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Lakers guard Bronny James steps onto the court as his father and teammate LeBron James greets him in a preseason game. (William Liang / Associated Press)
The Lakers open their season Tuesday against Minnesota, the first of a schedule full of games against the best teams in the Western Conference where the margins in the standings are almost assuredly going to be really tight.
Add in a new, high-profile coach in JJ Redick and the game would already be full of enough built-in drama to justify its spot on the opening night schedule.
But the stakes against the Timberwolves for the new coach on the sideline are going to give way to a bigger story — if it happens.
Redick said Monday there have been no final decisions whether to play LeBron and Bronny James together against the Timberwolves. When it does happen, the two will be the first father-son duo ever on the court together in an NBA game.
Fittingly, the only father-son pair to play together in Major League Baseball, Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr., are expected to attend the game Tuesday in case history is made.
“Yeah it’s gonna be insane,” Bronny James said of having the Griffeys at the game. “Only two families to do it, so it’s going to be a crazy experience, especially with what they’ve done.”
Read more: JJ Redick’s earnest approach leads the Lakers into new era
Redick played the two together once in the preseason — a moment the all-time leading scorer called surreal.
“We stood next to each other and I kinda looked at him, and it was just like, ‘Is this The Matrix or something?’” James said that night. “It just didn’t feel real.”
Bronny James has mostly downplayed playing with his father, instead choosing to focus on the smaller-picture jobs in front of him as one of the last players on the roster following his selection at No. 55 in the NBA draft.
“I’m just trying to come in and get better every day,” Bronny James said. “Learn from guys that have been here before me. Just take it all in and enjoy this experience.”
The anticipation is that Bronny James will spend time with the Lakers’ G League team once their season begins next…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/lebron-bronny-james-history-tuesday-223629987.html
Author : LA Times
Publish date : 2024-10-21 22:36:00
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