With the regular season coming to an end, the Lakers have upped their game to secure a chance for a post-season run. While most fans are looking for inspiration from LeBron James, his supporting cast is not far behind the icon.
Rui Hachimura stole the show on Wednesday night when the Lakers met the Grizzlies at the FedEx Forum. After a dominant performance, Hachimura took some time to greet the courtside press, where he laid bare exactly what he feels about the City of Memphis.
Rui Hachimura reveals reason for his impressive record against Grizzlies
Rui Hachimura has finally opened up about his dislike for Memphis which led to a dominant win over the franchise on Lakers’ second night of back-to-back games.
“I’m not going to lie, I’m not a very big fan of this city,” said the Lakers forward in a post-game interview. On Wednesday the Anthony Davis-less Lakers recorded another win taking their winning streak to 5, thanks to Hachimura’s game-high 32 points along with LeBron James’ triple-double contribution.
After his hard work from the courtside against the Bucks in the previous game, LeBron James was added to the roster, who scored 23 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, and dished out 12 assists to help with the 136-124 win.
However, the Japanese forward stole the show with his flawless shooting skills, converting 11 shots out of 14 attempts into buckets and at the same time grabbing 10 rebounds. His dominance gave a boost to the LA franchise which has a 16-7 record since Rui became a regular starter.
After talking about his dislike for the city, Hachimura said, “I always have great memories here. Great run last year in the playoffs, and I think we come back here next week or something.” This game gave him flashbacks of the 2023 playoffs when the Lakers faced the Memphis Grizzlies where the forward got to showcase his skills.
In Game 1 of the playoff series between the Western teams, Rui bagged 29 points shooting five threes that led to the Lakers win. Continuing his form, in Game 2 he recorded 20 points but the Grizzlies had the last laugh.
The forward doesn’t miss an opportunity to show off his potential against Memphis, and he won’t have to wait much longer as the Lakers will visit Hachimura’s not-so-likable city on April 12. Apart from his dislike, Hachimura’s progress since joining the Lakers has been another interesting aspect of the 26-year-old’s game. His Lakers buddy, Austin Reaves, recently opened up about his connection with Rui.
Austin Reaves explains his bond with Rui Hachimura
Bonding between players helps in building a better team which translates into on-court success. One of such inseparable duos are Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura. With the Lakers adding several players to their roster last season it was awkward for the two in the beginning. However, over time their bond developed.
While talking about his friend, Reaves said, “He sat by me on the plane last year for the first two weeks. I didn’t know if he spoke and then after I got to know him a little bit, I can’t get him to shut up now.” Calling Rui a great guy, the Lakers guard added that his friend is “someone positive to be around and that translates on-court.”
Their off-court bonding reflects on the hardwood as both the players are integral part of the LA squad and have the sole mission to lead the franchise to success in the post-season run which looks increasingly imminent as the regular season is coming to a close.
