LeBron James has tightly held the Los Angeles Lakers’ reins in this playoff series vs. the Houston Rockets. Even without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, the 41-year-old has the game in control. Players like Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard, and Rui Hachimura have all shown up. But do you know who is stealing considerable spotlight after Friday’s 112-108 OT win? Bronny James.

Three games in a row, the 21-year-old has been quietly slipping into early second-quarter minutes for the Lakers, and then Game 3 happened. This time, every second hit harder, sharper, louder. Afterward, JJ Redick peeled back the curtain, revealing a thoughtful, measured approach to guiding James Jr. through it all.

The Lakers’ head coach addressed reporters on a conference call, sharing his thoughts on Bronny James. “When we drafted Bronny, Bron and I had one conversation very early on that I was going to coach Bronny. I was not going to coach LeBron’s son. And differentiating that … that’s what he wanted,” he said in a bold declaration.

Do you remember the noise around Bronny? That he was chosen because he is LeBron James’ son? Probably Coach Redick’s approach to guiding James Jr. straying him away from the “son of LeBron James” tag worked. And as many experts and legends have pointed out, the 21-year-old’s performance has improved in his second year in the league.

On Friday, it looked like Bronny James finally cracked the playoff code, and he did it in style. The 21-year-old struck on consecutive possessions, first draining a pull-up 3-pointer, then finishing a fast-break layup. Meanwhile, LeBron James was right there, carving space by boxing out Jae’Sean Tate for the triple, then delivering the assist on the run.

As a result, the duo added another chapter to history, becoming the first father-son pair to combine on a postseason assist after already sharing the floor in both the NBA and playoffs. Meanwhile, Bronny checked out midway through the second quarter with 5 points on a flawless 2-of-2, a crisp 100% shooting night.

Before this spark, Bronny had logged 0 points on 3 shots across 11 minutes in 4 playoff games. Moreover, injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves opened the door, giving him valuable minutes. Over the season, he featured in 42 NBA games, averaging 8.9 minutes, while also sharpening his edge in 14 G League outings with 15.6 points and 3.7 assists per game.

Now, coming back to LeBron James. The detractors are probably flinching as their predictions suddenly feel like a generational joke. The Los Angeles Lakers are 3-0 in this playoff series against the Houston Rockets all thanks to the 41-year-old star fight Father Time.

JJ Redick isn’t taking LeBron James for granted

LeBron James keeps rewriting the fate, and the Lakers are riding the wave. Expected to struggle against the Houston Rockets, they now sit firmly at 3-0. Meanwhile, JJ Redick can only admire the relentless consistency fueling it all. As the wins stack up, so does LeBron’s legacy, each performance tightening his grip on all-time greatness while silencing doubts, again and again.

“I always appreciate and don’t take for granted what he’s able to do. I guess I’ve known him for 26 years, and I’ve watched him play for 26 years. We met when we were both about 15 or 16 years old. Always enjoy it,” Coach Redick said after securing Game 3.

The Akron Hammer played 42 minutes scoring 29 points, 13 rebounds, and 6 assists. That’s not all. Across the three games, the numbers paint a seriously loaded stat line: he’s averaging 40.7 minutes, 25.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 8.7 assists, while adding 2.0 steals and 0.7 blocks per game. Meanwhile, the control isn’t perfect with 4.3 turnovers, yet the scoring touch holds steady with 2.3 threes on 5.3 attempts and 5.0 free throws on 7.3 attempts each night.

Thus, JJ Redick drew a clear line and never crossed it. He coached Bronny James as his own player, and that choice is starting to show. Meanwhile, LeBron James keeps control as the Lakers surge ahead, even with key absences. As roles settle and belief grows, the noise fades. This shift feels earned, structured, and very real now.