Might as well get this done before the games matter.
The Phoenix Suns got their preseason slate of games underway with a 118-114 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, with the two sides due to meet once more before the action begins for real.
This was the first opportunity the Suns had to get a look at their offseason acquisitions, although injury to center Jusuf Nurkic prior to making the trip meant the starting five wasn’t the confirmed unit for the season ahead. Backup Mason Plumlee taking Nurkic’s spot, with rookie Oso Ighodaro seizing the opportunity with a team-high 27 minutes off the bench.
The Lakers also took the chance to create some history early in this one.
This was also the first time LeBron James has been seen in preseason for his team – he didn’t suit up for their loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves – while his son Bronny was also with the roster. Which was why the Lakers took the chance to pair the two of them together on the court in what was their first opportunity to do so.
New head coach JJ Redick wanting to get that distraction out of the way early, and instead yet his player’s talents do the talking. This might have been a nothing game, but the movement offensively and actually having his team play full-court defense bodes well for Redick and what he is trying to do over there.
Playing James and his son – while obviously a nice and iconic moment – won’t even stop the chatter of them teaming up as this wasn’t a competitive game. You can be sure that many will say that this doesn’t count – although the Suns will always go down as the first opponent that father and son took on together – which is why Redick isn’t done with this just yet.
Linking the two franchises even further on this is the fact that – when the regular season does actually begin – the two sides will face off in what will be both of their second games. Could the Lakers do this whole father and son thing against the Minnesota Timberwolves in their opening game, so we can all just move on with the rest of the season?
Absolutely, it is more likely than unlikely at this point. But if for any reason that doesn’t happen – the Timberwolves were also the Lakers’ first preseason matchup – then they’ll surely do it against the Suns. Both games are in Los Angeles, so there’s no need for the Lakers to wait until game two in order to make this happen either.
Bronny was of course rumored to be an option for the Suns in the second round of this year’s NBA Draft, although nothing ever came of that. In hindsight that was seen by many as a ploy to make sure the Lakers did right by their superstar and took Bronny, with the Golden State Warriors also getting out of the way out of respect to a guy who stopped them completing the best season in NBA history.
This is going to be a sideshow until the pair take to the court together again in a game that actually means something, before the younger James heads to the G League for a bit. Could the Suns have actually used a player like Bronny on this roster? Early indications are that he wouldn’t have made the cut, although there’s no doubt defensively he’s incredibly willing in the early goings of his career.
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