SAN FRANCISCO — In a commanding victory over the Warriors on Saturday night, the Los Angeles Lakers showcased impressive performances from stars Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves, but it was newly acquired Luke Kennard who earned high praise from coach JJ Redick for his role in energizing the team’s offense. Kennard’s dynamic play, dubbed “starting the blender,” was pivotal in the Lakers’ offensive flow this season.
Luke Kennard’s Role in Shaping Lakers’ Offensive Flow
Coach JJ Redick emphasized Kennard’s unique ability to ignite the offense, saying,
“And, boy, Luke Kennard, he just starts the blender for us. We frankly have not had a ton of blender starters.”
This metaphor captures how Kennard disrupts and blends the Lakers’ offensive sets, keeping defenses off balance and creating opportunities for teammates.
A prime example occurred in the fourth quarter at about 7:14 remaining, when Kennard executed a clever sequence that began with a deceptive back screen for Jake LaRavia and followed with a pindown by Maxi Kleber. Kennard then relocated to the three-point arc in a screen-the-screener action, forcing Warriors defender Quinten Post to step up and guard him.
Using his reputation as an elite shooter—he holds a career 44.2% accuracy beyond the arc and is shooting a league-best 49.1% on 3-pointers this season—Kennard drove past Post, drawing in the Warriors’ defense and kicking out to Jarred Vanderbilt in the weakside corner. This play set the tone for the Lakers’ fluid ball movement and scoring opportunities.
Immediate Impact of Kennard’s Offensive Creativity
The immediate payoff came shortly after, as Kennard connected on a step-back three-pointer over defender Gui Santos. Redick highlighted Kennard’s importance in creating these chances:
“Obviously, Luka gets two on the ball, AR gets two on the ball, LeBron will get two on the ball, but just to be able to create a closeout and then make the right read and right play from there … Luke was huge for our offense.”
Kennard finished the game with 16 points, shooting 6-of-10 overall and 4-of-7 on three-pointers—his best scoring output since joining the Lakers on February 5. His contributions went beyond scoring, as he provided off-ball movement and screens that enabled teammates to flourish.
Kennard’s Views on Team Dynamics and His Role
Despite his recent arrival to the Lakers, Kennard spoke about the offensive potential when the team shares the ball and attacks the paint.
“Obviously, I’ve been here for a short amount of time, but when we are a team that gets in the paint and we share the ball, we have multiple passes on a possession, I feel like we’re a different team,”
Kennard said.
“We get a lot of great looks, and we can put up a lot of points. Obviously, we need the ball to be in (Doncic’s, Reaves’, and James’) hands to make plays for us, and that’s how it’s got to be. But for us guys coming off the bench, we need to be ready to play the right way, get the ball moving and just play with some pace.”
On a subsequent Lakers’ possession, Kennard’s screen freed Jake LaRavia for an alley-oop layup, assisted by Marcus Smart. Although Kennard did not receive credit in the box score, Redick noted,
“That’s just connective offense right there, and that’s just what Luke does.”
LeBron James and Kennard’s Multifaceted Offensive Threat
LeBron James praised Kennard’s impact since joining the Lakers, noting his ability to add another scoring dimension to the team.
“It gives us another scoring threat…Because he shoots the…”
James commented, acknowledging Kennard’s consistent shooting threat and his playmaking. Specifically, James remarked on Kennard’s ability to penetrate defenses:
“His ability to make plays, getting to the paint, uses his (shooting threat); because he shoots the ball so well, a lot of teams like to run him off the line, but his ability to get into the lane and make plays for others as well has been a big part of what we want to do, too. Just making that extra pass, those kick-out plays and those extra ones, he’s damn good at it.”
The Unsung Value of Kennard’s Screening and Movement
Kennard also emphasized the importance of his screening role, which often goes unnoticed.
“Being a good screener, it’s something that you don’t really talk about much. You don’t kind of see the impact of what that can be. But JJ has put me in positions to be a screener. And I think just the gravity that I have is being one of the top shooters in the league, teams don’t wanna leave me. So being a screener, getting guys open, it gets me shots if I set good screens. I take pride in being a good screener,”
he explained.
This holistic skill set greatly benefits the Lakers’ offensive variety. According to Redick, Kennard “starts the blender” by mixing motion and spacing, giving the Lakers a more unpredictable attack.
Kennard Relishes Expanded Offensive Responsibilities
The Lakers’ new offensive schemes have allowed Kennard to expand beyond his traditional spot-up shooter role.
“It kind of gives confidence in me, not just being like a spot-up shooter,”
Kennard said.
“There’s been stops, I think, where that’s kind of what I’ve been, and I’ll find my role and try to do the best I can with that. But I think just creating havoc offensively, just getting in the paint… when we get in the paint and we have multiple passes on possession, we’re such a different team. I can kind of initiate some of that. If two guys are on, like Luka, Bron, or Austin, and I get a swing pass, if I don’t have a shot, I can get in the paint and try to make a play. I pride myself on that, trying to make the right play every single time. I’ve been having a good time.”
Broader Implications for Lakers’ Offensive Strategy
Luke Kennard’s emergence as the Lakers’ “blender starter” signals a shift in how the team approaches its offense, contributing to more fluid ball movement, spacing, and teamwork. His shooting threat stretches defenses, while his screening and cutting create scoring chances for others. With Kennard blending seamlessly with stars like LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves, the Lakers’ offense shows increased versatility and unpredictability. This may prove crucial as the team advances in the highly competitive season ahead.
Luke Kennard scored 16 points in tonight's win over the Warriors, which is his highest scoring total as a Lakers.
LeBron James on the impact Luke has had on LAL since being traded to the Lakers over three weeks ago:
"It gives us another scoring threat…Because he shoots the… pic.twitter.com/A9dKpnNMRE
— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) March 1, 2026
JJ Redick said Luke Kennard "starts the blender" for the Lakers. Luke on how he views those opportunities: " I love it. It kind of gives confidence in me, not just being like a spot-up shooter." pic.twitter.com/hoCitxW5Gc
— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) March 1, 2026
