Bronny James records 3 blocks, 2 points in Lakers preseason debut

Bronny James played his first NBA preseason game on Friday night, but LeBron James wasn’t in uniform at the time. The Lakers host Minnesota in the first game of two weekends in Los Angeles at the Coachella Valley.

Lakers coach JJ Redick opted to hold LeBron James against the Timberwolves after a tough three days of training camp, but the 39-year-old leading scorer in NBA history is likely to play against Phoenix on Sunday – which happens to be Bronny’s birthday 20th. .

Bronny James finished with two points in the Lakers’ 124-107 loss to the Timberwolves, missing his first five shots before making a layup with 56.9 seconds to play. But the 6-foot-2 guard also blocked three shots, grabbed one rebound and one assist while playing the first part of the second quarter and most of the fourth.

Before they were the first father and son to play in the same NBA game, Bronny James knows he has a lot of work to do. He got his first chance to play for the Lakers when he took the floor to start the second quarter at Acrisure Arena outside Palm Springs.

Playing next to Lakers point guard D’Angelo Russell, Bronny was caught with a pick in his first defensive position, allowing Rob Dillingham to hit an open 3-pointer. Bronny’s pass was then intercepted by Nickeil Alexander-Walker at the other end, but Bronny got back to block his save attempt.

Bronny missed all three of his shots within his first six minutes of action, including a 3-pointer. He got an assist when he got Rui Hachimura’s 3-pointer in the corner on a fast break.

Bronny came back early in the fourth quarter, missed a jumper and had a blocked layup. In the final minute, he received a pass from rookie Dalton Knecht and connected high on a defender for his first points.

LeBron appeared to keep his distance from Bronny during the game, allowing his oldest son to focus on his work. But LeBron spoke at length with Bronny during a timeout midway through the second quarter, explaining something with a hand gesture while Bronny nodded.

Bronny James was a second round draft pick of the Lakers, and played in summer league in Las Vegas. He is expected to play for the Lakers early in the season before spending most of next season with the South Bay Lakers of the G League.

“Yeah, it’s emotional,” Bronny said after the Lakers’ pregame shootaround. “But I’m excited to go out and learn from the people who are playing in front of me, and if I get a chance to show what I can do, I’ll do it.”

As is often the case with inactive players, LeBron stayed away from the Lakers’ huddles. He was lining up on the perimeter in a timeout with Anthony Davis, who also sat on the bench in the preseason opener. Both stars have been in training camp in El Segundo.

“We felt like, given everything they’ve had this summer, and their level of participation over the last three days, it made a lot of sense for them to get a day off today,” Redick said. “We told them during the shootout that they should not move on their feet.”

Redick said Thursday that both LeBron James and Davis will play at least one game this weekend. Max Christie and Jaxson Hayes started in the All-Star position against Minnesota alongside Russell, Hachimura and Austin Reaves.

Friday’s crowd did not seem disappointed as they poured into the 22-month-old home of the American Hockey League’s Coachella Valley Firebirds. Hundreds of fans wearing gold Lakers jerseys representing everyone from James to George Mikan rushed into the building and down the steps to the lower bowl to get a closer look at the pregame warmups.

“The good thing about the Lakers is that we have fans all over the world,” said Redick. “The desert here is an extension, I think in a way, of our fans in LA. It’s a great opportunity for our team to play in front of these fans tonight.”

James and Davis sat out the first of the Lakers’ six preseason games as they return to competition after a busy summer. They joined the Lakers before the game in street clothes.

LeBron and Davis are both on the US team that won the gold medal at the Paris Olympics, and they arrived on the court before being greeted by Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards, their Olympic teammate.

It is reported by the Associated Press.

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