As we head into the final month of the NBA regular season, the league’s pecking order is crystallizing – with the playoffs looming as a wild card. Both conference leaders are heading into their best regular seasons ever; in the East, the Cleveland Cavaliers (47-10) are running away with it, six games ahead of Boston, while the Oklahoma City Thunder (46-11) hold an eight-game cushion over Denver in the West. But postseason basketball is a different beast, and gritty teams like the Celtics, Bucks, Nuggets and Lakers could flip the script. The Lakers, in particular, are heating up as Luka Doncic hits his stride alongside LeBron James. Doncic, who carried Dallas to the Finals last year, is hungry for redemption, and his synergy with LeBron – evident in Saturday’s 32-point outburst in Denver – has me dreaming of a Lakers-Celtics Finals rematch not seen since 2010. Tonight, the Mavericks roll into L.A. for Doncic’s first crack at his old team, though Anthony Davis’ lingering injury means he’ll miss the reunion for at least a few more weeks. Meanwhile, Bronny James, LeBron’s son, is grinding away in the G League, a world away from the NBA hype after a rocky rookie start.
Bronny’s G League Turnaround
Bronny’s rookie year with the Lakers began with a stumble – think tripping over your own feet in front of a packed gym. After a stellar high school career, his freshman season at USC was derailed by a heart scare that cut into his court time and stunted his growth. That rough patch carried over into the NBA Summer League and regular season, where he barely made a dent, averaging a measly 1.4 points in 4.2 minutes in 17 Lakers games. The team saw the writing on the wall and sent him to the South Bay Lakers of the G League for some seasoning.
Early on, it wasn’t pretty – 5.0 points and a dismal 21.1% from the field showed he was still shaking off the rust. But lately, the kid’s been lighting it up, dropping a career-high 31 points against the Rip City Remix on January 24, 2025. Now he’s humming along at 17.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game, flashing the scoring zip and all-around game that had scouts buzzing back in the day. It’s proof that he has the tools to grow beyond the shadow of his father’s legacy.
Even with his G League glow, Bronny’s NBA minutes remain a pipe dream unless the Lakers blow out teams. Coach JJ Redick has a playoff push to worry about, and a second-round pick – regardless of his last name – isn’t going to crack a tight rotation in the middle of the season. The South Bay stint is doing its job, though, letting Bronny stack reps and build confidence away from the glare of Crypto.com Arena. That 24-point explosion the other night? It’s not just a hot night – it’s a sign that he’s figuring out how to attack pro defenses. Still, the jump back to the Lakers is steep, and he’ll need a monster offseason to carve out a real role next year. For now, he’s a subplot to the Lakers’ bigger story: a roster with championship pedigree, now turbocharged by Doncic’s arrival, chasing a deep run and LeBron’s fifth ring.
Heading to the Last Month of the Season
We’re a month away from the end of the regular season, and the Lakers are hitting their stride at the perfect time. Cleveland and OKC may be the pacesetters, but the playoffs are where legends like LeBron thrive, and Doncic’s Finals scars only fuel the fire. Picture this: a Lakers-Celtics showdown in June, LeBron vs. Tatum, a throwback to 2010 with the stakes sky-high. Tonight’s Mavericks game is a tasty appetizer – Doncic vs. Dallas, even without Davis in the mix, promises fireworks.
As for Bronny, his G League surge is a bright spot, but he won’t be suiting up for Pops anytime soon unless it’s garbage time. The Lakers’ old guard (LeBron) and new blood (Doncic) could take them far, and if they shock the court, I’m all for the Hollywood ending. Bronny’s got his work cut out for him – next season is his chance to step out of the wings.
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