Inconsistency was a major issue that D’Angelo Russell faced in his second stint with the Lakers. While there are no two ways about his craft around the rim, his shooting struggles and lack of zeal became sources of frustration even for head coach JJ Redick. Following the disappointing road trip, Redick took control of the roster, removing D’Angelo Russell from the starting lineup. The move seemed to pay off, as the Lakers secured a 116-106 victory against the Philadelphia 76ers. And LeBron James couldn’t help but highlight the sacrifice that the point guard made for the team.

During the postgame locker room interview, when a reporter pointed out Redick’s lineup change as a key factor in the team’s success, LeBron didn’t hesitate to credit his teammates’ selflessness. He emphasized how DLo and Cam Reddish accepted their role changes, which contributed to the game plan working. The 4-time champion claimed, “What allowed it to work is the sacrifice that that D’Lo and Cam, you know, has continued to make and obviously the biggest sacrifice of D’Lo going to the bench.”

LeBron also reflected that the Lakers’ bench “has been struggling to find ways to score and the best way to change that is to put a scorer on the bench and D’Lo came in and gave us a big-time push off the bench.” He also acknowledged swingman Reddish’s defensive efforts, making the night tough for Paul George.

Redick has clarified that Reddish in place of D’Lo as a starter is not a permanent change but rather a move made “for more balance in the starting lineup.” According to Mike Trudell, Redick said that it could be done “with a defensive presence, plus some offensive pop off the bench.” During the game against the Grizzlies, Redick appeared visibly frustrated at one point when D’Angelo Russell’s shot didn’t even hit the rim. He later told reporters, it was the “level of compete. Attention to detail. Some of the things we’ve talked with him about for a couple of weeks.” Since Russell couldn’t apply those adjustments to his game, he was subbed off early from the game.

Redick could follow his predecessor, Darvin Ham’s footsteps while dealing with D’Lo, and it might actually work for the Lakers like it did last night, with his 18-point performance. While Russell’s willingness to come off the bench was a key factor in the team’s success, LeBron’s leadership and fiery performance remained as impactful as ever.

LeBron James galvanizes Lakers to break losing streak

JJ Redick was right in acknowledging after the matchup against the Grizzlies that LeBron James, even at this age, plays the hardest. After entering his 22nd season with a hunger for success, LeBron has continued to solidify his role as the Lakers’ leader. This time, it was his triple-double that stole the show, adding another masterclass performance to his endless list of heroics.

Lebron’s shooting from the field was mostly on point with only 5-of-14 stubbornly refusing to hit the target. While he didn’t score the game-high points like his teammate Anthony Davis (30), LeBron still made a significant impact with his flashy 13 assists, including two behind-the-back passes and 12 rebounds. The 20-time All-Star finished the night with 21 points, helping secure the team’s fifth win of the season.

With less than two months until he turns 40, LeBron’s performance paints an entirely different picture. He is aiming for his fifth title and remains as focused and determined as ever. But will Redick be able to bring out the best effort from the other team members? That’s the answer we are going to get in the latter half of the regular season.