The Lakers scored a one-point win against Utah and it was an old-school kind of game LeBron James. His usage rate has dropped significantly this season, but coach JJ Redick He got the ball in his hands regularly in the second half and attempted 14 shots in the fourth quarter. “We really slowed down the tempo in the second half and tried to get the matchup we wanted so LeBron could handle that pick-and-roll.” Redick said, according to Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times. “And honestly, that was the best offense we could produce. So whether we missed it or made it, we just kept going. I thought we got a clean look that could have given us a bit more padding. But I liked our execution on offense.”

We have more on the Lakers:

• Gabe Vincentwas forced into the lineup on Sunday due to the absence of Austin Reaves (Left pelvic contusion), scored 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting. It was Vincent’s first double-digit score in his 30 regular-season games as a Laker, notes Khobi Price of the Orange County Register. Vincent joined the Lakers as a free agent before last season on a three-year, $33 million contract.
• Los Angeles will look to include Vincent in trade talks as a salary agent with draft pick compensation, Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype reports. The Lakers could potentially move away from Vincent and future second-round picks in a deal wizard center Jonas Valanciunasa coveted target for the Lakers, adds Scotto.
• They announced last month that they had commissioned a statue of the former coach and player Pat Riley at their Star Plaza. It is expected to be the prelude to an eventual announcement of a statue for another former coach. Phil Jacksonreports Marc Stein in a Substack post. Riley coached the Lakers to four championships in the 1980s, while Jackson coached the Lakers to five.
• They’ve been looking for a Dead Eye shooter to complement James for years. Maybe they finally found that player in the rookie wing Dalton Knecht. “We as a front office, in theory, went after the exact player he is, a motion shooter.” Lakers Vice President of Basketball Operations and GM Rob Pelinka said ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “And then not only is he a movement shooter, but he’s also a movement shooter with athleticism, which is a really unique combination.”
• Vincent’s stint as a regular player didn’t last long. D’Angelo Russell He replaced him in the lineup against Minnesota on Monday, tweets Jovan Buha of The Athletic.