JJ Redick saw a ray of hope in LeBron James' performance despite him not scoring in the first half of the Los Angeles Lakers' loss to the Detroit Pistons on Monday night.
James is playing the 23rd season of his famous NBA career, his eighth with the Lakers. Even at the age of 41, he remains one of the best veteran stars in the league.
However, he is also prone to cooldown strains during play. It was the same against Detroit as he posted six assists and four rebounds while going scoreless in the first half.
Redick reflected on James' first half performance after the game. He described the outing as a selfless outing, trying to make the right play rather than forcing shots.
Redick said, "I thought he played a really unselfish game... I thought he not only tried to score, but did a good job making the right plays as usual and he got 10 assists."
"I thought he played a really unselfish game ... I thought he not only tried to score, but did a good job of making the right play as usual and he got 10 assists."
Lakers head coach JJ Redick on LeBron James' 0-point lead in the first half.
(via @nba)pic.twitter.com/pcOa7SsB5o https://t.co/kst5aliqve
- ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 24 March 2026
LeBron James, how the Lakers played against the Pistons
It was a quiet scoring night for LeBron James despite his stellar efforts. The Lakers still competed with the Pistons, even though they lost a close game 113–110.
Five players, including James, scored in double figures for Los Angeles in the loss. He finished the night with 12 points, 10 assists, nine rebounds and one block. Luka Doncic led the team with 32 points and seven rebounds, Austin Reeves came next with 24 points and five assists, Deandre Ayton had 13 points and 10 rebounds, while Jaxson Hayes provided 11 points and four blocks.
Los Angeles fell to a 46–26 record on the season, maintaining third place in the Western Conference standings. They are above the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves, while trailing the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Lakers will look to bounce back by remaining on the road in their next match. They will take on the Indiana Pacers as the tip-off takes place on March 25 at 7 PM ET.
