Looking for more victories

[Lakers, from B10]

- Gina FERAzzI Los Angeles ‘Times

whether he had plans to visit Doncic’s home country. Reaves’ and Doncic’s love-hate relationship has spread to the rest of the team, as center Deandre Ayton uses the playful trash talk from his teammates to get him going before games.

“Just letting me be me,” Ayton said of how his teammates have welcomed him since he signed with the Lakers as a major free-agent acquisition this offseason. “They used to just talk [trash] to me before the game just to get me riled up and to where I’m riled up myself.”

Redick has preached the importance of a player-led team and empowered his players to connect and communicate with one another on and off the court. Getting to know teammates and coaches through slideshow presentations sounded like a gimmick, but then players including Reaves noted how easy it felt to connect as a group despite having so many new pieces. Redick praised his players’ ability to problem solve in real time, and it shows up in the team’s 6-0 record in games that are within five points in the final five minutes.

Bad turnovers

With the highest scoring duo in the NBA, it’s no surprise the Lakers are one of the best offenses in the league.