LeBron James has openly stated he’s making the sacrifice for the Lakers to function seamlessly. That could mean some nights, such as against the Pistons tonight. For only the third time in his career, the Akron Hammer finished the first half without any points on the board. It’s part of the process. James isn’t dictating the tempo, but waiting for his moments.

James only attempted five shots in the first half, failing to get into any sort of rhythm. That’s the tough part of playing off the ball. Players never see the kind of shots they want. LeBron James can only take the shots he gets. He’s still adjusting to his newly assigned role with the Lakers.

“It’s the role that I’m playing for the ball club. In order for us to win ball games, it’s the role that I’m playing, and it’s just how the game is going,” James said about his first-half performance.

He did put up a blank in points. But the four-time champion served as the Lakers’ most reliable playmaker. He tallied six assists in the first half, the most for any Lakers player. James also ended the night with 10 assists. The Lakers star found the breakaway passes and supplied his teammates with comfortable looks.

The key was still sticking to his role. LeBron James didn’t hold the ball for long. It was now a second game where James served as a triple threat despite playing a much more passive role than earlier this season. It didn’t lead to a win as the Lakers drenched themselves with a lofty deficit in the second quarter. It ended their nine-game winning streak.

Yet, JJ Redick praises LeBron James for his contributions.

JJ Redick praises LeBron James’ unselfish play

The Lakers competed closely against the Pistons after falling behind in the first half. The game was well-balanced. The Purple and Gold managed to briefly lead in the fourth quarter. However, Luka Doncic couldn’t tie the game after a pass from James deflected before it got to him. That was just one of the very few messy moments from James.

For the most part, Redick felt the Lakers failed to find the Akron Hammer in the right positions.

“I thought he played a really unselfish game and ended up with 10 assists. We missed him a couple of times on early sets in transition in the first half. Um, you know, we ran some plays for him. I thought, you know, he did a good job of not just trying to score, but um, you know, make the right play like he always does,” said Redick.

The Lakers’ struggles really came down to shooting. Luka Doncic cooled off a little, shooting 3-13 from beyond the arc. The Lakers had just eight threes. Redick related that to the absences on the night. Both Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura, two consistent spacing threats, missed the action due to injuries.

Health was forwarded as the most important factor by the Lakers. Since having everybody available, they have polished their system. They wouldn’t have liked to lose this game, with Cade Cunningham also out. But for the most part, the Lakers showed a lot of resilience to execute a fightback.

That’s the sort of character JJ Redick was asking from the squad before the All-Star break. Now that he’s seeing it first hand, the Lakers coach appears confident in the roster’s competitive ability as the playoffs approach.