LeBron James and JJ Redick released a new ‘Be careful with the game Podcast episode where the two NBA legends got into deeper conversations about basketball. Currently, LBJ has a great supporting cast on his Lakers team, including young stars like Austin Reaves and D’Angelo Russell. James seems to have found the perfect fit to play alongside his teammates, which he talked about on the podcast.
The four-time NBA champion had always considered Reaves as very capable of being a top-tier player and described how he contributed to Reaves’ growth on the team.
He talked about the Lakers’ 2023 playoff series against the Memphis Grizzlies, where his faith in Reaves helped the young player unleash his full potential to win those games.
Bron has always prided himself on being able to dictate the pace and play for his teams. He compared this to playing “chess” on the court, with deliberate strategies helping the Lakers win crucial matchups.
Speaking to Redick, James said:
“I’ve never played chess, but in my mind, in theory, I play chess on the court, and I feel like if I could get AR and steal AR and that confidence in that fourth quarter to make plays and win that game, I’d just pay dividends for the rest of my time with him and the rest of his time when I’m not with him.”
LeBron James later reiterated that he loved seeing his teammates as successful as him. ‘more than anything’. With this mentality on the court, you can trust Reaves and Russell to lead the team to victory.
That’s exactly how the combination of D’Lo, AR and Anthony Davis won the game against the Milwaukee Bucks in James’ absence, with a score of 124-128 in overtime.
Austin Reaves recalled earning the trust of LeBron James
The 2023 First Round series against the Memphis Grizzlies was crucial for both LeBron James and Austin Reaves to develop their trust in each other. The Lakers had won the series 4-2, with Reaves averaging 16.5 points per game.
In a later appearance in the ‘Consecutive victories’ On the podcast, AR revealed how LeBron James passed him the ball during a fast break opportunity, leading him to believe he had earned the veteran superstar’s trust. Reaves immediately converted the assist into a successful three-point shot, contributing to the Lakers’ 128-112 victory in Game 1.
Describing that same moment, Reaves remembered,
“Everything for me, at least, everything was in slow motion at that moment. I was like, ‘Oh shit, I can’t make him look stupid.’ He’s giving me the ball.’ “After that, I’m just sitting there after the game, trying to understand what really just happened.
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The Lakers currently sit in ninth place in the Western Conference and are actively pushing for a top-six spot to qualify directly for the playoffs. With just 10 games left in the regular season, Reaves could definitely fulfill his countless potential alongside James, D’Lo and Anthony Davis to boost Lakeshow’s chances of a strong playoff contention.
