The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 1, with a final score of 128-112. There’s no doubt that this was a good start to the series for them, as they have negated the Grizzlies’ home-court advantage.
Superstar LeBron James took a backseat in the game, as role players like Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura stepped up for the franchise. Part of their performance was due to LeBron James consistently empowering them as players, and he recently explained that getting the best out of his teammates is partly due to him being a father.
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“I think it comes from being a father… having three kids I understand that, I gotta parent my kids differently to get the best out of them. Some of them I can yell at. Some I gotta be more comforting. Some I need to pull away to the side. Some I can yell at in front of the group and they’ll be fine with that. So I think that helps.”
There’s no doubt that this is an astute observation by LeBron James. Different players respond to different ways of communication and motivation, and James is clearly aware that he needs to use a variety of tactics to get the best out of everyone on the squad.
This season, LeBron James has averaged 28.9 PPG, 8.3 RPG, and 6.8 APG for the Los Angeles Lakers. He has clearly had an All-NBA level season while also surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in career scoring for the all-time scoring record. It is astounding what he has managed to accomplish this year, and maybe we’ll even see a championship from him at the end of these playoffs.
LeBron James Explained How He Unlocked Rui Hachimura
LeBron on bringing out the best in his teammates:
“I think it comes from being a father… having three kids I understand that, I gotta parent my kids differently to get the best out of them. Some of them I can yell at. Some I gotta be more comforting. Some I need to pull away to… pic.twitter.com/aolGrwNJpq
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) April 17, 2023
Rui Hachimura’s 29 points were crucial for the Lakers in their first game against the Grizzlies, and many people are high on his potential. LeBron James recently revealed how he unlocked Rui Hachimura, noting that he tries to give the forward “positive motivation”.
“I just try to stay in his ear, give him positive motivation and positive messages, telling him how important he is to our team. And for us to reach the goal we want to reach, he has to be a huge part of that. And he wants to be. He’s asked me multiple times, ‘What do I need to do to help the team win?’ And I tell him exactly what he needs to do. It’s not about making shots, that happens. His presence alone, his size, his athleticism. It brings another dynamic to our club… He helps us be a complete team.”
If the Los Angeles Lakers role players keep showing up, then the team will have a chance against anyone. The talent level on that team is through the roof and the fact that someone Rui Hachimura can get them almost 30 points on any given night shows just how deep they are now after their roster moves at the trade deadline.
