Overview
- In 15 high-energy minutes, Vanderbilt posted seven points, seven rebounds, two steals and a block, swinging the game with activity on the glass and at the point of attack.
- LeBron James said the bench "won us the game," while JJ Redick credited Vanderbilt directly for helping secure the victory after telling him pregame he would play.
- A reserve unit of Vanderbilt, Jaxson Hayes, Jake LaRavia and Gabe Vincent fueled a 24-0 second-half run as the Lakers dominated effort categories.
- Los Angeles outrebounded Phoenix 54-37 and forced 19 turnovers, reflecting a renewed defensive emphasis after internal critiques of the team’s recent defense.
- Vanderbilt had been out of the rotation for more than three weeks, and despite this impactful outing, coaches framed his minutes as matchup-dependent with no guarantee of a permanent role.