Luke Kennard delivered a 3-pointer with 0.6 seconds left to give the Lakers a 105-104 victory over Orlando, his first major moment since joining Los Angeles. “Felt really good… credit to the guys for executing down the stretch there. Smart made a good read, found the open guy and I was able to knock it down,” Kennard said.
Kennard described the final play as a combination of precise movement and timing. “Austin set a pin down for me to go screen for Luka and LeBron was going to follow me… my guy and LeBron’s guy went with LeBron, and I just popped back… Smart… ended up finding me there and it was the right read,” he explained.
He reflected on keeping composure in the clutch. “It’s kind of hard to explain like the feeling… when it went in it felt pretty good,” Kennard said.
The guard highlighted the role of Lakers head coach JJ Redick and experience in late-game execution. “Credit to JJ for keeping everybody calm… putting us in the right positions… the starting group has done really good for us especially recently closing games,” Kennard noted.
Kennard also spoke on his integration with the Lakers after a midseason trade. “Just being part of a new team… building new relationships, trying to find your role… they brought me here for a reason, and that was to shoot. It feels good the way everybody reacted,” he said.
The guard recounted the celebration after his shot. “I didn’t really know what was going on, I was just screaming… someone picked me up… it means a lot how excited everybody was,” Kennard said.
He credited team execution and trust in each other for setting up the game-winning shot. “As soon as I popped back… it was a perfect pass… to be in a situation like that, having the ball in your hands… it takes a lot of guts,” Kennard said.
Kennard also emphasized personal growth and mentorship. “JJ told me just be yourself and move on from all that… they need me to be aggressive when I’m out there. I thought it was a really good conversation,” he said, noting how guidance helped him regain confidence for the decisive moment.
The victory extended the Lakers’ winning streak to nine games, improving Los Angeles to 46-25. The team faces the Detroit Pistons on Monday, while Orlando hosts the Indiana Pacers.
