Rui Hachimura isn’t the loudest name in the Los Angeles Lakers playoff run, but his impact has been impossible to ignore.
While much of the early postseason praise has gone to teammates like Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard, Hachimura has quietly become one of the most important pieces in the Lakers’ rotation, and it’s no accident.
After logging the most minutes on the team through the first two games of the series, Hachimura revealed that this moment has been building all season.
“I think I was ready for it,” Hachimura said after the Lakers’ Game 2 win. “Throughout the season, you know it’s a long season, but building the body.
“I have to do a lot of recovery during the season, lifting and all that. I was doing all that for this moment, the playoffs. I was ready for that and yea it’s high minutes for me, but it’s not that bad. I’ve been preparing through fine. I’ve been locked in on the defensive side and whatever we have to execute. So I was living for this moment.”
That preparation is now translating directly onto the court. Hachimura is averaging 42 minutes per game in the series against the Houston Rockets, delivering consistent production on both ends.
Offensively, he’s been efficient, knocking down shots from deep at a high rate. Defensively, he’s been just as impactful, highlighted by a Game 1 performance that included multiple steals and blocks, helping set the tone early in the series.
With injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves forcing head coach JJ Redick to tighten his rotation, Hachimura’s role has expanded even further.
Despite entering the postseason short-handed, the Lakers have taken a two-zero lead in the series, leaning heavily on players like Hachimura to step into bigger roles.
As the series shifts to Houston, the challenge only intensifies, but if the first two games are any indication, Hachimura has already proven he’s ready for the moment.
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