ORLANDO, Fla -- Still riding the momentum gained from their latest lineup boost, the South Bay Lakers started their 2025-26 regular season with a bang, going 2-0 at the G League Winter Showcase in Orlando after taking care of the Sioux City Falls and Wisconsin Herd.
Despite Dalton Knecht, Adou Thiero and Nick Smith Jr being on the road with the Los Angeles Lakers, having Drew Timme, Kobe Bufkin and Bronny James back proved to be enough, as they were three of the Lakers top four scorers over the weekend, along with guard R.J. Davis.
Against Sioux City on Friday, it was Bronny who went 4-4 from the field in the opening quarter and 2-2 from deep, leading his team to a 9 point lead by the end of it. The Lakers then scored 37 points in the second on 61% shooting, to enter the half up 18.
Sioux City briefly cut into the lead in the third, led by 12 points on 5-5 shooting from forward Dain Dainja, before the Laker offense opened the flood gates in the fourth, scoring a game high 42 points, propelling them to a 130-106 victory.
Timme registered 28 points and nine boards, Bufkin had 25 five and five, and Bronny, R.J. Davis, Chris Mañon and Tevian Jones all scored at least 14 points as well. The team hit 15-of-41 three pointers in this contest, good for 41.7% shooting.
Saturday’s victory over Wisconsin featured more of the same, with eight scorers in double figures this time for South Bay, and 19 more three pointers, this time good for an impressive 46.3% clip, their highest since the first game of the season. They also forced 20 more turnovers, totaling 39 forced in the two games for South Bay.
It was once again the fourth quarter that South Bay used to pull ahead, led by seven points each from Bufkin and Jones, eight points from Arthur Kaluma, and 10 from R.J. Davis. South Bay outscored Wisconsin 40-29 in the quarter, on their way to a comfortable 131-119 win.
South Bay now sits at 2-0, and leads the league in points per game, with a 130.5 average. They have one more game Tuesday against the Oklahoma City Blue before a one week holiday break.
When they have Drew Timme playing, the team is 8-2 this season. With him back on the roster for the time being, as well as at least two to three of their elite guards, those being Bufkin, James and Davis this weekend, this team can score with any other team in the G League going forward.
They will look to get to 3-0 on Tuesday, with the opening tip coming at 5:00 p.m. at the Paycom Center.
