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Browsing: chemistry
Killer Kross, formerly known as Karrion Kross in WWE, and his partner Scarlett Bordeaux have been together for several years now.
Kross and Bordeaux have maintained a close personal relationship for several years now. Although they have regularly paired up on-screen, they have kept much of their off-screen life private. Recently, speaking to Square Family Wrestling, Kross opened up about when he first met Scarlett Bordeaux.
“Something happened when she and I looked at each other, there was just instant chemistry and it wasnâ€t necessarily an attraction. I felt like I had met her in a previous life and she said the same thing to me. She actually said it first, I was thinking it, and I said, ‘Well now that Iâ€ve said it sheâ€s gonna think Iâ€m just copying her,†but something just really crazy happened and I didnâ€t want to ignore it.â€
While itâ€s unclear exactly when the two first met, Kross and Bordeaux got engaged in September 2021 and later tied the knot in April 2022.
The couple returned to the indies following their departure from WWE a few months ago.
Killer Kross discusses WWE return
A few months ago during an interview with Ariel Helwani following his WWE departure, Kross opened up about his chances of a WWE return.
“Iâ€m not trying to turn this into a game. Itâ€s not a game for me, itâ€s my life. Iâ€m very big on loyalty, but loyalty is a two-way street. Iâ€m very interested in trying to recover what I think is easily recoverable, but it takes two people to come together and talk about it. Iâ€m still here.â€
Since his WWE exit, Kross has actively performed across multiple independent promotions.
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Evidence in favour of the pairing was produced on the first shift of the game against Dallas on Tuesday when Stutzle and Batherson rushed into the Stars zone, leading to a Batherson goal.
The two were first paired up against the New York Islanders on Oct. 20. Since then, they have played together almost exclusively. The duo has combined for 30 points in the team’s last 12 games.
Itâ€s much-needed offensive production for a Senators team without Brady Tkachuk.
Before this season, the two had played together for 31 per cent of Stutzleâ€s five-on-five ice time over the last three years. This season, itâ€s 53 per cent, which includes the first five games where they mostly played on different lines.
Many players and coaches will tell you playing with Stutzle isnâ€t easy because of his dynamic play and skating ability. Batherson can keep up with Stutzle and has the talent to mesh with the German.
“Obviously he’s a special player, and plays different from other players,†Batherson said. “So, it just takes time, the more time you spend with (him) the easier it gets. The longer we go, the better off we’re going to be, too.â€
The Senators have outscored opponents 9-2 at five-on-five with the duo on the ice while outchancing opponents 57-45.
“Most of my goals have just been in around the net area, so just trying to win battles in front, get the rims back from the point, little things like that. To just create space for Timmy,†Batherson said.
Stutzle loves playing with Batherson.
“I think he’s a hell of a player. I told you guys that many times. I think he’s one of the most underrated players, one of the best playmakers in the game, in my opinion.â€
Batherson has 17 points in 14 games. At age 27, heâ€s just entering his prime. Both players are improving and when Tkachuk returns, how about a top line of Tkachuk-Stutzle-Batherson? In three seasons from 2022-25, the trio outchanced opponents 302-258 at five-on-five with a respectable 53-per-cent expected goal rate.
We will see. Regardless, the line could become this era’s version of the Pizza line that carried the Senators in the 2000s with Dany Heatley, Jason Spezza and Daniel Alfredsson.
There is a reason coach Travis Green has maintained his third line of Michael Amadio, Shane Pinto and Claude Giroux while switching up his first two lines all season. The trio has the seventh-best expected goals percentage of any line in the NHL this season at 65 per cent. Itâ€s no coincidence that the Senators have a point in 10 of the 11 games since facing Edmonton on Oct. 21, the game the line was put together.
“That line is probably the only line that I haven’t touched for a little while. You guys know me that when that happens, some good things are happening,†said Green.
The third line is routinely tasked with shutting down the opponents†star players such as Mikko Rantanen, David Pastrnak and Alex Ovechkin. Theyâ€ve outscored opponents 9-3 at five-on-five, which is outstanding considering their matchups.
The line is not just analytically dominant. Amadio recently had four goals in four games, Pinto is on a four-game assist streak, and Giroux brings an added playmaking element that makes the line effective defensively and offensively. Giroux is on pace for more points than he had last year at age 37. The unit has combined for 22 points in 11 games — including Amadio and Giroux setting up Nick Jensenâ€s goal on Tuesday against Dallas.
When Tkachuk returns, we know what line will stay together.Â
The Senators only have three NHL-calibre left-shot defencemen. Now, their depth on the left side likely will be tested. Thomas Chabot left the game after the first period against Dallas with an upper-body injury. Green had no update post-game, but said the injury was caused by Chabot reaching out for a puck in the first period.
With the injury, the Senators likely will have to pair two right-shot defencemen together, which is unusual.
With Donovan Sebrango waived and claimed by Florida, Ottawaâ€s next best left-shot defenceman in its system, at least for now, is Jorian Donovan, who is at AHL Belleville. No slight to Donovan, whoâ€s played well in Belleville, but heâ€s not ready for the NHL with only 78 career AHL games under his belt. Maybe the Senators given 2024 first-round pick Carter Yakemchuk a look? But with six NHLers available to Green not including Chabot, who would Yakemchuk replace in the lineup and is that better for his development than continuing to marinate in the AHL?
We are sure GM Steve Staios will try to address the need for another left-shot defenceman at some point before the deadline, but will it be soon if Chabot is out for a significant period of time? If Chabot is out only briefly, the Senators should be fine, but an injury to Tyler Kleven or Jake Sanderson would really test their depth.
Sens doing just fine without Tkachuk
Tkachuk was seen without a cast on his injured thumb on Tuesday. Could that mean his return is sooner than we think?
Meanwhile, the Senators have points in 10 of their last 11 games without Tkachuk. According to Sportsnet Stats, the last time the Senators had points in 10 of 11 was off the blocks in the 2017-18 season (Oct. 5-27, 2017) when they went 5-1-5. Ottawaâ€s season has been more ugly than pretty so far, grinding out results without its captain. Racking up points early could define the season for the Sens.
In the 15 days in October we spent with the American League champion Toronto Blue Jays, you learn a lot about the team. Here is a sampling:
The game glove that infielder Ernie Clement uses was purchased a few months ago on eBay. “Mine was getting worn, so this one looked good on eBay, so bought it,” he said. “I have to wear a glove underneath my glove because this glove is so old, it has no padding in it.” Even with a glove purchased on eBay, Clement is a terrific defender. He is an AL Gold Glove finalist at third base and as a utility player. He personifies the flexibility of the Blue Jays, an elite defensive team that moves several players around the infield, and has others who play infield or outfield equally well. Clement can really throw on the run, and his transfer on the double play from second base is lightning fast. He has 18 hits and only two strikeouts in 42 at-bats in this postseason in which he has shined as a damn good player. His aggressive hitting approach comes from Coach Pitch when he was 6 years old. “We got three pitches per at-bat,” he said. “My dad would say, ‘You’d better swing.”’ Clement also happens to look exactly like a young Aaron Boone. “I’ve heard that,” Clement said, smiling. Boone said, laughing, “So have I. I’ll have to meet him someday and tell him that this [his face] is what he has to look forward to someday.”
Reliever Louis Varland will pitch whenever you give him the ball. His preference would be to pitch every day. He pitched in 10 of the 11 postseason games for the Blue Jays. He started as an opener against the Yankees in Game 4 of the AL Division Series one day after pitching in relief. “He would have pitched nine innings if I would’ve let him,” manager John Schneider said. That competitive nature comes from his time as a high school wrestler in Minnesota. Varland wrestled as a freshman at 106 pounds and 160 pounds as a senior. His junior and senior year in baseball, he played at 185 pouonds — he would lose 25 pounds to make weight for wrestling, then gain it back for baseball. “I would lose 20 pounds in a week,” he said. “I did it the unhealthy way. We’ll just leave it at that.”
Infielder Andres Gimenez is “the best defensive player I’ve ever seen at any position,” said Guardians manager Stephen Vogt, who coached Gimenez in Cleveland in 2024. “He is incredible.” Clement, a brilliant defender himself, said Gimenez “is the best I’ve ever seen. He makes plays no one else can make.” Gimenez is the best defensive second baseman in baseball, but after the injury in early September to Bo Bichette, Gimenez moved to shortstop where he has been tremendous. During infield practice, Gimenez takes ground balls from his knees, and uses a miniature glove, each of which trains him to focus his eyes on the ball. He has great feet in part because he played soccer growing up in Venezuela, a la Omar Vizquel. Gimenez loves soccer. “It is my hobby, I watch it all the time,” he said. Gimenez hit cleanup on Opening Day 2025 — and made 18 other starts there — for the Blue Jays. He also started 34 games out of the No. 9 spot in the order during the regular season as well as all 11 games the Blue Jays have played in October. He is one of seven players in major league history to start at least 15 games out of the cleanup spot and 15 out of the No. 9 spot in a season. And during his postseason, he became one of seven players in history to hit home runs in back-to-back games out of the No. 9 spot in a postseason game.
Pitcher Max Scherzer remains an extreme competitor at age 41. “He found out that I played basketball,” said Jays pitcher Chris Bassitt, who was a great high school basketball player. “So Max told me, ‘We’re playing one-on-one. And we’re playing full court.”’ Bassitt laughed and said, “Max, I’m not playing full court one-on-one with you.” Scherzer started the critical Game 4 of the ALCS against the Mariners, becoming the first pitcher to start a postseason game for six different franchises. He hadn’t pitched since Sept. 24. No one had any idea what he was going to give them, so, of course, he gave a sturdy 5â…” innings. Schneider went to the mound to check on Scherzer in the fifth inning. “I’m f—ing good!” Scherzer barked at Schneider. “Let’s f—ing go!” Schneider said with a smile, “I was scared,” then added, “you should have seen the conversation we had between [the fourth and fifth innings]. I asked him if he was OK. He said, ‘What, are you f—ing kidding? Get the f— out of here!” The next day, Schneider’s comments were relayed to Scherzer. He smiled, half-embarrassed, half-proud, and said, “I just can’t help it.”
Addison Barger swings the bat as hard as any player in the game, and his plan is to do so on every pitch. He takes relentless batting practice every day. His nickname is “Bam Bam,” but it comes from the name of his mother’s dog, not how hard he hits a baseball. He plays third base and right field — more Toronto defensive flexibility. “He has the best throwing arm of any third baseman I’ve ever seen,” Clement said. In an 8-2 victory in Game 4 in Seattle, Barger’s tremendous throw from right field cut down Josh Naylor at third base for a crucial third out in the sixth inning. “He threw 98-99 [mph] in high school,” Schneider said. When I asked Barger if he could throw 98-99 mph today if he were asked to close on the mound, he laughed and said, “I’d throw 100.”
Catcher Alejandro Kirk, at 5-foot-8, 240 pounds, looks less like an athlete than anyone on the field, the catching equivalent of Bartolo Colon. But “he has tremendous bat-to-ball skills,” Schneider said. “And the first time I saw him catch, I saw that he had elite hands. And he never gets too excited. And he never gets pissed off.” Kirk blocks balls in the dirt as well as any catcher in the game, and is exceptionally adept at catching pitches down. Kirk hit two home runs on the final day of the season when the Blue Jays clinched the AL East title, then became the first player in major league history to follow two homers in the season finale with two home runs in the first playoff game. Kirk is immensely popular in Toronto. “Everyone just loves him here,” Clement said. “When he stole his first base of the season, I was at the plate. I had to step out of the box because the cheering was so loud from the fans.”
Ace Kevin Gausman has one of the best split-fingered fastballs of any pitcher in the game, but the grip on that pitch can occasionally cause a blister so Gausman usually doesn’t throw his split during his bullpen sessions between starts. “That’s rare,” Bassitt said. “But he is so comfortable with the grip, he doesn’t need to practice it.” Gausman pitched in relief in the clinching Game 7 against the Mariners. “I can get loose in a hurry,” he said before the game. “I grew up in Colorado. It was cold. To get warm, and to get loose quickly, I would put hot stuff all over my body. It really worked, but when you I started to sweat, whoa.”
First baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., one of the best hitters in the game, went to a new level in the postseason, going 19-for-43 with six homers, 13 RBIs and only three strikeouts. “He has power, and he’s a pest at the plate,” Blue Jays outfielder Myles Straw said. “Not many hitters are both. He’s one of the best hitters I’ve ever played with. Bottom of the ninth, need a hit, I take Vladdy every time.” Guerrero was a wrecking ball against the Yankees in the division series, and equally destructive against the Mariners in the ALCS. “He has a long swing, but he can cover anything,” Gausman said. “Not many hitters can do that.” Clement was asked to explain how anyone can hit with such power, and also put the ball in play as often as Guerrero. “There is no explaining him,” Clement said. “He is on a different level.” Guerrero is also a very good defensive first baseman, he has already won a Gold Glove, and is a Gold Glove finalist this season. He also runs so much better than people think, which he showed when he scored from second on a single in the ALCS. There is a perception that Guerrero is a heavy-set, unathletic first baseman. “Nothing could be further from the truth,” Clement said. Guerrero, the son of Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero Sr., is an instinctive player “with a really high baseball IQ,” Schneider said. “He had that when he was 18 years old.” Indeed. In Game 6 against Seattle, he got a great read on a ball in the dirt, advanced to third, then scored on a throw in the dirt by Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh. On the key throw by Barger in Game 4 of the ALCS, the throw could have gone home or to third. Guerrero was aggressively signaling Barger to throw it to third. Guerrero gets those instincts, that feel for the game, from his father: They are the other father-son combination to each have a four-hit game in the postseason.
Pitcher Trey Yesavage, age 22, made three major league starts, then started Game 2 against the Yankees, becoming the seventh pitcher in history to start a postseason game having thrown 14 innings or less in his regular-season career. Of course, against the Yankees, he pitched 5â…“ innings, gave up no hits, walked one and struck out 11 — he is the first pitcher to strike out 10 in the first four innings of his first postseason start. He showed incredible poise, and has a presence on the mound like that of Gaylord Perry. Schneider never saw Yesavage in spring training. He was so far from playing in the major leagues, he was always throwing on a back field. “As he was moving up, I saw him on film and video,” Schneider said. “But when he got here, he looked different.” Film and video can tell you only so much about a player. Yesavage’s slider is thrown from directly over the top and that steep angle makes it very hard to pick up, a la Juan Guzman. “I have never seen a slider like that,” Kirk said. Backup catcher Tyler Heineman said, “Neither have I.” Yesavage also dominated the Yankees with his split, which also baffled the Mariners in Game 6. There is a rule in baseball that you don’t speak to that day’s starting pitcher on the day of the game. Yet there was Yesavage, before Game 6 against Seattle, talking to ESPN’s Karl Ravech about football. Yesavage went out and threw well for 5â…” innings in an elimination game.
Utility man Davis Schneider is an above-average defensive second baseman and an above-average defensive corner outfielder. He doesn’t look like a baseball player with his mustache and thick glasses. But he is the personification of a baseball player. He hits every day with Barger, his buddy, and he swings almost as hard as Barger does. “He was almost released three times in the minor leagues,” Schneider said. “But he kept on fighting. He just figured it out.” He’s not the only Blue Jay player who figured it out.
Schneider is superstitious. Before Game 6, he walked to the ballpark. “I either drive or walk,” he said. “I walked yesterday. We won. So I walked again today.” When asked if he ran into any fans on the street, he said, “Yeah, a few. They all said, ‘Good luck.”’ Then Schneider smiled and said, “Last year, when we weren’t very good, I drove to the ballpark all the time.” Buck Martinez, a former major league catcher and former Blue Jays manager who has broadcast Blue Jays games for 15 years, said that Schneider reminds him “of Bobby Cox in 1985,” the year that the Blue Jays started to win.
Straw, like Clement, is considered a “glue guy.” Straw appreciated the compliment, but said, “We have 10 of those guys on this team.” Schneider said, “This is the tightest group I’ve ever been around.”
Designated hitter George Springer’s three-run homer in the seventh inning of Game 7 of the ALCS, was one of the three biggest home runs in club history. Springer struggled terribly last year at the plate but worked with former Astros teammate Michael Brantley, a dear friend and a great hitting instructor, in the offseason. Springer, who hit sixth on Opening Day, raised his OPS .285 points in 2025, by far the biggest increase in the major leagues. He became an elite player again, he returned to the leadoff spot and probably will finish in the top five in AL MVP voting this year. “He is 36 years old, but he acts and plays like he is 20,” Schneider said. When told that the Blue Jays’ defense was exceptional this season, Springer laughed and said, “Well, that’s because they got the old guy off the field and let the young bucks roam around the outfield.”
The Blue Jays win because of an elite defense, good starting pitching and an offense that led the major leagues in batting with a .265 average. They changed their offense approach this season: use your “A” swing every time, or don’t swing. “Sell out,” Schneider said. “Or don’t swing.” In the postseason, the Blue Jays hit .296; the rest of the playoff teams hit a combined .218. They put the ball in play better than any team in the major leagues. “The major league batting average on balls in play is .300, that’s all you need to know,” Bassitt said. “In the game today, striking out is OK. Not here. For us, it’s not OK to strike out.” In the postseason, the Blue Jays struck out 65 times compared to 108 by their opponent. They struck out every 6.1 at-bats. All other teams in the postseason averaged a strikeout every 3.4 at-bats. The Blue Jays scored 71 runs and struck out 65 times. The last team to score more runs than they had strikeouts in 11 postseason games was the 2007 Red Sox, who won the World Series. And that’s why the Blue Jays have a fighting chance against the mighty Dodgers.
The Los Angeles Lakers dropped Tuesday’s opener 119-109 against the Golden State Warriors. While the game never quite felt as close as the final score might indicate, it’s worth remembering that one of L.A.’s best players was on the sideline.
For the first time in his NBA career, LeBron James was unavailable for his team’s opener. He’s out with Sciatica, and it’s unclear when, exactly, he’ll return.
“He has his own timeline,” coach JJ Redick said, per Devon Henderson of The Athletic.
On Wednesday, however, ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania told The Pat McAfee Show that James isn’t expected to make his debut until “mid-November-ish.”
According to Charania, James’ injury first occurred in late July or early August, which would obviously mean that the 40-year-old didn’t go through his typical preseason routine. When he is healthy enough to return, he might not be ready to jump into his regular high-volume workload.
What this means is that the Lakers may have to navigate roughly a month of the 2025-26 season without James as a centerpiece player. While it’ll certainly be more important for L.A. to have James healthy late in the season and for the playoffs, this still presents a big potential problem.
The Lakers team we saw on Tuesday looked like one that could legitimately struggle to keep pace in the West while James is out. Luka DonÄić was offensively fantastic, and Austin Reaves complemented him well. However, the Lakers’ overall chemistry was off.
According to forward Rui Hachimura, this roster simply hasn’t gotten the reps together that it needs to contend with a team like Golden State.
“We’re still trying to get our rhythm. We had a lot of practices, but also in the game…especially against the Golden State, they’ve been playing together for probably four or five years. I think that was the difference,” Hachimura said, per Edwin Garcia of Silver Screen and Roll.
That lack of chemistry was most apparent during the third quarter, when the Warriors went on a 17-4 run. Third-quarter struggles are nothing new for the Lakers, of course.
“The trend I see is that we continue to be a terrible third quarter team,” Redick said, per Garcia. “That was last year, that was the preseason. Got to rethink some things.”
A lack of familiarity isn’t solely responsible for L.A.’s post-halftime struggles, but a stronger rapport could certainly help in that department.
It would help throughout the game for Redick to find ways to get new center Deandre Ayton involved more effectively. He was on the court for 34 minutes against Golden State and often appeared to be more of a liability than an asset.
Ayton was a respectable 5-of-7 shooting but logged just a single block and four defensive rebounds on the other team. His lack of chemistry with the rest of the squad also led to some missed offensive opportunities, according to Reaves.
I had five turnovers tonight,” Reaves said, per Corey Hansford of LakersNation.com. “…a couple of them were just miscommunications on where I needed to throw a pass to DA. It wasn’t the wrong read. It was the wrong pass at the right time, basically.”
The good news is that the Lakers should start playing better together as a unit as the season goes on. It’s critically important, though, that they improve their chemistry quickly, or else they’ll risk putting themselves in a massive hole before James’ return.
The Minnesota Timberwolves, who reached the Western Conference Finals last season, are on deck for Friday.
Since James joined the Lakers in 2018, L.A. has gone 56-79 without him. Obviously, the presence of DonÄić gives the Lakers a more potent LeBron-less roster than it has had in previous years. However, there’s no denying that Los Angeles must play more like a cohesive unit if it’s going to win consistently without James.
And the Lakers must do just that. One thing they can’t afford to do this year is spend much of the season chasing an early deficit, as they too often have in recent years.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are well on their way to a second, consecutive World Series title after a sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Championship Series and will almost certainly open as favorites to win the Commissioner’s Trophy, regardless of whether they play Seattle or Toronto.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported the team will not be silent this offseason, with the Dodgers expected to target Kyle Tucker.
The third baseman missed time due to injury but still hit .266 and accumulated 133 hits, 22 home runs, and 73 RBI, so it is easy to see why the franchise would be interested in adding him to their lineup.
The team possesses an option on Max Muncy’s contract, and should they choose not to pick it up, they would need a new third baseman, making the potential for Tucker’s arrival in the City of Angels even greater.
There is something to be said about chemistry, though, and its role in the Dodgers’ second World Series trip.
The roster in 2025 is nearly identical to that of the 2024 championship squad. The extent to which manager Dave Roberts knows his players and how to utilize them to get the desired outcome.
The players know each other’s tendencies and skill sets. Potentially replacing Muncy to bring in Tucker, while it would be an upgrade offensively on paper, may disrupt the chemistry the team has at this point and threaten to derail the closest thing to a dynasty MLB has had since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees.
For that reason, while it is mighty appealing to add another superstar player to a lineup full of them, it is best not to toy with a good thing.
Especially if the 2025 squad is able to become the first repeat champions since those same Yankees.
IYO SKY has explained her chemistry with Rhea Ripley.
The former WWE Women’s World Champion recently had an interview with Chris Van Vliet. She talked about things such as what was special about her WrestleMania 41 victory, the WarGames trash can moonsault spot and more.
The Japanese star has formed a popular partnership with Rhea Ripley in recent times and the two even teamed to defeat The Kabuki Warriors at Crown Jewel last week. When asked why she thinks she has great chemistry with The Mami, IYO SKY explained that their different styles make them great partners:
“I think so, because she has muscle. Iâ€m running fast. Iâ€m so small, but I can flip and sheâ€s not a flipping person, like so much the opposite. So thatâ€s why I think we have great chemistry.â€
They Shape Who We Are: IYO SKY
The High-Flying star also explained her love for wrestling during the interview. She discussed the difference between other combat sports and wrestling, mentioning how losses are just as important in the business as the wins:
“Wrestling is my life. It is hard to explain. So in combat sport, wins and losses are all that matter.
However, itâ€s only pro wrestling where losses have a value because they shape who we are and give us a chance to turn into something special. Additionally, in pro wrestling, it is important for a character to have weaknesses.â€
SKY was on Ripley’s side when the former NXT UK champion picked up a victory over Kairi Sane on this week’s Raw. Asuka unleashed a post-match attack on the two afterward, however. The Kabuki Warriors stood tall at the end of the segment, signalling that this rivalry is not over just yet.
The quotes in this article have been edited for clarity
IYO SKY believes her WWE pairing with Rhea Ripley works so well because of how different they are from each other.
Currently, SKY & Ripley are aligned as teammates. The two have been rivals in the past as well — and SKY feels they have great chemistry in either role. She admires how cool Ripley is as a performer and just as a person.
“I think Rhea Ripley and me is — we have chemistry, I think,” SKY said on a new episode of Insight with Chris Van Vliet. “We are totally different person. Because she’s tall, she’s muscle, and she’s so cool.
“I’m not as cool as Rhea Ripley, for sure. She’s super cool. Even when I just having casual conversation to look at her, she’s so cool. Like, oh my God. Sometimes I feel, ‘Oh yeah, Rhea is so cool. Yeah.’ I feel like as a fan.”
SKY feels their in-ring styles also complement each other well with Ripley being stronger and SKY being a better high-flyer.
“Because she’s so nice and muscle. I’m running fast. I’m so small. But I can flip and she’s not so flipping person. Like so much opposite,” SKY said. “So that’s why I think we are making great chemistry.â€
SKY & Ripley teamed together for a tag team victory over Asuka & Kairi Sane at Crown Jewel: Perth last weekend. Ripley then got a singles win over Sane on Raw this Monday, but there was a post-match angle where Asuka and Sane stood tall after laying SKY and Ripley out.
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The question caused Lakers coach JJ Redick to say he was “not being combative” with his answer.
Asked if the Lakers are missing opportunities to practice more and build on-court chemistry because of their busy six-game preseason slate, Redick was quick to wonder why reporters were so concerned about the situation.
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“You guys are really harping on this,†Redick responded.
So, Redick was asked, is it a thing or is it not a thing?
“And Iâ€m not being combative right now,†Redick said. “I just want to acknowledge that you guys, like the last four days, like itâ€s becoming a little bit obsessive with all these questions about opportunities lost. So, I will answer it again. These are the cards that we were dealt. I sure would like everybody to be healthy.â€
Making the most out of the situation, the Lakers held off the Golden State Warriors 126-116 Sunday night at Crypto.com Arena despite not playing with LeBron James (sciatica), Luka Doncic and Marcus Smart (achilles tendinopathy).
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The Lakers have three more preseason games, Tuesday at Phoenix, Wednesday at Las Vegas against the Dallas Mavericks and Friday against the visiting Sacramento Kings — four games over a six-day span.
Redick was reminded that the Lakers as an organization have chosen to play six preseason games — the maximum allowed by the NBA.
“Itâ€s something to be discussed I think going forward,†Redick said. “I think itâ€s awesome. I really do because we got to play in Palm Springs and I think itâ€s awesome that we get to play in Vegas and I recognize that thereâ€s Lakers fans all over the world that maybe donâ€t get the chance to see us play.
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“You hope that we can find some sort of balance in the future to get more practice time, less travel time. Iâ€m sure at some point weâ€ll be one of the teams going overseas, so then that adds another scenario.”
Lakers coach JJ Redick talks to guard Austin Reaves during the first half against Golden State on Sunday night. (Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)
Redick did say for training camp purposes, practice tends to be more helpful in team building than preseason games.
“I think more practices would be beneficial,” Redick said. “I do think the exposure to a game situation and playing against an opponent is very beneficial. You donâ€t have a lot of days anymore and to try to cram six games in there [and] four games in six nights, itâ€s significantly difficult.â€
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In game three of the preseason for the Lakers, Austin Reaves (21 points), Dalton Knecht (16), Rui Hachimura (16) and Deandre Ayton (14 points, eight rebounds, five assists) were on top of their games.
Note: Redick said the plan is for Smart to “get two games [in] this week.â€
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Now that heâ€s officially back in the fold, Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga is ready to build off his promising end to the 2024-25 NBA season.
Specifically, the 22-year-old hopes to refine the chemistry he cultivated with veteran star Jimmy Butler. Speaking to reporters during his media session on Thursday, Kuminga acknowledged the crucial experience he gained playing with Butler in Golden Stateâ€s Western Conference semifinal loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves last season.
“I think itâ€s very important that weâ€re here now, early, trying to figure each other out,†Kuminga said. “And I feel like we actually did [figure each other out] going through that series.â€
When Stephen Curry suffered an injury in Game 1 that ultimately ended his season, the Warriors called on Kuminga to help plug the gaping hole left in their offense. The Timberwolves prevailed in five games, but Kuminga led Golden State in series scoring and shot over 54 percent from the field, while Butler led the team in assists.
That duo figures to play a huge role in the Warriors†upcoming 2025-26 season, and Kuminga wants to do his part in helping his connection with Butler flourish even more.
“Itâ€s very easy and simple to play with Jimmy,†Kuminga said. “And we actually get to sit down more now. I get to go ask him certain questions. How does he like to play? What does he like? I feel like us having a lot of time together, me being healthy, him being healthy, him being here from day one training camp-wise…itâ€s going to help us figuring out certain things about each other going forward.â€