Following tonight’s slate of NBA play-in games, the first round will officially commence on Saturday with four games, including Raptors vs. Cavaliers, Timberwolves vs. Nuggets, Hawks vs. Knicks, and Rockets vs. Lakers.
In Los Angeles, the Lakers have been preparing all week for the series, and tomorrow will be their first chance to show all their hard work. According to head coach JJ Redick, in a chat with the media after Friday’s practice, the keyword for his group has been “elevate” amid multiple absences and overwhelming odds. That’s what he’s using to mentally prepare his group for the battles to come.
“The word we’ve used all week is elevate. I think that’s what it is,” said Redick, via Daniel Starkand of Lakers Nation. “We all know the playoffs are different; they’re harder, there are no easy matchups, and you have to be able to elevate your play. Beyond that, it’s elevating your recory, your attention to detail, your preparation. I talked about that with my coaches as we started this week on Monday morning. It was an off day for the guys, but we were in there for six hours. We’ve all collectively got to elevate. Particularly, when you’re missing two of your top guys. And part of elevating is elevating each other, and the belief that the group as a whole can be great.”
To beat a Rockets (52-30) team at full strength while being shorthanded themselves, the Lakers (53-29) will require a focused, cohesive effort from everyone. Only together, and completely united, do they have any chance of extending the series. Without veteran guards Luka Doncic or Austin Reaves, traditional rotations and boundaries are broken, and it’s up to the role-players to step up and fill the gaps for as long as they can.
While Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt hasn’t always been satisfied with his role this season, he knows the importance of buying into the system. With a championship on the line, he’s approaching this series with a level of determination and poise that suggests his team has not yet given up on their title hopes. Among other factors, the defensive effort on Kevin Durant will influence the series, and Jarred says everyone must commit to the challenge.
“It takes everybody; it won’t be one guy’s assignment,” said Vanderbilt. “He’s a hell of a talent; we’ve seen what he can do in playoff settings. As I said, it will be a group assignment. Every time he’s on the floor, everybody’s got their head on a swivel, and he’s the most dangerous person on the team. It will be all hands on deck, everybody.”
Specifically, Vanderbilt (who averaged 4.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.3 blocks per game on on 47.1% shooting and 29.3% shooting from three in 2025-26) mentioned that the Lakers have focused on rebounding, which aligns with something LeBron James said earlier in the week. It’s a smart way of thinking, especially since the Rockets have been dominant on the glass all season (48.1 boards per game), thanks to guys like Alperen Sengun, Kevin Durant, and Steven Adams.
“It’s something that we’ve been harping on all week,” added Vanderbilt. “That’s gonna be a big part of the game, especially offensive rebounds, because sometimes those are momentum swingers. We’re trying to limit them on the glass and just making sure everybody out there is boxing out and putting a body on somebody. We’ve harped on it all week, and during the game, we see it happening. Guys have to take accountability, take constructive criticism, and move on. That’s a big point of emphasis right now.”
In their current state, the Lakers know they are major underdogs, but a matchup against the Rockets is probably the best they could have hoped for. They’ve been up-and-down all season, and don’t present nearly the same threat as the Thunder or Spurs in the West. Still, the Purple and Gold cannot afford to underestimate any opponent right now, not even one they went 2-1 against this year.
Fortunately, they are not going into this series blind. Between the Lakers’ final regular-season game on Sunday (April 12th) and this Saturday’s opening playoff game, they’ve been hard at work building chemistry and finding new sources of scoring in the wake of their recent losses. It will be much easier said than done, but it’s attainable if every player steps up and elevates their game, including Vanderbilt himself.
