{"id":111735,"date":"2025-10-17T08:03:38","date_gmt":"2025-10-17T08:03:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=111735"},"modified":"2025-10-17T08:03:38","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T08:03:38","slug":"breaking-news-rui-hachimura-steps-up-as-the-secret-weapon-behind-the-lakers-early-success-without-lebron","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=111735","title":{"rendered":"BREAKING NEWS: Rui Hachimura steps up as the secret weapon behind the Lakers\u2019 early success without LeBron"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"l-article__header\">\n<h3 class=\"c-headline c-headline--extra-large entry-title\">Rui Hachimura is the Key to Lakers\u2019 Early Success Without LeBron<\/h3>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"l-article__content\">\n<div class=\"c-content entry-content\">\n<div id=\"post-featured-container-id\">\n<div id=\"post-featured\" class=\"has-video wp-caption \">\n<figure class=\"h-responsive\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"attachment-featured-image size-featured-image wp-post-image\" src=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/gettyimages-2208410735-594x594-1.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=594\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 820px) 95vw, 780px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/gettyimages-2208410735-594x594-1.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=594 780w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/gettyimages-2208410735-594x594-1.jpg?quality=45&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/gettyimages-2208410735-594x594-1.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1350 1350w\" alt=\"Rui Hachimura Los Angeles Lakers\" width=\"594\" height=\"396\" data-img-load-time=\"1275\" data-dom-ready-time=\"2494\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Rui Hachimura isn\u2019t stepping into unfamiliar territory \u2014 he\u2019s stepping into a bigger spotlight. The 27-year-old forward has been a steady starter for the\u00a0Los Angeles Lakers, but with\u00a0LeBron James\u00a0sidelined to start the 2025\u201326 season, Hachimura will open the year carrying more offensive responsibility than ever before.<\/p>\n<p>James, now 40 and entering his 23rd\u00a0NBA\u00a0season, continues to recover from\u00a0right-side sciatica\u00a0suffered during an offseason workout.<\/p>\n<p>The Lakers expect him to miss three to four weeks, targeting a mid-November return, meaning\u00a0Rui Hachimura\u2019s expanded role could last through the first dozen games of the season.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"942\" data-end=\"1170\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">As one of the few Lakers who\u2019s thrived both alongside and without James, Hachimura understands exactly how his responsibilities will shift. After a preseason win over Golden State, he explained what that adjustment looks like.<\/p>\n<blockquote data-start=\"1172\" data-end=\"1435\">\n<p data-start=\"1174\" data-end=\"1435\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\"><em>\u201cWith him being out, I can attack the rim more because he likes to post up more,\u201d Hachimura said. \u201cSo that kind of stuff I can do more when he\u2019s out. So yeah, it\u2019s just a little different but not much. I just gotta do the same things that I\u2019m supposed to do.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2 data-start=\"1465\" data-end=\"1502\">Confidence That\u2019s Been Building<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"1504\" data-end=\"1696\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">Hachimura\u2019s confidence comes from experience, not guesswork. A former lottery pick, he\u2019s proved himself as an efficient, versatile starter capable of thriving within a contending roster.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1698\" data-end=\"2068\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">Head coach JJ Redick noticed that confidence well before James\u2019 injury.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1698\" data-end=\"2068\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\"><em>\u201cI would describe Rui as a joy to be around every day,\u201d Redick said this summer. \u201cWhat I\u2019ve seen just in the last few weeks is a higher level of confidence. As your confidence grows, your production grows. Rui is playing with a lot of confidence and has been an absolute pleasure to coach.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2070\" data-end=\"2408\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">That mindset carried into one of the best seasons of his career. Across 59 games, Hachimura averaged 13.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.4 assists.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2070\" data-end=\"2408\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">He shot 50.9% from the field and a career-high 41.3% from three-point range. His reliable scoring and improved rebounding made him one of Los Angeles\u2019 most dependable options.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2410\" data-end=\"2580\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">Now, with Luka Don\u010di\u0107 and Austin Reaves leading the offense, Hachimura\u2019s ability to stay efficient while taking more shots will be critical early in the season.<\/p>\n<hr data-start=\"2582\" data-end=\"2585\" \/>\n<h2 data-start=\"2587\" data-end=\"2621\">Proving He Can Shoulder More<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"2623\" data-end=\"2897\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">When James sat last year, Hachimura didn\u2019t just hold his own \u2014 he elevated his play. In those games, he averaged 19.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists. He shot 52.2% from the field and 52.2% from three, finishing with a 64.2% true shooting percentage.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2899\" data-end=\"3020\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">His usage rate jumped from 15.8% to 22.4%, showing he could handle a larger scoring load without losing efficiency.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3022\" data-end=\"3342\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">He delivered several standout performances \u2014 23 points and four steals against Portland, 24 points and nine rebounds versus Indiana, and 30 points against Minnesota. Each time, he responded to the challenge with control and confidence. Those games proved he can scale his game when the Lakers need it most.<\/p>\n<hr data-start=\"3344\" data-end=\"3347\" \/>\n<h2 data-start=\"3349\" data-end=\"3377\">Setting the Tone Early<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"3379\" data-end=\"3663\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">The Lakers begin the season in a loaded Western Conference, determined to rebound from last year\u2019s first-round loss to the\u00a0Minnesota Timberwolves. That defeat followed a 51-win regular season and a third-place finish in the West, leaving expectations high and patience thin.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3665\" data-end=\"3938\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">Hachimura\u2019s expanded role comes at a crucial time. With Don\u010di\u0107 and Reaves leading the attack, his consistency and two-way effort could help keep Los Angeles steady until James returns.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3940\" data-end=\"4126\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Articles \/ Paragraph Links\">If Hachimura maintains the same production he showed when James sat, the Lakers can stay competitive early \u2014 and lay a foundation for a stronger playoff push once their leader is back.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rui Hachimura is the Key to Lakers\u2019 Early Success Without LeBron Rui Hachimura isn\u2019t stepping into unfamiliar territory \u2014 he\u2019s stepping into a bigger spotlight. The 27-year-old&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":111739,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-111735","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>BREAKING NEWS: Rui Hachimura steps up as the secret weapon behind the Lakers\u2019 early success without LeBron - News 365<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=111735\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"BREAKING NEWS: Rui Hachimura steps up as the secret weapon behind the Lakers\u2019 early success without LeBron - News 365\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Rui Hachimura is the Key to Lakers\u2019 Early Success Without LeBron Rui Hachimura isn\u2019t stepping into unfamiliar territory \u2014 he\u2019s stepping into a bigger spotlight. 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