On Saturday, the Los Angeles Lakers grabbed a massive win over the Memphis Grizzlies, giving them the tiebreaker over the team. It was the kind of win that Los Angeles desperately needed, and they found a way to make it happen.
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The win allowed them to stay in the No. 4 spot of the Western Conference playoff picture, taking a full game lead over Memphis. But prior to this win, the Lakers hadn't been playing overly well, and it's hurt them in the standings.
But ahead of the crucial game in Memphis, Lakers head coach JJ Redick called a meeting with his three star players, according to NBA insider Jovan Buha of The Athletic. LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves were part of this meeting, and Redick wanted to clear the air.
“We challenged all three of them when we get to their three-man actions to play with a little more force and a little more thrust and a little more creativity,” Redick said.
Reaves commented on the meeting and provided some more details into it all.
“I think the meeting was just still trying to build that chemistry amongst the three of us to help the team be successful,” Reaves said. “And I think tonight it just showed that when we play the right way and trust one another, especially offensively, we can have open looks on almost every possession. … It was really just a conversation about how bad all of us want to win and win at a high level.”
The meeting seemed to do the trick as the Lakers looked very strong against the Grizzlies. The offense was buzzing all game long, and it helped them earn a massive victory.
But the Lakers can't settle for this win as they still have to finish the regular season on a high note. Next up for the Lakers is the Houston Rockets, the No. 2 seed in the West playoffs.
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If the Lakers can take down Houston, it would show that they can truly compete with the other elite teams in the West. Getting a win would also allow them a chance to overtake the Rockets for the No. 2 seed.
It all remains to be seen, but the Lakers gained some confidence with this win over Memphis and hope to carry it over to the next game.
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