From Crypto.com Arena to Paycom Center, the Lakers and Thunder have turned their matchups into playoff-level warfare this 2024-2025 season. LeBron and co blew OKC out on April 6th with a decisive 126-99. But when the Thunder came back swinging this week, securing a Thunder 136-120 victory, the script flipped. The game had drama, heat, and a sideline moment that sent NBA Twitter into a frenzy. But it wasn’t just the action on court that made headlines, it was what one Lakers star admitted after. A statement by Jarred Vanderbilt revealed important insights about the situation. And no, it wasn’t about the Thunder, but the Lakers’ new star Luka Doncic himself. Completely unexpected?
JJ Redick didn’t sugarcoat it: “They just played really fast… it was very obvious.” The rookie coach was focused on tempo, but one of his stars had something else on his mind. Amid the chaos, a rare moment of honesty slipped through. A comparison that involved Luka. And in the same breath, an admission touched on Anthony Davis’ role. It wasn’t criticism. It wasn’t praise. But rather, quiet truth, finally said out loud. Lakers Nation took to YouTube and posted a video highlighting the team’s postgame reflections. But what truly caught fans off guard was the candid admission from Jarred Vanderbilt.
When asked about the difference between this year’s playoff push and his last deep run, Vanderbilt kept it simple yet powerful: “I mean, we had the Luka Doncic this time. That’s a big difference for sure.” The tone may have been casual, but the message was anything but it. In just one sentence, Vanderbilt handed Doncic the credit for energizing the squad.
An acknowledgment that speaks volumes about the impact the Slovenian star has had since arriving. After all, Luka Doncic is not just a player; he’s the kind of superstar whose mere presence on the court demands respect and elevates an entire team, making him the undeniable catalyst for this Lakers’ playoff run.
The acknowledgment wasn’t just a throwaway comment. It carried serious weight. Vanderbilt, no stranger to mid-season shakeups, dropped a truth bomb about how Luka Doncic completely changed the team’s vibe. “Having a guy like Luka come in, Doe, all those guys coming in and kind of just changing our energy. And we feeding off of that” the Lakers forward said. And that change? It wasn’t just a spark. It was the full-blown fire the Lakers needed. Luka’s been putting up 28.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 7.7 assists a night, and with that kind of production, it’s no wonder the Lakers found their groove.
However, even with Luka balling out, Vanderbilt wasn’t about to overlook what the team lost without Anthony Davis. “Not one man could replicate what AD did,” he pointed out. A reminder of just how big AD’s presence really was. The guy was averaging 24.7 points, 11.6 rebounds per game. Not to mention his crazy defensive rating of 108.0 over 51 games. That’s not just a missing piece, that’s your defensive backbone and interior enforcer gone. So, the Lakers had to go back to basics. Hustle. Help. Heart. From rotations to rebounding, it became an all-hands-on-deck situation. No highlight reels. Just hard-nosed basketball.
Now, with the regular season in the rear, the Lakers are stuck between two storylines as they await their playoff fate. Anthony Davis’ uncertain return and Luka’s growing impact. The path ahead? Foggy at best. But if there’s one thing Jarred Vanderbilt made clear, it’s this: when stars go down, it’s the squad that has to rise. “Collectively as a unit,” he said, and that might be the only way forward. No solo heroics, no magic fixes. Just grit, chemistry, and a locker room ready to grind. Because in the playoffs, it’s not always the flashiest team that survives. It’s the one that holds together when things start falling apart!
Lakers bank on brotherhood over brilliance
No AD? No problem! At least, that’s the energy the Lakers are trying to manifest. With their defensive anchor sidelined, the squad’s been forced to switch gears fast. So instead of leaning on brilliance, LA’s going all out on brotherhood. Everyone’s locking in! Diving for boards, hustling in rotations, and scrambling like their playoff lives depend on it (because, well, they kinda do). “Everybody getting in there to rebound, everybody being in shifts, everybody rotating and everybody, you know, just being engaged,” Vando added. It’s not glamorous, but this collective grind has given the Lakers just enough juice to stay alive in the chaotic Western race.
And hey, it’s not just empty hustle! It’s showing up in the stats too. Since the All-Star break, the Lakers have tightened up defensively—allowing just 108.7 points per game, and climbing into the top 10 in defensive rating, despite missing Davis’ 2.2 blocks and 11.6 rebounds per game.
That’s no fluke. Guys like Vanderbilt and Austin Reaves have stepped up big time. Reaves, who averaged 15.1 points and 5.3 assists since the break, is also finding his voice, with Vando noting, “He’s embraced it… been encouraging him to be more vocal.” So while other teams may rely on one superstar to carry them, the Lakers are rolling with a different formula. Grit, heart, and that edge. And honestly? It might be exactly what gets them through the storm.
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