The Los Angeles Lakers secured a commanding 125-102 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night, led by another stellar performance from Austin Reaves, who finished with 30 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. Luka Doncic also played a key role, adding 21 points, nine rebounds, and 14 assists to help the Lakers inch closer to the second seed in the Western Conference.
Among the veterans on the floor was Chris Paul, who joined the Spurs in the offseason and is now in his 20th NBA season-an achievement reached by only 11 players in league history. Paul is also one of two active players who once shared the court with Lakers head coach JJ Redick during his final season with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2016-17, the other being Denver Nuggets center DeAndre Jordan.
Redick, 40, retired in September 2021 and has since successfully transitioned from player to media personality to head coach.
After the game, when asked if seeing Paul still competing at a high level made him consider a return to the court, the rookie head coach's response was blunt.
"No," Redick said. "I just told him, ‘You're a psycho for still playing.'"
JJ Redick was asked if seeing Chris Paul still playing makes him think about if he hung it up too early and could still play:
"No, I just told him he's a psycho."
— Daniel Starkand (@DStarkand) March 18, 2025
Despite being 39, Paul has remained remarkably durable, playing in all 67 games for the Spurs this season as a starter. While he may no longer be the explosive playmaker he was during his prime with the New Orleans Hornets and Clippers, his leadership and veteran presence continue to make an impact.
The loss dropped the Spurs to 28-39, as they shift focus toward building for the future and making the right moves ahead of the 2025 NBA draft. Meanwhile, the Lakers improved to 42-25, moving one step closer to securing a top seed in the Western Conference playoff race.
Related: LeBron James' Reaction to Bronny James' 3 in Spurs Game Turns Heads
Related: Luka Doncic Sends Strong Message After Lakers' Second Straight Win
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This story was originally published March 18, 2025 at 11:44 AM.