New milestone for LeBron James. The NBA veteran has made history by playing an official game for the first time with his son Bronny, who turned 20 this Sunday. In this way they become the first father-son duo in the history of the basketball league. However, the Jameses could not prevent the Lakers from falling against the Phoenix Suns of Kevin Durant and Devin Booker in the second game of the preseason. Those from Arizona beat the Angelenos 118-114, adding their second defeat since Friday.
Bronny entered the court in Palm Springs, in the Californian desert, in the second quarter. It has been another discreet night for the player chosen by the Lakers in the 55th round of the draft. He had a failed three-point attempt in which he had a screen made by his father. He grabbed two rebounds and had four turnovers. The Jameses gave up three positions in their first two minutes together on the court, two to Bronny and one to LeBron.
LeBron, who will turn 40 in December, began his 22nd year in the NBA this Sunday. He debuted this afternoon in the campaign with 19 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists in 16 minutes of play. On Friday he watched Bronny’s debut against the Minnesota Timberwolves from the bench and in street clothes. It was a good defensive night for the rookie, who had three blocks and an assist. On offense, however, he only made 1 of 6 in 16 minutes of play.
James Jr., the number 9 on the court and who plays shooting guard, is still in the process of finding a place in the rotation of the new Lakers coach, former player JJ Redick. This night tested eight players to accompany the starting lineup that remains the same as what Los Angeles looked like last year, with LeBron and Anthony Davis monopolizing the most minutes of play supported mainly by D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura.
“It’s very exciting. “I’m honored to be a part of this story,” Redick said of the Jameses’ first game together. The coach said that he will not turn the duo “into a trick,” but that the strategy will follow when the game demands it. Bronny spent much of the summer, after LeBron returned from Paris with another Olympic gold for the United States, training with his father. Redick has explained that James is in charge of rehearsing the pick and roll with his firstborn, who was born in 2004 in the star’s second year with the Cleveland Cavs.
The Jameses have joined other father-son duos in American sports today. Ken Griffey Jr., one of the most famous hitters for the Seattle Mariners in professional baseball, played some games with his father, Ken Griffey Sr. in 1990 and 1991. Canadian Gordie Howe, who became a legend in 26 seasons of ice hockey, he also shared teams with his sons, Marty and Mark.
In Redick’s evidence the name of Max Christie begins to emerge. The 21-year-old guard, in his third year in the League, came off the bench to contribute 12 points (two triples), 3 rebounds and 1 steal. On Friday he started and scored 11 points against the Timberwolves, powerful Western Conference rivals who have added former Knicks Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to their lineup.
Tonight’s best rookie was Phoenix’s number 4. Oso Ighodaro, the former college player from Marquette, has shone in almost 27 minutes of play with 6 of 8 shots inside the perimeter, including a alley-oop placed by Damion Lee entering the paint. Ighodaro also added five assists. One of these was to Bradley Beal while he was covered by James Jr. The former Wizards star, 30, was hampered last year by injuries in his first year in Phoenix. Tonight he scored 11 points. Devin Booker was, along with Ighodaro, the team’s top scorer, with 12 points. Kevin Durant grabbed 5 rebounds and scored 6 points on 10 shots.
The Lakers have four more preseason games. All of them will be outside of Los Angeles, as the Crypto stadium is being renovated. They officially begin their 2024-2025 season on October 22 against the Timberwolves.
