Austin Reaves & JJ Redick Confirm LeBron James’ Behavior Change That Put Lakers Locker Room On Alert vs Grizzlies

LeBron James hasn’t looked like himself since returning from that groin injury he suffered on March 8–Until tonight! Finally regaining his groove after four straight mediocre performances, he had a dominant outing against the Grizzlies and led his team to victory, 134-127. What impressed JJ Redick and Austin Reaves the most, apart from LeBron’s tough buckets and all-around game, was the resurgence of his vocal leadership. Detailing the stark behavior change, Redick said:

“I just told him, he was an incredible leader tonight. And it was early but it was throughout the game. When we got down, I challenged the group in a timeout and he was as vocal as he’s been since he got back from injury.” Well, it was a close game from start to finish, and LeBron led the charge with his 25-point performance. Moreover, he constantly guided and motivated his teammates.

“That galvanized the group. It was about communication and what he said, I think if he doesn’t say what he said in the timeout, we probably don’t win the game,” the head coach said in the post-game conference. Turns out he had alerted the Lakers locker room beforehand about how crucial tonight’s game was. Austin Reaves revealed LeBron’s private message to the rest of the team during the post-game interview. What was it?

“You know Bron said it before the game ‘We’re gonna play this as a must win.’” Well, the LA team is currently fighting to win home court advantage in the playoffs, and the winner of tonight’s game would take the fourth seed in the West, at least for now. LeBron James knew what was at stake and prepared his team for the tough encounter, eventually leading the Lakers to a 7-point victory. But that doesn’t end here.

In a locker room interview, AR also gave a sneak peek into what transpired during the timeout. “It’s the first time I’ve heard him yell in a while. It was refreshing to be honest. I loved it. I don’t remember exactly what he said, but it just shows how much he cares. His attention to detail is probably the standard. So if all of us can lock into that, every single possession can create something special.”

Well, there might be no one more passionate than LeBron in the entire league, as he has been on top of his game for 22 consecutive years. And it showed tonight. On the other hand, Luka Doncic did what he always does and dropped 29 points. Meanwhile, Reaves scored 31 points to complete the lethal trifecta.

Even the supporting cast did a solid job, with three other players scoring in double digits–Rui Hachimura, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Gabe Vincent. However, did you know that the HC put immense faith in his big three before the game against the Grizzlies?

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JJ Redick called for a meeting with LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Reaves

What did Redick ask them to do? “We challenged all three of them… to play with a little more force and a little more thrust and a little more creativity,” the HC revealed. “We were able to get some great stuff in the fourth quarter off that and create the sort of advantages that we envision when we put those three guys together.”

And James understood that he needed him to step up beyond playing. It looks like Redick and Reaves were quite surprised to see this change in him. But let us not forget that it is the same man who, back in 2016, whilst with the Cavs, did the unimaginable. After they won their preseason game over Philadelphia, James was picking up laundry in their locker room.

He not only took his own laundry bag to the attendants, but also picked up five to six more sacks off the floor. “Hopefully I only have to say something once. Can’t leave the locker room like that,” James said. And this was just one of his attempts at building the locker room culture.

It looks like James believes in leading by example. No wonder he is a trusted veteran amongst his team. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.