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Rested, LeBron-less Lakers ready to return against Timberwolves

December 13, 2024

EL SEGUNDO — The Lakers missed out on again earning the $500,000 plus reward for winning the NBA Cup – and the smaller monetary prizes for making the tournament’s knockout rounds this season.

But they received another much-needed reward in return: time.

Time to refresh their bodies and minds.

Time to spend 5½ days in Southern California, including four without playing a game and three before traveling on Thursday ahead of Friday’s road game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Minneapolis.

The Lakers were coming off a 13-day stretch from Nov. 26-Dec. 6 in which they played eight games – including six on the road – and no consecutive games in Los Angeles.

Coach JJ Redick gave the entire team Monday off and Tuesday was a voluntary “get what you need” day after Sunday night’s home win against the Portland Trail Blazers.

“It’s super valuable,” guard Max Christie said of the time to recharge. “A lot of this game is mental. Even though there’s a lot of travel, it takes a mental toll on your brain when you’re traveling and you’re on the plane all the time. You’re in hotels. You’re not in your own bed. So it’s tough.

“But we’ve been at home for a few days now. The past few weeks has been the toughest stretch for us throughout the season.”

And time to tighten up their strategies after dropping seven of their previous 10 games, including the win over the Blazers that led into the mini-break in the schedule.

“Guys were gassed at the end,” first-year coach JJ Redick said about the team’s practice on Wednesday. “We haven’t had a practice like that in two months. We got a lot done defensively, trying to create just a little bit more clarity on some very nuanced things with the guys. We did that in small groups against coaches and live. And we worked also on some end-of-quarter, end-of-game stuff. Live. Simulated.”

The Lakers might have a key player return against the Timberwolves, but they remain without LeBron James.

Austin Reaves was upgraded to probable for Friday after missing the previous five games because of a bruised left pelvis.

Reaves averaged a career-high 16.7 points (44% shooting, 35.5% from 3-point range), 4.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds in the Lakers’ first 19 games.

The fourth-year guard played in 129 consecutive regular-season games from Feb. 7, 2023-Dec. 1, including playing all 82 regular-season games last season. He also played in 21 playoff games, two Play-In Tournament games and the 2023-24 NBA Cup title game during that stretch.

James has been ruled out for Friday because of left foot soreness, the second consecutive game he’ll miss because of the ailment after sitting out against Portland, which was his first absence of the season.

Redick said on Wednesday that James had been away from the team the previous couple of days because of personal reasons. ESPN reported that James didn’t travel with the team to Minneapolis on Thursday.

James, who turns 40 in 2½ weeks, is averaging 23 points (49.5% shooting overall, 35.9% from 3-point range), 9.1 assists and 8 rebounds in 35 minutes per game (23 games).

Redick addressed the importance of communication with James and his longtime trainer, Mike Mancias, to help manage James’ workload.

“He communicates to us,” Redick said. “In game, he’s asked for a sub a couple times [because] he’s gassed. For us, we have to be cognizant as we play more and more games, just the cumulative effect of playing a lot minutes and Sunday, being banged up with the foot thing, it felt like a good opportunity for him to get some rest.”

If James returns to the court for Sunday’s home game against the Memphis Grizzlies, it will have been eight days between games for him.

LAKERS AT TIMBERWOLVES

When: Friday, 5 p.m. PT

Where: Target Center, Minneapolis

TV/radio: Spectrum SportsNet, 710 AM

Orange County Register

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Rested, LeBron-less Lakers ready to return against Timberwolves

LAKERS AT TIMBERWOLVES

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