Bronny James stepped onto the court for his first NBA preseason game Friday night, but his father, LeBron James, wasn’t playing alongside him when the Lakers faced Minnesota in the first of their two weekend matchups in Coachella Valley.
Lakers coach JJ Redick chose to give LeBron a break after three intense days of training camp. The 39-year-old all-time NBA top scorer is expected to return on Sunday against Phoenix, which also happens to be Bronny’s 20th birthday.
In the Lakers’ 124-107 loss to the Timberwolves, Bronny contributed just two points, scoring his first basket with only 56.9 seconds left in the game after missing his first five attempts. Despite struggling offensively, the 6-foot-2 guard showed some promise on defense, managing to block three shots.
“I liked what I saw from Bronny,” Redick said. “Truthfully, he’s so easy to coach, and he’s got great soul and a great energy about him. I like being around him. I’m rooting for him. He’s a good player that we’re happy to have in our program.”
Bronny James took until the last minute of the game to score his first basket, a left-handed scoop layup that came after a broken play, following an 0-for-5 start to his preseason. In one of Bronny’s first moves, he nearly had a simple wing entry pass picked off, and the second pass he made was intercepted. He did, however, make up for it with a recovery block. Shortly after, he recorded a second block, this time with a clean swipe from behind, which he followed up by assisting Rui Hachimura on a corner 3 for his first assist of the preseason.
Offensively, Bronny James didn’t find much comfort. He finished the night shooting 1 of 6 from the field, including an airball on an awkward baseline shot. However, as the game progressed, he found a little rhythm. He delivered a well-timed and accurate assist to Hachimura in transition, and later, from the high post, he made a smart hockey-assist during a tic-tac-toe passing sequence.
Fellow rookie Dalton Knecht, on the other hand, had an impressive debut. While Bronny struggled, Knecht finished with 16 points, including two 3-pointers. Minnesota’s Rob Dillingham led the game with 21 points.
Knecht, selected 17th by the Lakers, scored 16 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, and hit seven of his first nine shots. His aggressive playstyle will be crucial once LeBron and Anthony Davis are back in the lineup. Knecht showcased his versatility, scoring at all three levels, starting with a pull-up jumper off a curl route.
Image Credit: © Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images
NBA 
