The Los Angeles Lakers closed their six-game road trip Wednesday with a 137-130 win over the Indiana Pacers, improving the trip total to five victories and putting together a stint in which they've won 13 of their last 15 games.
Luka Doncic led the way with an impressive 43-point performance paired with seven assists as the Lakers dealt with injuries to Marcus Smart, Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton and rookie Adou Thiero.
The Lakers' ravaged lineup opened the door for Bronny James to play real minutes, with the second-year man logging 13:22 on the night.
Head coach JJ Redick reasoned that Bronny's role on Wednesday was based on his athleticism and defense, and Bronny responded with four points, two steals, one rebound and one assist for a plus/minus of 4.
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Bronny did not look out of place after spending the season moving between the NBA and the G League, and he got to share the floor with his father, LeBron James, for a chunk of the game.
James spoke about Bronny's young career and what's next for him in a conversation with The Athletic's Dan Woike following the win over Indiana.
“Especially knowing the path, you know, the road...,” James said. “So, just proud of him. I’m super proud of him. And he belongs. He belongs.”
Bronny, who suffered cardiac arrest during a USC workout on July 24, 2023, underwent surgery to correct a congenital heart defect and had to rebuild his game and condition. The Lakers drafted him with the No. 55 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
LeBron said Bronny is back “Physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally.”
“Real, meaningful minutes. I couldn’t dream of better. I couldn’t dream of something better than that. Just couldn’t,” James said. “For him to go out and, you know, I mean obviously he’s… he’s shown over this — almost two years, year and a half — his progression. And why he belongs in this league. And what he can do in this league.”
Bronny’s averaging 15.3 points per game in the G League this season while shooting 54.6% from the field, 42.1% from three and 90.9% at the line on assignment.
In NBA play, Bronny's averaging 2.1 points, 1.2 assists and 0.5 rebounds per game. It's not that the low-profile numbers are keeping him from enjoying the game and helping the Lakers win games.
“Feels good,” Bronny said. “You know, just go out there and play my game, be confident in myself. That’s what I always wanted to do.”
