2025年10月4日に行われたプレシーズンゲームを佐々木クリスがレビュー！
English ver. is followed by Japanese.

ロサンゼルス・レイカーズ 81-103 フェニックス・サンズ

レブロン、ルカに加えてスマート、ヴィンセントが欠場。
TOP6-7選手のうち3人が休む中、八村選手がどのようなプレーを見せるのか注視する中でレイカーズは試合勘があるとは感じない内容。
競争心と組織だったプレーの欠如が攻守で散見され、フロアダイブでブルックスまで飛び込むサンズとは対照的にみえた。
レディックHCがキャンプ初日から謳うチャンピオンシップに値するコンディション「Championship shape」、習慣「Championship habits」、コミュニケーション「Championship communication」が高いレベルで行われていたとは言えない。
プレシーズン1試合目で何かの結論を出すのはあまりに短略的である上に、これまでもレイカーズはレブロンのスイッチに合わせてチームも上げたり下げたりという風潮がある。

その中でこのゲームの内容から3点あげるならば、

①リーブスのプレーは流石だった。今季セカンドユニット＋リーブスで彼に完全に託す時間帯も増えるだろう。vs サンズ戦はリーブスに次ぐボールハンドリングを行っていたのはラレイビア。

②相手のメインボールハンドラーへのディフェンスに課題があるレイカーズ。今季この任務を主に担うのはスマートなのか、八村なのか。このゲームではヴァンダービルトがブッカーにマッチアップ。

③エイトンの活用。エイトンのモチベーションが大きな鍵となる今季。レイカーズはルカ、レブロン不在で意図的に彼を乗せようとしていた。ディフェンスでも2ブロックを記録したエイトンだが、ピック&ロール ディフェンスやリムプロテクションは今後も見ていきたい。

八村寸評

（23'27出場・11点・3リバウンド・2スティール）

レイカーズのチーム作りを鑑みるとともに、プレ初戦を分析した限りでは、八村選手のチーム内でのOFFの役割は大きく変わらないだろう。
ただ、これは決して悪いことではない上に、本人もこの夏に日本で語ったように、いかにルカやレブロンを支えるプレーを突き詰めて行けるかが重要だ。
さらに契約最終年のシーズンを迎える中でより多くのことや、新しいことをやるよりもここ2シーズン見せてきた精度の高さで主力を支えてルカとのフィットをアピールするのが最重要任務。

その上でで適切な危機感を携えてリバウンドができるか、ドライブ時の状況判断を向上させられるか、細部にこだわっていくことが重要となる。
その点、得点は二桁11点とはいえ、FGは3/12。コーナーからの3Pが0/2、リム周りのレイアップが0/3では十分と言えない。次戦のウォリアーズ戦では挽回すると思われるが、一戦一戦の大切さは強調しておきたい。

個人的には今季も開幕から先発を務めるのは濃厚。ただし、それは攻撃での絶対的な安定感と及第点以上の守備があってこそ。
今後、ルカを中心に中長期的な計画を進めるレイカーズの新シーズン開幕がいよいよ迫ってきた。レディックの契約延長もおそらくルカからの信任の証。球団の方向性は定まっている。八村選手にもルカから絶大な信頼と同様の結果を掴んでもらいたい。それがシーズン前の延長であっても、シーズン後の残留であっても。

English Ver.

Lakers Fall Flat in Preseason Opener vs. Suns, 81–103: Early Warning Signs Emerge

Los Angeles Lakers 81, Phoenix Suns 103

The Lakers opened preseason play shorthanded—LeBron James, Luka Dončić, Marcus Smart, and Gabe Vincent were all out—and it looked exactly like you'd expect from a team missing its stars.

They had no answers.

With three of their top six or seven rotation players sitting, all eyes were on Rui Hachimura to see how he would respond with expanded opportunities. What we got instead was a team that showed no signs of game sharpness. The Lakers struggled to find any rhythm on either end, displaying little of the competitive fire or organizational structure needed to hang with a motivated Suns squad.

The contrast was glaring: while Phoenix dove for loose balls and hustled to every 50–50 play—Dillon Brooks even hit the deck chasing one down—the Lakers looked passive and disengaged.

Head coach JJ Redick has preached three pillars since Day 1 of training camp: Championship Shape, Championship Habits, Championship Communication.

Friday night? The Lakers showed none of them.

Of course, it's only one preseason game—drawing sweeping conclusions would be foolish. The Lakers have long been a team that rises and falls with LeBron's internal switch, and this looked like one of those "off" nights where the intensity just wasn't there.

Three Takeaways from the Opener

Still, even in a meaningless October game, some patterns emerged worth tracking:

1. Austin Reaves continues to prove he's that guy.

Reaves was, once again, the most dependable Laker on the floor. Expect to see him anchor extended second-unit stretches this season as the primary playmaker in lineups featuring "second unit + Reaves" configurations. Against Phoenix, Jake LaRavia handled secondary ball-handling duties behind him—a pairing worth monitoring as the preseason continues.

2. Point-of-attack defense remains a glaring concern.

Containing the opponent's main ball handler has been a Lakers weakness, and nothing we saw Friday night suggests that's changed. This season, that responsibility will likely fall on Marcus Smart—or possibly Hachimura—depending on matchups. In this game, Jarred Vanderbilt drew the assignment on Devin Booker, with predictably mixed results.

3. Deandre Ayton's motivation could define his season.

Ayton's engagement level will be a major storyline all year, and the Lakers clearly made a conscious effort to get him going early with Luka and LeBron out. He responded with two blocks and some solid interior presence, though questions about his pick-and-roll coverage and rim protection aren't going anywhere. This will be a "show me" season for the big man.

Rui Hachimura's Mixed Night

23:27 min | 11 pts | 3 reb | 2 stl | 3-of-12 FG | 0-2 3PT | 0-3 at rim

Looking at the Lakers' overall roster construction and how Hachimura was deployed Friday, his offensive role doesn't appear to be changing much this season.

That's not necessarily a bad thing.

As Hachimura himself said this summer in Japan, his focus is on perfecting the ways he can best support Luka and LeBron—not reinventing his game. In a contract year, he doesn't need to expand his repertoire. He needs to master what already works and prove he fits seamlessly next to the Lakers' new cornerstone.

Perfect the role, earn the contract.

His priority should be continuing the high level of efficiency and complementary play he's shown the past two seasons, while demonstrating he can thrive in Luka's system. That means paying attention to the details: Can he rebound more consistently with proper urgency? Can he make better reads when attacking off the dribble? Those marginal improvements could be the difference between a fair deal and a great one.

The 11 points looked fine on paper, but 3-of-12 shooting—including 0-for-2 from the corner three and a tough 0-for-3 at the rim—won't cut it, especially with his starting spot potentially on the line. Expect a bounce-back performance in the next game against Golden State, but it's worth emphasizing: every preseason game matters when you're building trust and momentum heading into a contract year.

Barring any surprises, Hachimura remains the heavy favorite to start on Opening Night—provided he brings steady offensive production and at least above-average defense on a nightly basis.

The Road Ahead

As the Lakers prepare to launch a new era built around Luka Dončić, JJ Redick's recent contract extension signals full confidence from the organization's centerpiece star. The direction is set. The franchise has clarity on where it's headed and who it's building around.

Now it's on Hachimura to prove he belongs in that picture.

Whether that trust comes in the form of an early-season extension or a re-signing next summer, the message is clear: this is his year to show he's a core piece of the Lakers' future—or risk watching someone else take his spot.

The season opener is coming fast. Time to get to work.