“I Play Chess on the Floor”: LeBron James Gets Candid About Turning Austin Reaves into a Game Winner

LeBron James and JJ Redick released a new ‘Mind The Game’ podcast episode where the two NBA legends engaged in some more insightful conversations on basketball. LBJ currently has a great supporting cast in his Lakers team, including young stars such as Austin Reaves and D’Angelo Russell. James seems to have found the perfect fit to play alongside his teammates, which he discussed on the podcast.

The 4x NBA champion had always regarded Reaves as highly capable of being a top player and described how he contributed to Reaves’ growth in the team. He talked about the Lakers’ 2023 playoffs series against the Memphis Grizzlies, where his faith in Reaves helped the young player unleash his full potential to win those games.

Bron has always taken pride in being able to dictate the pace and plays for his teams. He compared this to playing ‘chess’ on the floor, with deliberate strategies that help the Lakers win crucial matchups.

Speaking to Redick, James said,

“I have never played chess but in my mind, in theory, I play chess on the floor, and I feel like if I could get AR and steal AR and that confidence in that fourth quarter to make plays and win that game, it was just going to pay dividends for the rest of my time with him and the rest of his time when I am not with him.” 

LeBron James later reiterated that he loved seeing his teammates just as successful as him ‘more than anything’. With this mentality on the floor, he can trust Reaves and Russell to lead the team to victories. That’s exactly how the combination of D’Lo, AR, and Anthony Davis won the game against the Milwaukee Bucks in James’ absence, with a scoreline of 124-128 in overtime.

Austin Reaves recalled gaining the trust of LeBron James

The 2023 First Round series against the Memphis Grizzlies was crucial for both LeBron James and Austin Reaves to build their trust in each other. The Lakers had won the series 4-2, with Reaves averaging 16.5 points per game.

In a later appearance on the ‘Rolling Wins’ podcast, AR revealed how LeBron James passed him the ball during a fast-break opportunity, which made him believe he had gained the trust of the veteran superstar. Reaves immediately converted the assist to a successful three-point jumper, contributing to the Lakers’ 128-112 win in Game 1.

Describing that very moment, Reaves recalled,

“Everything for me, at least, everything went to slow motion at that time. I was like, ‘Oh s**t, I can’t make him look stupid. He’s giving me the ball.’ After that, I kind of sit there after the game just like, trying to fathom what actually just happened.” 

The Lakers currently stand 9th in the Western Conference and are actively pushing for a top-six spot to qualify for the playoffs directly. With just 10 games remaining in the regular season, Reaves might definitely ramp up to his umpteen potential alongside James, D’Lo, and Anthony Davis to further the Lakeshow’s chances for a solid playoff contention.