The 2024-2025 NBA regular season has officially begun as the Los Angeles Lakers hosted the Minnesota Timberwolves in a star-studded opener. It was an intriguing debut from head coach JJ Redick, who seems to have bonded with the Lakers in a way fans have been waiting for.

The result was a 110-103 victory over the Timberwolves, with Los Angeles moving to 1-0 and plenty of reason to be optimistic about what the future holds.

It was an excellent debut for Redick, who had the Lakers playing with much more energy than fans are used to seeing. Los Angeles was aggressive in the way it crashed the boards, rotated quickly on defense and was constantly moving on offense.

The end result was a great defensive performance and a balanced offensive effort, leaving Los Angeles confident that the right plays would pay off in the end.

Los Angeles went just 5-of-30 from beyond the arc, but the determination to take the best available shot kept Minnesota’s defense accountable. It filled in the gaps by going all out, pulling down 15 offensive rebounds and holding the Timberwolves to 41.5 percent shooting from the field.

It was an imperfectly perfect way to start the 2024-2025 regular season, and the five starters all had positive performances in the process.

Watching Anthony Davis play defense is an experience every basketball fan should enjoy. A player his size shouldn’t be covering ground as quickly as he does, but that’s the beauty of his play as the proverbial Swiss Army knife on the defensive end of the floor.

Davis not only led the Lakers through the game with his defensive skills, but he took over as a scorer and dominated in the most crucial moments.

When Davis wasn’t knocking down jump shots, he was blocking them. When he couldn’t control the glass, he got to the line by attacking off the bounce or burying shots along the way when Minnesota thought they could avoid contact.

Davis’ stat line of 36 points, 16 rebounds, three offensive boards, four assists, three blocks and a steal is remarkable, but even that doesn’t do his performance justice.

If the first half is a sign of things to come, Rui Hachimura is set to have an excellent season. He played with remarkable energy, making plays on both ends of the floor while leaving fear behind and dedicating himself to every action.

Hachimura calmed down during the second half, but he made sure to speak up during the fourth quarter to complete a promising debut in 2024-2025.

Hachimura was the Lakers’ best player during the first quarter and maintained his energy throughout the game. He was less assertive as a scorer in the second half, but he played hard on defense and made the Timberwolves pay when they thought they could relax against him.

As for the numbers, with 18 points, five rebounds, one assist and two steals, Hachimura produced a stat line that the Lakers would like to see him average in 2024-2025.

LeBron James officially tied Vince Carter for the most seasons played in NBA history during the Lakers’ season opener. That alone was incredible to see. Seeing James embrace his off-ball role by setting screens and directing traffic with his voice and mannerisms was the icing on the cake.

James put in a completely solid performance for the Lakers, and while it may not have been his best yet, it was an encouraging sight to see.

James posted 16 points, five rebounds, four assists and two blocks, shooting 7-of-16 from the field and 1-of-4 from beyond the arc. These numbers are an accurate representation of his performance, as he spent most of the game filling the gaps for the Lakers’ offense.

There were times when James’ defensive effort was disappointing, but the Lakers can’t have asked for much more than this in the type of game they were playing.

If the 2024-2025 regular season opener is a sign of things to come, Austin Reaves will play a major role in the Lakers’ success. It’s far from a surprise, but Reaves reminded critics just how good he is in his performance against the Timberwolves.

Some may point out that Reaves scored 12 points and four assists on 5-for-14 shooting from the field and an 0-for-5 performance from distance, but that only scratches the surface of his quality.

Reaves was endless in his efforts, competing on both ends of the floor and driving the Lakers’ success on the offensive glass. He grabbed nine rebounds, including four on offense, and was significantly more locked in on defense than how he played in 2023-24.

Reaves will be tasked with producing bigger numbers as a scorer and facilitator in the future, but his efforts on defense and the glass were vital to Los Angeles’ success.

D’Angelo Russell failed to start the season in top form as a shooter, but he did impress in other areas. He was active in the passing lanes, determined on his drives to the rim, and aggressive in exploiting Minnesota’s listless moments.

Shooting 4-for-12 from the field and 1-for-7 from three-point range is hard to swallow, but Russell seemed much more involved in other parts of the game than he did a season ago.

Russell finished with five assists and two steals. In addition to the numbers, he was constantly looking for ways to train his teammates, lost balls quickly, limited his own turnover and was regularly in the right place in the defense.

It wasn’t the star performance he’s capable of in attack, but if this level of non-scoring value can continue into 2024-2025, Russell will be a much better player.