<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-austin-reaves-unreal-no-look-pass-sets-up-rui-hachimura-jumper');   ga('set', 'title', 'Lakers star Austin Reaves’ unreal no-look pass sets up Rui Hachimura jumper');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Austin-Reaves-s-unreal-no-look-pass-sets-up-Rui-Hachimura-jumper.jpg"><figcaption>Bill Streicher-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Lakers star Austin Reaves’ unreal no-look pass sets up Rui Hachimura jumper</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-07T19:47:38-08:00">December 7th, 7:47pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-07T19:47:38-08:00">December 7th, 7:47pm</time><address><a>Richard Pereira</a>Richard Pereira joined ClutchPoints in January 2025 as an Associate Editor. He earned his degree from Florida Atlantic University in 2023 and has been covering the school's athletic programs since 2020, having served as a Sports Editor at the FAU University Press. He was granted the unique opportunity to report on the men's basketball team's journey to the Final Four in Houston for FAU Owls Nest during March Madness, consistently striving to grow as a sports journalist.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Austin Reaves had an excellent highlight with Rui Hachimura during the Los Angeles <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-passes-nikola-jokic-all-time-list-unreal-stat-line-vs-76ers">Lakers’ matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers</a> on Sunday night.</p><p>Reaves is going through the fifth season of his NBA career, all with the Lakers. He firmly grew into his role as one of the top scorers in the Lakers’ offense, shining with his skillset alongside LeBron James and Luka Doncic.</p><p>Throughout the matchup against Philadelphia, he created an incredible play with Hachimura. It took place midway through the third quarter as Reaves crossed up his defender, went inside the paint, and <a href="https://x.com/i/status/1997852526671184139" rel="noopener">pulled off a behind-the-head pass</a> to Hachimura, who completed the highlight with a mid-range shot</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">AUSTIN REAVES ARE YOU SERIOUS???</p><p>Loses the defender, then throws an INSANE behind-the-head pass to Rui, who drills the jumper 🤯</p><p>LAL-PHI on NBA League Pass: <a href="https://t.co/vK0qTeFDGS">https://t.co/vK0qTeFDGS</a> <a href="https://t.co/JyTRYL3Wha">pic.twitter.com/JyTRYL3Wha</a></p><p>— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1997852526671184139?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><h2><b>How Austin Reaves, Lakers played against 76ers</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Austin-Reaves-s-unreal-no-look-pass-sets-up-Rui-Hachimura-jumper-2.jpg"><figcaption>Bill Streicher-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>It was an excellent highlight for Austin Reaves to have with Rui Hachimura, helping the Lakers beat the 76ers 112-108.</p><p>Both teams traded blows throughout the matchup. Los Angeles trailed 60-53 at halftime but used a strong third quarter and made clutch plays in the fourth period to secure the road win.</p><p>Shot selection and ball movement made the difference in this matchup. The Lakers won in both categories by making 48% of their total shot attempts while creating 25 assists. It wasn’t the same for the 76ers as they converted</p><p>Five players scored in double-digits for Los Angeles in the win, including Reaves. He finished with a stat line of 11 points, four rebounds, four assists, one steal, and a block. He shot 3-of-16 from the field, including 2-of-6 from beyond the arc, and 3-of-5 from the free-throw line. Luka Doncic led the way with 31 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists. LeBron James came next with 29 points and seven rebounds, Hachimura had 17 points and six rebounds, while Deandre Ayton provided 14 points and 12 rebounds.</p><p>Los Angeles improved to a 17-6 record on the season, holding the second spot in the Western Conference standings. They are even with the Denver Nuggets while trailing the Oklahoma City Thunder by five games.</p><p>The Lakers will look forward to their next matchup, being at home. They host the San Antonio Spurs in the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup on Dec. 10 at 10 p.m. ET.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Lakers star Austin Reaves’ unreal no-look pass sets up Rui Hachimura jumper

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-austin-reaves-praises-lebron-rui-hachimura-dagger');   ga('set', 'title', 'Lakers’ Austin Reaves reacts to LeBron James sacrificing 10-point streak for Rui Hachimura game-winner');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Lakers-players-Austin-Reaves-Hachimura-LaRavia-reacts-in-win-vs-Warriors.jpg"><figcaption>Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Lakers’ Austin Reaves reacts to LeBron James sacrificing 10-point streak for Rui Hachimura game-winner</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-05T08:42:25-08:00">December 5th, 8:42am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-05T08:42:25-08:00">December 5th, 8:42am</time><address><a>Yasmin Edañol</a>Yasmin D.G. Edañol is a PhD candidate in Chemistry at the University of the Philippines Diliman, with a background in scientific research and publishing. He brings a data-driven perspective to sports storytelling as an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints, with a focus on the NBA. Whether it's breaking down a clutch play or a stat line, he believes every great moment has a deeper layer waiting to be uncovered.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-rui-hachimura-reveals-lebron-james-message-before-winning-shot">Los Angeles Lakers walked out of Toronto with a 123–120 win</a>, but the moment that stayed with fans came in the final seconds, when Austin Reaves watched <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-lebron-james-had-no-doubts-giving-up-10-point-streak-la-victory">LeBron James give up a sure bucket to set up Rui Hachimura</a> for the game-winner against the Toronto Raptors. The play captured everything about this Lakers group. It showed trust. It showed sacrifice. And it showed how far Reaves has come as a voice who now recognizes greatness in real time.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-austin-reaves-urges-luka-doncic-to-return-to-la">Austin Reaves wasn’t shy about it</a>. “You tip your hat to a guy that just cares about winning and making the right play,” he <a href="https://x.com/SpectrumSN/status/1996790793894613102" rel="noopener">said</a> after dropping 44 points, five rebounds, and 10 assists for the Lakers. His tone carried admiration. His body language carried relief. He understood what that pass meant. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-jj-redick-claims-basketball-gods-intervened-after-lebron-james-selfless-decision">LeBron James could have chased another double-digit night</a> without apology, but he didn’t hesitate. He saw Hachimura open. He delivered the pass. The rest became a highlight the Lakers will replay for weeks.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">"You tip your hat to a guy that just cares about winning and making the right play, that's what he's done his whole career."</p><p>Austin Reaves (44 PTS, 5 REB, 10 AST) talks to the media after the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Lakers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Lakers</a> 123-120 win in Toronto over the Raptors. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LakeShow?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LakeShow</a> <a href="https://t.co/m0GgcWGJMI">pic.twitter.com/m0GgcWGJMI</a></p><p>— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpectrumSN/status/1996790793894613102?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><h2>A Lakers moment that says everything</h2><p>For Reaves, that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lebron-james-ultimate-sacrifice-rui-hachimura-game-winner">Lakers sequence felt like a lesson wrapped inside a victory</a>. In many ways, he spoke with the ease of someone who has watched LeBron James build a career on unselfish decisions, yet he also sounded energized by witnessing it again in a tight road game. All night, the Raptors had pressured him, but the final blow came from Rui Hachimura — calm in the corner, stepping into a shot that felt destined.</p><p>Afterward, Spectrum SportsNet captured the interview, and the emotion behind it was unmistakable. Reaves didn’t celebrate his own stat line. Instead, he celebrated the standard James continues to set and the confidence Hachimura now wears in big moments.</p><p>Ultimately, this is how a team grows: through trust, through sacrifice, through plays that echo long after the buzzer. And if the Lakers keep winning this way, how many more game-winners are waiting ahead?</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Lakers’ Austin Reaves reacts to LeBron James sacrificing 10-point streak for Rui Hachimura game-winner

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-rui-hachimura-reveals-lebron-james-message-before-winning-shot');   ga('set', 'title', 'Lakers’ Rui Hachimura reveals LeBron James’ message before connecting on game-winning shot');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Rui-Hachimura-on-Dec.-4-2025.jpg"><figcaption>Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Lakers’ Rui Hachimura reveals LeBron James’ message before connecting on game-winning shot</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-05T08:07:32-08:00">December 5th, 8:07am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-05T08:07:32-08:00">December 5th, 8:07am</time><address><a>Zachary Weinberger</a>Zachary Weinberger joined ClutchPoints in October 2023 as a Miami Heat reporter as well as an Associate Editor. He graduated from Florida Atlantic University in 2022 after covering the school's athletic programs since his freshman year at the FAU University Press, where he was a Sports Editor and Editor-in-Chief. He then covered FAU Sports for The Palm Beach Post.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>As <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-lebron-james-historic-10-point-streak-snapped-raptors">Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and his historic 10-point streak</a> were snapped on Thursday night, the result was a Rui Hachimura game-winner against the Toronto Raptors, 123-120. While <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lebron-james-ultimate-sacrifice-rui-hachimura-game-winner">James sacrificed the record for the Lakers’ Hachimura game-winner</a>, the 27-year-old spoke about the message the star told him right before the consequential play.</p><p>In the final play of the game, Austin Reaves would get double-teamed and pass the ball to James, and while he could have tried for a bucket to give him at least 10 points to keep the 18-year streak alive, he passed to Hachimura in the corner for the three. The selfless play resulted in the game-winner, with Hachimura revealing that James <a href="https://x.com/NBA/status/1996782223282831492" rel="noopener">had planned to give him the ball.</a></p><p>“I don’t even know, that was crazy, I never had a game-winner, but Bron told me right before this, he said, ‘I got you, it’s gonna come to you,’ so yeah, that’s it,” Hachimura said, via NBA.</p><p>“I don’t know what it is, but that position, I knew it was going to come to me; I was ready,” Hachimura continued.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">"Bron told me right before… it's gonna come to you."</p><p>Rui Hachimura was ready for his first-career <a href="https://twitter.com/TISSOT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TISSOT</a> Buzzer-Beater! <a href="https://t.co/dTJi6qWKeg">https://t.co/dTJi6qWKeg</a> <a href="https://t.co/EOmKxxAgrB">pic.twitter.com/EOmKxxAgrB</a></p><p>— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1996782223282831492?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p> </p><h2><b>Lakers’ LeBron James on making the right play</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/LeBron-James-consolation-feat-despite-ending-double-digit-scoring-streak.jpg"><figcaption>Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>It’s safe to say that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-lebron-james-had-no-doubts-giving-up-10-point-streak-la-victory">James has no doubts in helping the Lakers to a win</a> on Thursday night, despite the impressive 1,297-game streak of at least scoring 10 points coming to an end. However, James has always been going through the motto of<a href="https://archive.is/iNnPS#selection-3295.0-3295.440" rel="noopener"> making the right play</a>, which finding an open Hachimura in the corner was.</p><p>“That aspect was always like the most, one of the most foolish things I’ve ever heard as far as making the right pass, making the right play,” James said after the win, according to The Los Angeles Times. “We are in the business of winning basketball games. My whole life, I’ve just played the game that way. I was taught the game that way, and I’ve won at every single level I’ve played at by playing the game that way. So there was no reason for me to ever change once I got to this level.”</p><p>James finished with eight points to go along with six rebounds and 11 assists as Los Angeles is now 16-5, looking to carry that momentum into Friday night’s game against the Boston Celtics.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Lakers’ Rui Hachimura reveals LeBron James’ message before connecting on game-winning shot

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lebron-james-ultimate-sacrifice-rui-hachimura-game-winner');   ga('set', 'title', 'LeBron James’ ultimate sacrifice leads to Rui Hachimura game-winner');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Lakers-forward-LeBron-James-23-shoots-the-ball.jpg"><figcaption>Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>LeBron James’ ultimate sacrifice leads to Rui Hachimura game-winner</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-04T19:12:52-08:00">December 4th, 7:12pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-04T19:21:43-08:00">December 4th, 7:21pm</time><address><a>Allan Binoy</a>Allan Binoy is a sports journalist who covers the NFL, NCAA Football, and NBA for ClutchPoints. With a deep passion for storytelling and analysis, he brings fans closer to the action by breaking down the biggest moments and storylines across the world of sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>LeBron James just let his <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-lebron-james-historic-10-point-streak-snapped-raptors">most unbreakable record die</a> so the Los Angeles Lakers could live. With the Los Angeles Lakers and Toronto Raptors tied in the final seconds in Toronto, James brought the ball up with eight points on a brutal 4-of-16 shooting night.</p><p>One more bucket would have kept his historic streak of double-digit scoring games alive. Instead, he drove, drew the defense, and kicked the ball to Rui Hachimura on the wing, who buried a three at the buzzer to seal a 123-120 win.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">LeBron finds Rui Hachimura…</p><p>GAME.<a href="https://t.co/vYTST3eawB">pic.twitter.com/vYTST3eawB</a></p><p>— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/UnderdogNBA/status/1996776304708825409?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>That pass ended James’ streak at 1,297 straight regular-season games with at least 10 points, a run that started in 2007 and may never be touched. For the first time in 18 years, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-lebron-james-scoring-low-point-raptors-16-years">James finished a game in single digits</a>, eight points, six rebounds, and 11 assists in 35 minutes, per ESPN’s box score and multiple reports.</p><p>On a night <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-lebron-james-low-rookie-season">when his shot abandoned him</a>, the rest of the Lakers had his back. Austin Reaves went nuclear, dropping 44 points and 10 assists on 13-of-21 shooting, while DeAndre Ayton added 17 points and eight rebounds as Los Angeles moved to 16-5 on the season.  </p><p>It fits the story. For two decades, James has been defined as much by his passing brain as his scoring records. On this night, those two finally collided. He could have forced a pull-up to chase 10 points, and no one would have blamed him. Instead, he trusted Rui Hachimura, lost the streak, and won the game.</p><p>If this is how the greatest scoring consistency record ever ends, on a kickout for a game-winning three, it is hard to imagine a more LeBron way for it to go.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

LeBron James’ ultimate sacrifice leads to Rui Hachimura game-winner

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-rui-hachimura-importance-jj-redick-championship-shape-nba');   ga('set', 'title', 'Rui Hachimura details importance of JJ Redick’s ‘championship shape’ in today’s NBA');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_0199.jpeg"><figcaption>Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Rui Hachimura details importance of JJ Redick’s ‘championship shape’ in today’s NBA</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-11-18T18:45:43-08:00">November 18th, 6:45pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-11-18T18:45:43-08:00">November 18th, 6:45pm</time><address><a>David Yapkowitz</a>David Yapkowitz is an NBA Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a credentialed reporter based in Los Angeles who covers the NBA/WNBA, NCAA/NCAAW and boys/girls high school basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>LOS ANGELES – Now in his second season as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-jj-redick-sends-clear-championship-shape-message-luka-doncic-las-roster">JJ Redick has often mentioned the need for the Lakers to be in what he calls, ‘championship shape</a>.’ The team has started off the 2025-26 season at 10-4 which is currently good enough for fourth place in the Western Conference. For Rui Hachimura, one of the Lakers’ starting forwards, that championship shape is crucial to compete in today’s NBA.</p><p>“It’s [the NBA] more physical, but I think it’s faster. Everybody wants to go fast now. 140-150 points is normal now. Everybody is scoring like that,” Hachimura said following Lakers’ shootaround on Tuesday morning. “We have to be in the shape like JJ’s been talking about, championship shape. We need to think about that every game, every day, practicing it in games and stuff. We’re trying to focus on that.”</p><p>Through the early-goings of the regular season, Rui Hachimura <a href="https://x.com/xEP_Network/status/1990873162339529076" rel="noopener">has done his best</a> in terms of being in championship shape for the Lakers. He did miss his first game of the season during the Lakers’ win against the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday due to a calf injury, but he reassured assembled media at shootaround on Tuesday that it wasn’t a major concern.</p><p>Hachimura has been the Lakers’ starting power forward and has appeared in 13 games at a little over 34 minutes per game, which is third on the team in minutes played behind only Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. He’s been averaging a career-high 15.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists with splits of 57.7 percent shooting from the field, 50 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 73.3 percent shooting from the free-throw line.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-rui-hachimura-admission-la-chemistry">Hachimura is now one of the longest-tenured players</a> on the team, having joined the Lakers via midseason trade with the Washington Wizards during the 2022-23 season. That year, he helped the Lakers make a surprising run to the Western Conference Finals amid being the No. 7 seed in the West.</p><p>With the Lakers set to take on the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night, a team that does like to play up-tempo and push the pace, Hachimura spoke about the challenge that brings and the kind of shape the team currently is in.</p><p>“That’s what we talk about. . .we talk about championship shape. It started this offseason, we talked about how the NBA is changing right now, fast-paced, being physical, you really have to run the whole game,” Hachimura said. “That’s going to be important for us to kind of focus on. I think our shape is pretty good right now. Everybody is back, our playing time is gonna be kind of a little bit spread out. I think with that, we can play harder.”</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Rui Hachimura details importance of JJ Redick’s ‘championship shape’ in today’s NBA

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-hilarious-luka-doncic-rui-hachimura-moment-viral');   ga('set', 'title', 'Lakers’ Luka Doncic–Rui Hachimura interaction goes viral after hilarious moment');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Los-Angeles-Lakers-guard-Luka-Doncic-77-smiles-after-a-technical-is-called-against-him-during-the-second-half-of-a-game-against-the-Oklahoma-City-Thunder-at-Paycom-Center.jpg"><figcaption>Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Lakers’ Luka Doncic–Rui Hachimura interaction goes viral after hilarious moment</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-11-18T18:19:54-08:00">November 18th, 6:19pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-11-18T18:19:54-08:00">November 18th, 6:19pm</time><address><a href="http://hoopnut.blogspot.com/">Enzo Flojo</a>Enzo Flojo is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints and a columnist for Asian basketball at FIBA. He brings a dynamic spirit and background, having expertise that spans writing, analytics, coaching, and broadcasting. He is also currently an Assistant Coach on Scouting &amp; Analytics for the Philippine national youth basketball team.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Los Angeles Lakers continue to stack wins early in the 2025-26 season. Their biggest headline this week, though, didn’t come from a box score. It came from a practice clip that lit up social media. A lighthearted exchange between Luka Doncic and Rui Hachimura went viral on Tuesday. It showcased not just humor, but the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-reveal-chemistry-grown-year-2-la">elite chemistry powering the Lakers</a>’ 10–4 start.</p><p>The moment began when Doncic, off camera, repeatedly shouted “RUI! RUI!” in mock desperation during a post-practice media session.</p><p>Hachimura turned around bewildered, <a href="https://twitter.com/mcten/status/1990864153402089658" rel="noopener">before delivering a perfectly timed jab</a>: “Luka is crazy. Why is he calling my name? What does he want? … He never went to school, you know that, right?”</p><p>The joke referenced Doncic’s early decision to forgo a traditional schooling path in Slovenia and Spain when he joined Real Madrid’s youth basketball academy.</p><p>The clip, first posted by ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, spread across social platforms within minutes. Fans immediately flocked to the comments, praising the duo’s sense of humor and the Lakers’ lively team environment. In a league where chemistry often determines ceilings, these behind-the-scenes glimpses have become a recurring theme for Los Angeles this season.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">(Off camera, Luka Doncic: “RUI! RUI!”)<br>Rui Hachimura: “Luka is crazy. Why is he calling my name? What does he want? … He never went to school, you know that, right?” <a href="https://t.co/iv6F9dM0Cs">pic.twitter.com/iv6F9dM0Cs</a></p><p>— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) <a href="https://twitter.com/mcten/status/1990864153402089658?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>The viral exchange is one of many personality-filled moments emerging from the Lakers’ locker room in recent weeks. Just days earlier, Doncic joked that he speaks English better than Hachimura or Austin Reaves. It’s a claim that generated its own wave of playful reactions.</p><p>The constant stream of clips paints a picture of a team fully bought into one another. They look comfortable enough to tease, laugh, and stay loose during long stretches of the season.</p><p>For a squad chasing a deep playoff run, that camaraderie matters. Doncic and Hachimura have both emphasized how this season’s group feels unusually connected. The on-court results have backed that up.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-watch-luka-doncic-bonkers-shot-90-feet-away">Sure, the Lakers’ offensive firepower</a> and star power drive headlines. However, unscripted, funny, and authentic moments like these reflect the cultural shift fueling their strong start.</p><p>As the Lakers prepare for their next stretch of games, it is clear that their bond off the court is becoming as much a story as their performance on it.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Lakers’ Luka Doncic–Rui Hachimura interaction goes viral after hilarious moment

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-rui-hachimura-jj-redick-honest-luka-doncic-defense');   ga('set', 'title', 'Lakers’ Rui Hachimura, JJ Redick get honest on Luka Doncic’s defense');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Los-Angeles-Lakers-guard-Luka-Doncic-77.jpg"><figcaption>Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Lakers’ Rui Hachimura, JJ Redick get honest on Luka Doncic’s defense</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-11-06T18:26:32-08:00">November 6th, 6:26pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-11-06T18:26:32-08:00">November 6th, 6:26pm</time><address><a>Paolo Mariano</a>Paolo Mariano is a freelance writer, editor, and producer based in Manila, Philippines. He is a journalism graduate from the University of Santo Tomas and the father of a young girl whose personality swings from Simone Biles to Dillon Brooks. A beacon of objectivity, he believes Penny Hardaway is the true NBA GOAT.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Los Angeles Lakers notched their fifth straight win after <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-la-survives-embarrassing-marcus-smart-blunder-spurs">squeaking past the San Antonio Spurs, 118-116,</a> at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday, with Luka Doncic once again waving his magic wand.</p><p>Doncic put on an all-around show with 35 points, nine rebounds, 13 assists, five steals, and two blocks. He scored at will and toyed with the hapless defense of the Spurs, even <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-lebron-james-austin-reaves-disbelief-luka-doncic-move-spurs">leaving LeBron James and Austin Reaves in disbelief on the bench</a> at one point.</p><p>But while his offense was on full display yet again, some also pointed out Doncic’s effort on defense. It’s not a secret that the five-time All-Star has been widely criticized for his defense and is an easy target for opposing teams.</p><p>But after their win over the Spurs, Doncic’s defense <a href="https://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/story/2025-11-06/los-angeles-lakers-san-antonio-spurs-nba-game-analysis" rel="noopener">received high praise</a> from the Lakers.</p><p>“I’ve never seen him like that. But you know, he’s trying to be more aggressive (on defense), and that’s what we need from him too,” said Rui Hachimura, who contributed 15 points on 55.6% shooting from the field, in a report from the Los Angeles Times’ Thuc Nhi Nguyen.</p><p>Coach JJ Redick echoed Hachimura’s remark, while also noting that Doncic’s defense has been “really good” overall this season.</p><p>“There wasn’t matador defense. He still guarded, and that was huge. The reason we won the game is because we guarded in the fourth quarter. Our fourth-quarter defense was the No. 1 reason we won the game,” added Redick.</p><p>The 26-year-old Doncic has been on a different level in his second season with the Purple and Gold. His slim physique has helped him become more active on both ends, while also extending his endurance.</p><p>If he becomes even more engaged on defense, the Lakers will really be a tough challenge.</p><p>Doncic is averaging career-highs of 40.0 points and 11.0 rebounds on top of 9.2 assists and 2.0 steals.</p><p>The Lakers will start a five-game road trip on Saturday against the Atlanta Hawks.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Lakers’ Rui Hachimura, JJ Redick get honest on Luka Doncic’s defense

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-news-rui-hachimura-unexpected-ending-victor-wembanyama-night');   ga('set', 'title', 'Rui Hachimura causes unexpected ending to Spurs star Victor Wembanyama’s night');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Spurs-forward-Victor-Wembanyama-1-reacts-after-not-getting-the-call.jpg"><figcaption>Allan Henry-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Rui Hachimura causes unexpected ending to Spurs star Victor Wembanyama’s night</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-11-05T22:23:30-08:00">November 5th, 10:23pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-11-05T22:23:30-08:00">November 5th, 10:23pm</time><address><a>Rexwell Villas</a>Rexwell Villas is an experienced sports writer covering a variety of sports, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and college football. He's a Communications Arts graduate from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines, and he claims to have JR Smith's conscience with his shot selection. He has won a basketball, a baseball, and a football championship in fantasy all within a year.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Wednesday night’s showdown <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-lebron-james-austin-reaves-disbelief-luka-doncic-move-spurs">between the San Antonio Spurs and the Los Angeles Lakers</a> in La La Land lived up to its billing. Luka Doncic and the Lakers escaped with a narrow 118-116 victory, sending San Antonio to its second loss in a row.</p><p>Spurs star big man <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-victor-wembanyama-posterizes-bronny-james">Victor Wembanyama once again stuffed the stat sheets</a> for his team, but he wasn’t able to add more to his numbers after fouling out during the crucial stretches of the game.</p><p>With the Lakers hanging on to a one-point lead with under 1:40 left to go in regulation, Wembanyama tried to attack the basket off the dribble but was met just outside the shaded area by Los Angeles forward Rui Hachimura. The collision sent Hachimura crashing to the ground, but his sacrifice didn’t go for naught, as Wembanyama was slapped with his sixth personal foul, disqualifying him from participating in the contest the rest of the way.</p><p>Here’s a video of the play:</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Victor Wembanyama has fouled out of Lakers vs. Spurs after barging into Rui Hachimura 👀</p><p>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/akhitchens?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@akhitchens</a>)<a href="https://t.co/8TkPfijv6l">pic.twitter.com/8TkPfijv6l</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1986310790425837641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Wembanyama exited the game with 19 points, eight rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block in 37 minutes of action. He shot poorly from the field, hitting just five of his 14 field goal attempts, but he made a living on the foul line, where he was 9-for-11. Wembanyama wasn’t the only Spurs player who fouled out of the Lakers game, with Harrison Barnes and Jeremy Sochan each exhausting all of their six fouls in trying to contain Los Angeles.</p><p>The loss to Los Angeles dropped the Spurs to 5-2, while the Lakers improved to 7-2 overall.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Rui Hachimura causes unexpected ending to Spurs star Victor Wembanyama’s night

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-rui-hachimura-no-idea-who-austin-reaves-until-giannis');   ga('set', 'title', 'Lakers’ Rui Hachimura had no idea who Austin Reaves was until he took Giannis to school');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Lakers-news-Austin-Reaves-makes-Los-Angeles-history-with-electric-start.jpg"><figcaption>© Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><h1>Lakers’ Rui Hachimura had no idea who Austin Reaves was until he took Giannis to school</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-30T13:23:59-07:00">October 30th, 1:23pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-30T13:30:01-07:00">October 30th, 1:30pm</time><address><a>Rishabh Bhatnagar</a>Rishabh is a seasoned NBA and sports journalist and editor with over seven years of experience working for reputed organizations. A novelist first and foremost, he has written three fiction books. His high threshold of knowledge combined with his writing skills gives him the ability to write uniquely insightful pieces across basketball, soccer, cricket, lawn tennis, eSports, and a variety of other sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-skip-bayless-bold-austin-reaves-claim">Los Angeles Lakers may have had a mixed start to the season in the absence of LeBron James</a>, who continues to recover from sciatica. Despite the 3-2 start, individually speaking, Austin Reaves has been flawless to date.</p><p>And while he continues on his journey to earn global recognition, his teammate Rui Hachimura <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/1ok2fkd/rui_hachimura_says_he_didnt_know_who_austin/" rel="noopener">has revealed his own tale</a> of first getting to know exactly who Reaves was.</p><blockquote><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/1ok2fkd/rui_hachimura_says_he_didnt_know_who_austin/">Rui Hachimura says he didn't know who Austin Reeves was when he first got to LA, then a move on Giannis made him take notice (clips included)</a><br> by<a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/Gtggtggtg/">u/Gtggtggtg</a> in<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/">nba</a></blockquote><p>“I am not gonna lie, three years ago when I got traded here, I honestly didn’t know about him before. He was injured I think that time,” Hachimura, who has entered his third year with the Lakers, revealed.</p><p>“And I think he came back on a game against Milwaukee. I think I remember, he made a move on Giannis around the top and he made a layup. I am like, ‘ooh, okay, he got it, you know?’” he said, per a video posted on the r/NBA subreddit.</p><p>Hachimura was traded to the Lakers back in January 2023 after more than three seasons at the Washington Wizards. Back then, Reaves was still learning his trade and had a breakthrough 2022-23 campaign that saw him become a starter the following season.</p><p>Regardless, Reaves has since continued a consistent upward trend and is currently experiencing his best start to an NBA season. He is averaging 34.2 points, 10 assists and 5.6 rebounds while shooting at a herculean 60% overall efficiency.</p><p>He is also taking career-high attempts from both the three-point zone and inside the arc, and while nobody will be expecting him to continue that kind of production, he has excelled in the absence of LeBron and more recently that of Luka Doncic.</p><p>This obviously includes his <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/sacramento-kings/kings-news-stephen-a-smith-scorched-earth-austin-reaves-51-points">51-point blowout against the Sacramento Kings</a>, which was followed by a 41-point performance against the Portland Trail Blazers. There is little doubt that he will be earning his first All-Star appearance ever if he keeps at the same rate.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Lakers’ Rui Hachimura had no idea who Austin Reaves was until he took Giannis to school

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-rui-hachimura-deandre-ayton-timberwolves-win');   ga('set', 'title', 'How Rui Hachimura hyped up Deandre Ayton during Timberwolves win');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_0254.jpeg"><figcaption>Kirby Lee-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>How Rui Hachimura hyped up Deandre Ayton during Timberwolves win</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-26T17:56:05-07:00">October 26th, 5:56pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-26T17:56:05-07:00">October 26th, 5:56pm</time><address><a>David Yapkowitz</a>David Yapkowitz is an NBA Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a credentialed reporter based in Los Angeles who covers the NBA/WNBA, NCAA/NCAAW and boys/girls high school basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Lakers were able to get into the win column on Friday night after defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves, 128-110. While much of the postgame focus was on <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-makes-la-history-back-to-back-40-point-games">Luka Doncic’s franchise record-setting night</a>, a huge part of the win was <a href="https://x.com/TheHoopCentral/status/1981931314954862907" rel="noopener">the increased aggressiveness of</a> Deandre Ayton, especially in the second half of the game.</p><p>For Lakers forward Rui Hachimura, he noticed a shift in Deandre Ayton’s focus coming out of halftime, and he made sure to tap into that to get Ayton fired up.</p><p>“Especially in the second half. . .the first half he didn’t really play that well. After the first half coming out into the third quarter, I saw in his eyes that he was locked in. So I was like, ‘come on DA, let’s go,’” Hachimura said. “He was amazing, rebounding, just being  presence on defense, on offense. . .he did all that we asked for, he was the man.”</p><p>In the win against the Timberwolves, Ayton finished with 15 points, eight rebounds and one blocked shot in 31 minutes. He shot 7-of-11 from the field. Ayton’s Lakers debut on opening night against the Golden State Warriors wasn’t bad; he finished with ten points and six rebounds while shooting 5-of-7 from the field.</p><p>The only issue with Ayton’s first game was that he was a little bit passive. That and it’s clear he’s still building cohesiveness with his new teammates. Following the loss to the Warriors, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-deandre-ayton-admission-fans-up-in-arms">Ayton admitted that it’s sometimes confusing</a> for teammates to play with a center like him.</p><p>But on Friday, the rest of the team, especially Doncic, made a concerted effort to look for Ayton around the basket. He played with force and aggression, and it felt like half of Doncic’s eight assists were off Ayton’s finishes.</p><p>With the Lakers’ two top scorers in Doncic and LeBron James now sidelined for the time being, this upcoming stretch of games is a chance for Ayton to be even more assertive on the offensive end.</p><p>Throughout his career, the former No. 1 overall pick has always put up borderline All-Star numbers. He holds career averages of 16.4 points, 10.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.0 blocked shots with splits of 59 percent shooting from the field and 75.3 percent shooting from the free-throw line.</p><p>Following the Lakers’ game against the Sacramento Kings on Sunday, they come back home on Monday for the second game of a back-to-back against the Portland Trail Blazers.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

How Rui Hachimura hyped up Deandre Ayton during Timberwolves win

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-why-rui-hachimura-deandre-ayton-strong-bond');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why Lakers’ Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton already share strong bond');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Deandre-Ayton.jpg"><figcaption>William Liang-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Why Lakers’ Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton already share strong bond</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-24T12:22:39-07:00">October 24th, 12:22pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-24T12:22:39-07:00">October 24th, 12:22pm</time><address><a>Malik Brown</a>Malik Brown is a multimedia reporter based in Atlanta who covers the Hawks and Dream for ClutchPoints. Malik has worked in entertainment and sports, and he specializes in the NBA and NFL.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Los Angeles <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-rui-hachimura-admission-la-chemistry">Lakers are still finding chemistry</a> with the new players on their team, and it looks like things are coming along easily. For Deandre Ayton, he has some familiar faces that he knows on the team, one of whom includes Rui Hachimura from some time ago. Hachimura recently <a href="https://x.com/mcten/status/1981786613845045628" rel="noopener">spoke about his bond</a> with Ayton and where they first met.</p><p>“He has an interesting personality,” Hachimura said. “I love him already. He’s a character. I think me and him are the same age almost. I know him from NBA camp when I was 16, the NBA Without Borders. I was with him that year, so it’s funny to see that it was 10, 12 years ago, and now we’re teammates.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">“He has an interesting personality. I love him already. He’s a character.” Rui Hachimura on new Lakers center, Deandre Ayton. Hachimura also shared a funny story about when he first met Ayton at Basketball Without Borders Global Camp in Toronto during the 2016 All-Star Weekend. <a href="https://t.co/KusLJQRfdq">pic.twitter.com/KusLJQRfdq</a></p><p>— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) <a href="https://twitter.com/mcten/status/1981786613845045628?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>It’s good that Hachimura and Ayton are building something off the court, and that should make things easy on the court. Ayton didn’t have a big game in his season debut for the Lakers against the Golden State, but he did what he could to make his presence known.</p><p>As the season progresses, he should be able to get more acclimated with the team, especially with players such as Luka Doncic, who will be feeding him passes for the most part in the pick-and-roll and the paint.</p><h2><b>Lakers still figuring out chemistry with Deandre Ayton</b></h2><p>After their loss against the Warriors, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-deandre-ayton-admission-fans-up-in-arms">Ayton made an admission</a> that had some fans scratching their heads to start the season.</p><p>“Today I realized, I’m probably a confusing big, when I can roll and stand just in the pocket. It’s probably a little difficult for them sometimes. I’m so used to the league having that low man on me, so sometimes I can’t even finish a roll,” Ayton said via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.</p><p>The pick-and-roll will be key for this team’s success, and Ayton will be involved in those plays a lot. Ayton has a unique skillset where he can pop and shoot a jumpshot, or he can roll to the basket. Once he and the ball handler get on the same page, the play should become seamless. Some fans have already grown tired of Ayton after just watching him in the preseason and the first game of the regular season, but they have to give him some time before making quick judgments.</p><p>Things could get even more confusing when LeBron James returns, as he hasn’t been able to play with Ayton at all yet.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Why Lakers’ Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton already share strong bond

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-rui-hachimura-admission-la-chemistry');   ga('set', 'title', 'Rui Hachimura makes eye-opening admission about Lakers’ chemistry');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_0240.jpeg"><figcaption>William Liang-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Rui Hachimura makes eye-opening admission about Lakers’ chemistry</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-23T13:14:53-07:00">October 23rd, 1:14pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-23T13:14:53-07:00">October 23rd, 1:14pm</time><address><a>David Yapkowitz</a>David Yapkowitz is an NBA Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a credentialed reporter based in Los Angeles who covers the NBA/WNBA, NCAA/NCAAW and boys/girls high school basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>LOS ANGELES – During the preseason, the Los Angeles Lakers had their full lineup, minus LeBron James, for all of one games, and that was the final preseason game of their schedule. With a full slate of six preseason games this season, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-reveals-reasoning-preseason-participation-strategy">Lakers had key players in and out of the lineup</a>. During the Lakers’ opening night loss to the Warriors this week, it was evident the chemistry was still a work in progress as noted by Rui Hachimura.</p><p>Following the Lakers’ <a href="https://x.com/Lakers/status/1980858610650607802" rel="noopener">119-109 loss to the</a> Warriors on Tuesday, Rui Hachimura acknowledged that the team is still working through chemistry and cohesiveness after adding a few key rotations players in the offseason.</p><p>“We just started. This is probably the second game we actually be played together with everybody,” Hachimura said. “We’re still trying to figure out our rhythm. Everybody, we’re still trying to get to know each other. We had a lot of practices. . .especially to go against Golden State, they’ve been playing together for probably four or five years together, so that was the difference.”</p><p>“Other than that, I think we did a lot of things that were supposed to do” Hachimura continued. “It’s a process, we’re going to be better.”</p><p>Against the Warriors, Hachimura had a solid stat line of nine points, four rebounds and three assists while shooting 3-of-6 from the field, all three-point shots. With James out for at least four weeks due to a nerve injury, Hachimura stands to gain more of an opportunity in the lineup.</p><p>Following the Warriors’ loss, Lakers head coach JJ Redick explained how with James out, Hachimura’s role does not change in terms of what the coaching staff is asking him to do.</p><p>“Same plan as always,” Redick said. “We’re not gonna ask a guy to change their role cause someone is out of the lineup. He’s got to stick to doing what he does best.”</p><p>And for Hachimura, what he’s done best playing off the Lakers’ main ball-handlers and playmakers is moving off the ball. Whether that’s spotting up for catch and shoot three-pointers or making timely and forceful cuts along the baseline, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-rui-hachimura-easy-take-lebron-james-luka-doncic">Hachimura is one of the Lakers’ better off-ball</a> threats.</p><p>Hachimura reaffirmed that he has to continue to take advantage of those off-ball opportunities.</p><p>“Catch-and-shoot is going to be a lot, but also you saw last year I had a lot of back cuts, cutting to the rim,” Hachimura said. “Those are going to start coming, you just can’t do it right away. You have to kind of figure out the space first. We have a DA [Deandre Ayton] in the paint. . .it’s a little different than before. So I got to figure out the timing.”</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Rui Hachimura makes eye-opening admission about Lakers’ chemistry

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-rui-hachimura-deandre-ayton-impact-offense');   ga('set', 'title', 'Rui Hachimura highlights Deandre Ayton’s impact on offense');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_0215.jpeg"></figure><h1>Rui Hachimura highlights Deandre Ayton’s impact on offense</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-14T20:20:38-07:00">October 14th, 8:20pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-14T20:20:38-07:00">October 14th, 8:20pm</time><address><a>David Yapkowitz</a>David Yapkowitz is an NBA Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a credentialed reporter based in Los Angeles who covers the NBA/WNBA, NCAA/NCAAW and boys/girls high school basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>LOS ANGELES – Following the Los Angeles Lakers’ disappointing playoff flameout in the opening round last season, it was painfully obvious that their most glaring offseason need was a starting caliber center. After a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-deandre-ayton-speaks-out-after-tough-los-angeles-debut">slow start to the preseason, Deandre Ayton</a> showed that he is the answer for the Lakers up front following their 126-116 win against the Golden State Warriors on Sunday.</p><p>The Lakers came into the offseason with little to no money to spend in free agency, and limited assets in terms of a potential trade. But when Dorian Finney-Smith opted to sign with the Houston Rockets, the Lakers suddenly found themselves armed with a couple of free agent exceptions to improve the roster. When Ayton and the Portland Trail Blazers <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-deandre-ayton-contract-free-agency-after-blazers-buyout">agreed to a contract buyout, the Lakers had their man</a>.</p><p>Deandre Ayton <a href="https://x.com/LakersLead/status/1977568755333873837" rel="noopener">shone bright during</a> the Lakers preseason win against the Warriors, finishing with 14 points, eight rebounds, five assists, two steals and one blocked shot in 26 minutes. He shot 6- of-8 from the field and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line. After the game, Rui Hachimura explained the impact that Ayton can have on the Lakers’ offense.</p><p>“It’s been like that with Luka [Doncic] and LeBron [James], but he gets a lot of attention too on the offensive side. For him to be on the floor, it’s good for us, especially for me, Vando [Jarred Vanderbilt], Jake [LaRavia], all those guys. We can get those easy looks,” Hachimura said. “Those are the things he can do too in the post. I think for him, he still has to adjust a little bit with our system, but I think it was a good day for all of us to see what he can do.”</p><p>Throughout Ayton’s seven-year NBA career thus far, he has always been a borderline All-Star in terms of numbers. This past season, he appeared in 40 games for the Blazers at a little over 30 minutes per game. He averaged 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.0 blocked shots with splits of 56.6 percent shooting from the field and 66.7 percent shooting from the free-throw line.</p><p>Ayton’s best years offensively came with the Phoenix Suns when he was playing with a dynamic playmaker in Chris Paul. Now, he will play alongside three strong playmakers in Doncic, James and Austin Reaves. While Doncic and James did not play during Sunday’s game, Ayton showed flashes of potential chemistry with Reaves as a finisher.</p><p>Lakers head coach JJ Redick was pleased with what he saw from Ayton against the Warriors, and remarked how the team could do a better job of finding him for scoring opportunities.</p><p>“He was really good in the pocket, and I think that’s similar to some other bigs. Him in the pocket is a really good thing, and we’ve got to find him,” Redick said. “There were opportunities where we didn’t find him, sometimes on the rolls, sometimes on the pocket. But he was great. I thought too, just his poise and his patience as a like a hub, whether he was playing out of horns or playing that second side, you just got some really good stuff when he got the ball at the elbow.”</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Rui Hachimura highlights Deandre Ayton’s impact on offense

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/sources-rui-hachimura-considered-likeliest-fifth-lakers-starter');   ga('set', 'title', 'Sources: Rui Hachimura considered likeliest fifth Lakers starter');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Lakers-forward-Rui-Hachimura-looks-up.jpg"><figcaption>Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Sources: Rui Hachimura considered likeliest fifth Lakers starter</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-01T19:54:56-07:00">October 1st, 7:54pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-01T19:55:26-07:00">October 1st, 7:55pm</time><address><a>Anthony Irwin</a>Anthony Irwin has been covering the Lakers in some capacity for roughly a decade at outlets such as Locked on Lakers, Silver Screen &amp; Roll and Forum Blue &amp; Gold. He currently podcasts about the team on The Lakers Lounge and the NBA in general on Basketball Passport. He looks forward to continuing his reporting for ClutchPoints after entering the rumor foray over the last couple years.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>According to sources close to the Los Angeles Lakers speaking on the condition of anonymity, Rui Hachimura is considered the heavy initial favorite to land the fifth starting spot <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-rui-hachimura-easy-take-lebron-james-luka-doncic">alongside Luka Doncic, LeBron James,</a> Austin Reaves and Deandre Ayton.</p><p>Heading into camp, Hachimura was always considered at least a slight favorite over Marcus Smart, but with Smart unable to participate for at least the first week of training camp, that gap has widened considerably.</p><p>When asked about starting at media day, Hachimura pointed to minutes totals as a higher priority than whether or not he was starting, but certainly seemed to make the case for him getting the nod.</p><p>“I mean, it’s coach’s decision,” Hachimura said. “It’s not my decision. It’s not really about who’s starting and not. It’s just the minutes and who can be on the court longer. I think it’s — for me — just whatever the team needs me to do, but we’ve been building the chemistry that I’ve been in the starting five for two, three years. So whatever they decide I have to do, it’s just a matter of the chemistry, how we can build and we can be on the court together and how we can give an impact.”</p><p>Smart, on the other hand, was clearer.</p><p>“I’m here to win,” Smart said. “However that means, that’s me. No matter whether I start or come off the bench, my presence will be made.”</p><h2><b>Hachimura over Smart in the starting lineup?</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_0199.jpeg"><figcaption>Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>To Hachimura’s point, continuity is a factor, sources say. The Lakers will open the season with a lighter slate and are looking to rack up wins early so as to maintain a higher seeding in the brutal West. As four of the Lakers’ likely starters do have chemistry heading in, the hope is they can use that to help Ayton get comfortable and jump out on teams through offensive firepower.</p><p>Hachimura also hasn’t really done anything to lose his starting gig, <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/hachiru01.html" rel="noopener">coming off a very good 2024-25 season</a>.</p><p>Another factor is Smart’s long-term health, only further hammered home by his Achilles tendinopathy before camp even started. The concern with starting Smart, even if some in the organization feel it makes sense, is doing so and playing him longer minutes might put to much strain on him and risk his availability for the postseason. JJ Redick and his staff are already playing “the long game” with James and are weighing Smart’s recent injury issues in this decision as well.</p><p>If Smart is able to handle a bench role and is clearly the better fit with the other starters, the coaching staff is open to expanding his role, but first, he’ll have to prove he can stay healthy.</p><p>Sources say Hachimura’s impending free agency is also a factor — albeit a smaller one. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-marcus-smart-signing-winning-proclamation-rob-pelinka">Smart has a player option</a> after this season and could technically be a free agent, too. Still, Hachimura has long maintained a preference to start and, in this contract season, the Lakers would rather not risk losing him before the season even starts.</p><p>Now, keep in mind, it’s extremely early in the Lakers’ 2025-26 campaign, and these decisions are by no means whatsoever final. But for right now, Hachimura, the healthier, younger and, frankly, more talented player at this stage of his and Smart’s careers, high a real edge to remain a starting forward.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Sources: Rui Hachimura considered likeliest fifth Lakers starter

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-rui-hachimura-easy-take-lebron-james-luka-doncic');   ga('set', 'title', 'Rui Hachimura’s ‘easy’ take on playing with LeBron James, Luka Doncic');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_0199.jpeg"><figcaption>Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Rui Hachimura’s ‘easy’ take on playing with LeBron James, Luka Doncic</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-30T20:15:16-07:00">September 30th, 8:15pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-30T20:15:16-07:00">September 30th, 8:15pm</time><address><a>David Yapkowitz</a>David Yapkowitz is an NBA Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a credentialed reporter based in Los Angeles who covers the NBA/WNBA, NCAA/NCAAW and boys/girls high school basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>LOS ANGELES – When the 2025-26 season tips-off, four of the five starters for the Los Angeles Lakers are certain to be LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Deandre Ayton. Whom the fifth starter is for the Lakers is a little less certain. Last season, the starting small forward spot was held by Rui Hachimura, who would appear to have a good shot to reprise that role.</p><p>In James, Doncic and Reaves, the Lakers have three experienced and elite ball-handlers. All three figure to have the ball in their hands, and each will <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-lebron-james-better-fit-luka-doncic-austin-reaves">take turns functioning as a primary playmaker and shot creator</a>. In the other two starters, the Lakers will expert off-ball movers. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-deandre-ayton-in-disbelief-teaming-luka-doncic">Ayton can do so in the pick and roll</a> as the roller, and then Hachimura fits in as a catch-and-shoot player and as a cutter.</p><p>Last season, Rui Hachimura led the Lakers <a href="https://x.com/RajChipalu/status/1972475442717491269" rel="noopener">in points off cuts</a> at 2.4, as per Raj Chipalu of Silver Screen and Roll. It’s something Hachimura credits to watching a lot of film and seeing how best he can take advantage of the opportunities created from having teammates that are the focus of opposing defenses.</p><p>“Luka posting, and LeBron too, they get a lot of attention. So for me it’s just an easy game. Most of the time I’m wide open. They’re always watching them, so that’s why I got a lot of those back cuts,” Hachimura said during Media Day. “I kind of figured it out throughout the season, those are easy points for me. And it’s not a set play or anything, I just have to kind of read it.”</p><p>“We just have to help each other. Those guys can easily attack the rim, playmaking, all that stuff,” Hachimura continued. “I watched a lot of film on that, when to cut or catch-and-shoot, all that kind of stuff. It’s all about timing and chemistry. So I think we’re building that and we just got to keep building.”</p><p>Since Hachimura joined the Lakers ahead of the trade deadline during the 2022-23 season, he’s been a fixture in the starting lineup. Last year, he appeared in 59 games, including 57 starts, at a little over 31 minutes per game. He averaged 13.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists with splits of 50.9 percent shooting from the field, 41.3 percent shooting from the three-point line and 77 percent shooting from the free-throw line.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
15.0	3.9	1.1	0.3	0.6

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
15.0	3.9	1.1	0.3	0.6

Rui Hachimura news

Rui
Hachimura news