The Los Angeles Lakers have struggled on defense. However, they have managed to stay competitive in the playoffs. LeBron James has once again been crucial to this. Therefore, Lakers head coach JJ Redick took the opportunity to praise the veteran.

After the showing he put up on Friday night against the Timberwolves in Minnesota, it is a safe assumption that LeBron James is feeling pretty good these days. James' Lakers did not win Game 3 of their first-round series, falling, 116-104, but James himself was stellar.

The loss was marked by a controversial coaching decision from first-year head coach JJ Redick, who played his starting five—LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, and Dorian Finney-Smith—for the entire second half.