‘It keeps getting better and better.’ Bronny James settling into Laker
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While leading the Lakers to a commanding 3-0 lead over the Houston Rockets in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs, LeBron James has stepped out of his airtight postseason mindset for only a few fleeting moments.
He has a good reason.
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“All those moments has been with Bronny,” James said Friday after leading the Lakers to a 112-108 win over Houston. “It keeps getting better and better. It’s like ‘wow.’”
Steadily growing under the postseason spotlight, Bronny James scored his first playoff points Friday in a five-point, 26-second flurry in which he drained a three behind a screen from his dad and then hit a reverse layup to complete the NBA’s first father-son postseason alley-oop. The Lakers can clinch the first-round, best-of-seven series Sunday at the Toyota Center.
Without Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) to run the Lakers’ halfcourt sets, the team has placed an emphasis on running in transition. When Deandre Ayton blocked a shot at the rim with 7:18 remaining in the second quarter Friday, LeBron James corralled the rebound and pushed the ball up the court. Bronny James, the youngest player on the Lakers’ roster, knows he can beat anyone up the court. He locked eyes with his dad as they sprinted toward the basket.
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It’s been a while since Bronny James caught a lob from his 41-year-old teammate. Maybe not since last year’s training camp, he estimated. Getting to connect again while contributing to the Lakers’ thrilling overtime win is “what I always wanted,” Bronny James said.
“Especially a playoff game, the first playoff bucket is great for me, great for my confidence and how I approach the rest of the playoffs,” he added of his role in the win.
The 21-year-old from USC got his first postseason rotation minutes in Game 1, starting the second quarter. The Crypto.com Arena crowd cheered when he got his first touch on the ball.
Read more: Marcus Smart leads Lakers to commanding 3-0…
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