In the midst of a fluctuating 2024-25 NBA season, the Los Angeles Lakers are still searching for their best form as they aim to solidify their place as legitimate title contenders. Thursday’s game against the Boston Celtics offers a critical opportunity to gauge their growth and competitiveness, with LeBron James emphasizing the importance of the upcoming test.
The 40-year-old forward outlined key aspects the Lakers must focus on to compete with one of the league’s elite teams. “Be physical defensively, share the ball offensively, and communicate,” James said in a post-game interview following Tuesday’s 111-88 victory over the Washington Wizards, as reported by Dave McMenamin on X.
“I don’t think it’s even about Boston,” LeBron added. “Boston knows who they are.” He quickly pointed out the contrast between the Celtics and the Lakers at this stage. “We are still learning and trying to get better at what we want to do.”
While the Lakers are still working through their identity, LeBron expressed a mix of optimism and caution regarding their chances against the Celtics. “We’ll have a game plan for such a great team, but they’re in a different place than we are right now,” James said, acknowledging Boston’s well-established position as the reigning champions.
Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics
LeBron’s respect for the Celtics
LeBron’s comments reflect the deep respect he has for the Celtics, a team with a proven championship pedigree. Boston’s continuity is evident, as they retained both their coaching staff and their key players, including their star power, after capturing the 2024 NBA title.
This cohesion has translated into strong results so far this season. With a 30-13 record, the Celtics currently sit second in the Eastern Conference, though they have experienced a slight dip in form in recent weeks, preventing them from putting together a sustained winning streak.
Redick is optimistic about the Lakers’ evolution
In contrast to Boston’s stability, the Lakers are still refining their play. Despite a season marked by ups and downs, they find themselves in a solid sixth place in the Western Conference with a 23-18 record—no small feat given their ongoing development.
“We’re still searching for more consistency night to night,” said JJ Redick after the win over Washington. “I really love our group when we’re connected and we play professional competitive basketball and we execute, we’re a really good team when we do that.”
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On the Lakers’ performance this season, the head coach was optimistic. “I think even though we’ve had ups and downs to be a top-six team in the West right now… We’re like two games away from where we would feel really good about how things are. But I like where the team is at,” Redick said.
