The Los Angeles Lakers didn’t just walk into Oklahoma City and beat the Thunder — they walked in, balled out, and walked right back out like it was just another Tuesday night rec league run. Behind a 126-99 shellacking of one of the West’s best teams, the vibes were immaculate. But when JJ Redick pulled up to the post-game presser, he wasn’t here to talk about just scoring or stats — he was talking spirit.

“We were very connected,” Redick said. “In intent. In spirit. On both ends.” You know it’s real when a coach drops the word spirit like a seasoned basketball monk. JJ was calm, composed, and maybe even low-key glowing. But don’t get it twisted — the man was locked in.

Now, while JJ was out here channeling Phil Jackson meets Gregg Popovich energy, LeBron James was already thinking about his next chess move… literally.

Postgame, The King didn’t even wait to hit the locker room before letting the world know what was next: “We got that dub out of the way and now I’m about to go film @mindthegamepod with Steve Nash.” If that’s not the most LeBron thing ever — win a blowout, log 19-7-3, and then casually head off to record one of the smartest basketball podcasts in the world — we don’t know what is.

This isn’t just any pod either. Mind the Game is the hoop head’s dream: strategy, storytelling, real-talk between two of the best basketball minds walking the Earth. After launching the first season with JJ Redick, Bron’s now running Season 2 with fellow basketball sage Steve Nash. Imagine breaking down horn sets and baseline out-of-bounds plays in your spare time after casually dismantling the No. 1 seed on the road. That’s goat behavior. But it was more about how the Lakers dominated OKC.

JJ Redick’s Masterplan worked out

Redick praised the team’s ability to maintain focus through adversity, keep their foot on the gas, and execute offensively no matter what coverages OKC threw at them.

Even more impressive? That energy clearly bled onto the court. The Lakers were sharp, Luka Doncic was throwing dimes behind his head like it was NBA Street Vol. 2, and the team just looked… in sync. JJ didn’t just coach — he conducted. And the orchestra was in perfect tune. “The movement, the spacing, the intent — it was great all night,” he added, basically giving a basketball TED Talk.

And this communication thing JJ kept referencing? It’s not fluff. Rewind to the second quarter when Redick literally jumped on the sideline to direct traffic — pointing, yelling, pushing guys into the right positions like a symphony conductor in sneakers. Austin Reaves, you better believe JJ wanted you in that opposite corner — because two seconds later, Jaxson Hayes threw down a hammer of a dunk off a perfect set.

So while the NBA world debates seeding and load management, the Lakers look focused. JJ’s preaching poise, Bron’s balancing wins and waves of content creation, and the squad is peaking at just the right moment.

There’s a sense that something is building — chemistry, rhythm, and yeah, spirit. With just a handful of games left before the playoffs, you can feel the storm quietly brewing in LA. And with JJ’s sideline energy and LeBron’s off-court IQ syncing like twin engines, it’s about to get very serious, very fast.

Stay tuned. Both the basketball and the podcast are appointment viewing.