The Los Angeles Lakers arrived at Chase Center on Friday in a tough spot. They were missing both Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves and trying to snap a three-game losing streak.
Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors were fighting to keep their 10th-place Play-In spot after a mediocre 4-6 stretch.
Despite being shorthanded, the Lakers took a 53-49 lead into halftime. But at the 4:42 mark of the second quarter, with the Lakers up 41-39, the broadcast caught a visibly frustrated LeBron James on the bench in street clothes. His “dad” face said it all after Bronny James threw a bad pass.
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Working in a pick-and-roll set, Bronny James attempted a quick, low-bounce pass intended for DeAndre Ayton, but it ended up being a turnover due to miscommunication between the two players. Neither player appeared to be on the same page on the read, and the possession was gone.
Broadcast cameras cut immediately to LeBron on the sideline, and his expression was hard to ignore. They caught him putting his head down and visibly muttering "no" as the play fell apart.
However, this isn't the first time Bronny has struggled with his passing. In Sunday’s 134–128 loss to the Dallas Mavericks, he tried a slow, high entry pass to LeBron, who was being played tight by Marvin Bagley III. It was an easy steal.
Broadcast cameras captured the four-time champion immediately gesturing to the floor, indicating that Bronny should have used a bounce pass instead.
Currently, the stakes for Bronny are higher than they were a month ago. With key scorers out for the rest of the regular season, head coach JJ Redick has had to rely on Bronny for significant rotation minutes. The opportunity is there, but the consistency isn't.
In ther Tuesday's loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Bronny played 23 minutes but managed only 4 points. Against the Warriors on Friday, he had 4 points at the time of that second-quarter turnover and has struggled with three giveaways so far.
Despite being a second-year guard, his offensive rating remains well below the team average, and his 34% mark from deep reflects a season spent trying to find his rhythm under heavy pressure.
The Lakers reached their halftime lead behind strong play from DeAndre Ayton (7 points) and Jake LaRavia (5 points), while maintaining control despite the rotation being limited by the injury crisis. Bronny contributed 4 points and two turnovers in the first half.
However, the Lakers successfully snapped their three-game losing streak. They held a 53–49 lead at halftime and have dominated the second half, finishing with a 119–103 victory.
