USA Today via Reuters

After a tiring contest against the Milwaukee Bucks last night, Rui Hachimura led the Los Angeles Lakers to cruise past the Memphis Grizzlies. As LeBron James returned to the starting lineup, Rui capitalized on the elevated roster. The 26-year-old recorded a double-double with 32 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 78% from the floor.

As Anthony Davis rested for the game, Rui effortlessly stepped to the occasion, making the most out of the opportunity. With that, LeBron James jumped on Hachimura’s back in celebration of his solid game. Recalling the moment in the post-game interview, Hachimura, with a warm smile, said, “I thought I was gonna break my back.”

Despite his efficient performance, Rui highlighted the trust amongst the team as the factor in tonight’s win. Moreover, in light of the April 12 re-match against the Grizzlies, Rui radiated focus on the coming game against the Indiana Pacers.

LeBron James and the Lakers will now embark on a 4-game road trip to play Eastern conference teams. After facing the Pacers, they play the Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors, and Washington Wizards. They then return home for 3 highly intense games, hosting the Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Golden State Warriors. For the road stretch, Rui claims that the team must “Stick together.” He further iterates, “We gotta communicate… At this time of the year, playoff time, we just gotta communicate, trust each other, and play for each other.”

Moreover, when touching on taking up Anthony Davis‘ role tonight, Rui cites that he ensured to get more involved in actions. Additionally, he claimed to ultimately gain his rhythm as he touched the ball more.

After AD, LeBron James shows to ability to carry the Lakers

LeBron James rested the first night of the back-to-back games due to an ankle concern. With that, Anthony Davis stepped onto the leadership mantle. As the Milwaukee Bucks’ defense leaned heavily on the center, AD thrived past, posting 34 points and 23 rebounds; all while playing a humungous 52 minutes in the double OT thriller.

Now, as Davis sat out the Memphis game, James notched a 23-point, 14 rebounds, and 12 assists triple-double. Missing his only three-point attempt in the game, James shot 57% from the field. While it may seem like James picked off from where he left off, he started the game rusty. He began the game with multiple bad passes. However, balanced it with dominating the Memphis squad near the paint; all while marking 11 trips to the charity stripes.

The recent 2 games act as the leadership test amongst James and Davis. On the other hand, the wins signify the ignited Lakers squad, comfortably gelling and bringing their best under both the leaders.