. Redick described the time off as more than just physical recovery.
“Yeah, for me, I think, based on all of them wanting to come in at 10 a.m. on a Sunday, I think it is as much mental and spiritual and emotional. We didn’t want to have these guys in here long today. But we got a lot done, watched some film and cleaned some stuff up. But there is these two days for us. It’s a great reset for us,” he said.
With Dončić out, Redick turned his attention to the players sitting outside the usual nine-man rotation.
“I mean, he’s disappointed. He wants to be there for his teammates. Again, I’ve talked about this all year, like he plays. He’s not a guy that takes games off. He can be banged up and he’s gonna play. He was like that when I was his teammate in Dallas.”
“For tomorrow, we’ve gotten, I think, some great contributions from guys that haven’t necessarily been in the nine-man rotation when we’ve been fully healthy. Bronny’s had some good moments, Vando’s had some good moments, Maxi’s had some good moments, but we’re gonna need everybody tomorrow,” Redick said.
Bronny James arrives in good form after a standout G League performance on Saturday, dropping 26 points on 9-of-12 shooting with seven rebounds, five assists, and a steal in 37 minutes for the South Bay Lakers, knocking down six 3-pointers to help his team to a 140-132 win.
He has since been recalled to the NBA roster alongside Dalton Knecht and Kobe Bufkin, with Marcus Smart still sidelined by a right ankle contusion and Adou Thiero managing left knee soreness. Both Smart and Thiero remain day-to-day.
Why the Lakers Can Beat the Wizards Without Dončić
The timing of the suspension is about as favorable as it could be. The Wizards sit at 17-57, second-last in the league in points allowed, giving up 124 per game. LeBron James and Austin Reaves are more than capable of carrying the offensive load for one night.
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James is averaging 20.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 6.9 assists on the season, while Reaves has been in sensational recent form, averaging 23.6 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.7 rebounds. In nine games without Dončić this season, Reaves has averaged 29.7 points and 7.9 assists, making him the obvious focal point of the offense on Monday.
Dončić, who earns $45.9 million this season, will forfeit approximately $264,000 for the missed game. He is eligible to return on Tuesday against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
