HOUSTON — To Lakers coach JJ Redick, what mattered most about Bronny James’ first career NBA playoff points, a pull-up 3-pointer to give the Lakers a 50-40 lead midway through the second quarter of their Game 3 victory over the Rockets, wasn’t that James made the shot.
It was the fact that after all the nerves James experienced entering the first-round playoff series, he had the confidence to take the shot in the first place.
“Without Luka [Doncic and Austin Reaves], we don’t have the luxury of turning down shots created and advantages created,” Redick said. “He did a nice job offensively in that first stretch. Certainly making shots gives you confidence, but I thought he was great defensively as well in that stretch and really has just improved a lot even in this season from when he was getting some rotation minutes earlier in the year to when he’s gotten rotation minutes late in the season.”
James, the younger son of Lakers star LeBron James who was the No. 55 pick in the 2024 draft, got an up-close view of the playoffs last season.
But having played just four minutes across two games during the Lakers’ five-game first-round playoff loss to the Timberwolves last spring, he didn’t get a true sense of what playing in the playoffs feels like.
That changed this season, with the younger James being in the Lakers’ rotation during the postseason entering Sunday’s Game 4 at Toyota Center.
“It’s the best feeling in the world,” Bronny said. “I mean, in college I didn’t get to play in March, so that’s something that’s gonna irk me for the rest of my life. And got to do it in the playoffs, and that’s just the best feeling.”
Bronny admitted to being nervous before his first playoff game.
“I definitely think I’ve gained a little more confidence and relaxed myself … Looking forward to down the road, me getting more minutes and stuff like that. I feel like just me getting playoff time, second stints and stuff like that is just gonna help more and more.”
James’ first playing stint resulted not only in his first playoff points but also his second.
LeBron threw an alley-oop to Bronny for a reverse layup on the Lakers’ next possession in the second quarter of Game 3, which was the first father-to-son assist in NBA playoffs history.
“I’m not sure when was the last time I got an oop from him,” Bronny said. “Probably in training camp last year, maybe this year. But it was just one of those things; he saw me and saw that I was making eye contact with him, so he threw it up and I can always go get it.”
Bronny’s first stint impressed the Lakers’ coaching staff so much that he played a second stint for the first time during the playoffs against the Rockets in Game 3 after being limited to one stint in Game 1 and Game 2.
“It just says a lot about me and JJ’s relationship, the other coaches in the coaching staff,” Bronny said. “They believe in me. And I appreciate that. And I’m going to take advantage of every minute I get.”
Bronny got regular playing time to close the regular season while Marcus Smart was sidelined for nine games because of an ankle injury before being cemented in the rotation when Doncic (hamstring) and Reaves (oblique) were sidelined to close the regular season.
“He has just gotten a lot better defensively,” Redick said. “His physicality’s been really good. His execution’s been really good and excited for him and just we got to continue to build him up. He’s obviously really important right now.”