Bronny James explains 1-12 pre-season performance in LA Lakers loss to Phoenix Suns 

Bronny James says he took ‘good shots’ despite 1-12 shooting night

It was a difficult night all around for James in the Lakers’ loss to the Suns. He had open looks all night and continued to fire from deep, but last year’s second-round pick couldn’t buy a bucket.

Speaking to reporters after the game, he reflected on his shot selection after missing 11 of his 12 attempts.

He said, “I felt like they were pretty good shots. I didn’t rush, I wasn’t forcing anything. I didn’t have my legs under me as much as I wanted so I left a lot of them short.

“Most of them were on line, and I felt like I could have made them. I think I took some good shots.”

Ironically, the only field goal James did make was a step-back three in the pick-and-roll, maybe his toughest attempt of the night. He showed resilience to keep shooting and stayed aggressive from start to finish, going 5-6 from the foul line. 

But James was a 28.1% three-point shooter in his rookie season. There’s no reason for him to be shooting 12 threes. He’s out there to run the floor, hustle on defense, and get the ball to the Lakers’ scorers. 

What was more concerning than James’ shooting was his comment about his legs not being underneath him. Especially when Redick said his team were behind the Suns in their offseason preparation. 

JJ Redick said Phoenix Suns are ‘ahead’ of LA Lakers

If James meant he isn’t yet in playing shape, then it’s not ideal. He’s a second-year player looking to earn minutes on the team. He needed to come into pre-season ready to go; he doesn’t have the luxury of playing himself into shape. 

But what is also concerning for Lakers fans is Redick’s comments about his team’s preparedness for the season. After the game, he said, “The reality, and this is not an excuse, this is quite literally reality, [the Suns] had 19 guys in the gym all of September.

“They did their installs similar to how we did last year…they’re ahead of us from that perspective”.

After trading for Doncic last season, the Lakers had to change their scheme to suit their new leading man. That was a challenge for Redick, as Doncic was playing for Slovenia at EuroBasket for much of the summer. 

The Lakers’ head coach had to install a plan without the player it’s centered around being in the gym. That’s a recipe for some growing pains when he eventually gets back to the court in purple and gold.