The Lakers got the result they wanted Wednesday night, but the win didn’t come without a few bruises. Los Angeles beat the Milwaukee Bucks 123-112, and while the second half opened things up, the night still ended with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves both dealing with injuries.
Doncic went down with an ankle injury and left in the fourth quarter, though he later said he is fine. Reaves exited in the third quarter with a left heel injury, and JJ Redick made clear it is not an Achilles injury. Reaves is scheduled to undergo imaging on Thursday.
Even with those concerns hanging over the game, the Lakers still picked up their 11th win of the season and stretched their streak to seven straight.
One of the brighter notes came from Walker Kessler, who carved out a place on a historic NBA list. With his eighth rebound against Milwaukee, Kessler reached 2,000 career rebounds, making him the 11th-fastest player in league history to post 2,000+ points, 2,000+ rebounds and 500+ blocks.
Per Lakers: With his eighth rebound tonight at Milwaukee, Walker Kessler reached 2,000 career rebounds, becoming the 11th-fastest player in NBA history to record 2,000+ points, 2,000+ rebounds and 500+ blocks. Kessler is the third-fastest active player to reach all three…
That puts Kessler behind only Victor Wembanyama and Anthony Davis among active players to hit those marks.
Kessler finished with 10 points, 11 rebounds, one block and a plus-19 in the win. He led the Lakers on the glass, even if he wasn’t fully pleased with how he rebounded the ball.
The 25-year-old is averaging 10.8 rebounds this season, good for sixth in the NBA. His top rebounding game of the year came against the Detroit Pistons, when he grabbed 16 boards. Wednesday also marked his fourth straight game with double-digit rebounds.
Still, the Lakers’ bigger rebounding problem remains impossible to ignore. They sit 28th in the NBA in total rebounds at 50.2 per game, even while owning the league’s best record at 11-2 as of Thursday morning. Through 13 games, rebounding has been an issue, and Kessler has been their most dependable answer.
In Other News...
Lakers Rookie Suddenly Looks Like A Real Fit Next To Luka And Reaves
Arthur Kalumas strong summer has earned him a real foothold with the Lakers, enough to turn a promising camp run into a two-way contract and a longer look in the organization. The undrafted rookie forward impressed during NBA Summer League play, then got into preseason action as the team sorted out its back end of the roster and looked for players who could stay ready for bigger opportunities.
For now, Kaluma is expected to do most of his development work with the Coachella Valley Lakers while remaining on call for the NBA club, which is exactly the kind of path a young player has to embrace in a crowded system. He has not played in a regular-season game yet, but the early signs suggest the Lakers see a useful blend of energy and adaptability, the sort of profile that can matter when a team is trying to build around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. [Read more 🡒]
Bronny James Is Facing A Lakers Decision Fans Never Expected
The Lakers strong start has not stopped the conversation around the back end of the roster, where every minute and every mistake is getting magnified. NBA insider Jovan Buha recently raised the question of whether Bronny James should keep his spot, pointing to the guards limited production and the uneven play that has drawn criticism from some of the teams reserves in late-game situations.
Los Angeles has opened 11-2, so the focus has shifted from survival to fit, and that is where the discussion gets uncomfortable. Buha argued the Lakers could use a steadier ball-handler, which is why the idea of bringing in a more established veteran has entered the conversation while James remains under the microscope for what he has, and has not, provided so far. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Hot Start Puts One More Defense-First Move In Focus
The Lakers strong start has only sharpened the focus on how they want to build around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, and defense remains the clearest priority. With the team already leaning into a more balanced identity, any move that adds a versatile stopper naturally gets attention, especially when it could help shore up the kind of perimeter resistance that matters most in the West.
One name now circulating in that conversation is Derrick Jones Jr., a familiar face to Doncic from their run together in the 2024 Finals. The Clippers could be willing to listen if Jones wants a change of scenery, which gives the Lakers a potential opening if they decide the fit is worth pursuing, and it is easy to see why a defender with that kind of athletic profile would appeal to a team trying to keep its early momentum going. [Read more 🡒]