The Los Angeles Lakers got back in the win column against the Charlotte Hornets on Nov. 10, defeating their Eastern Conference opponent 121-111. 

Several Lakers shined on the offensive end, including Luka Dončić, who scored 38 points, and Austin Reaves, who scored 24 points in his first game back in the lineup after being sidelined for Los Angeles’ last three games with a groin issue. 

Forward Rui Hachimura also had a solid game, scoring 21 points on 75% shooting from the field and 100% shooting from 3-point range, going 3-for-3. 

Following the game, Lakers Head Coach JJ Redick spoke highly of Hachimura, who, according to him, came up big defensively in the second half for Los Angeles. 

This was something Reaves echoed in the postgame press conference, speaking about Hachimura’s game processing. 

Khobi Price (@khobi_price) on X JJ Redick mentioned Rui Hachimura had a defensive stretch in the 3Q that "was as good as we've seen him on that end of the floor." Austin Reaves said Rui's "attention to detail" has stood out this season:

“The attention to detail,” Reaves said. “[Hachimura] knows you can go ask him at any point in the game what coverage we’re in, what to do in certain actions and be super locked into that. And when you’re super locked into that, the effort’s high, you’re going to be put in situations to be in the right spot, make the right play, and I feel like that’s been what he’s done. The competitive spirit’s very high, and he pays attention to the little details of where he needs to be in our defense and has been really, really good for us.”

Hachimura is averaging a career high in scoring through the Lakers’ first 11 games of the season, tallying 16.3 points per contest. He is fourth on the team in scoring and is also one of just three Los Angeles players, alongside Jake LaRavia and Jarred Vanderbilt, to have played in every single game so far this season. 

Lakers Lead (@LakersLead) on X RUI HACHIMURA THIS SEASON 🇯🇵 career-high in points per game (15.8) 🇯🇵 career-high in minutes per game (34.6) 🇯🇵 3rd in 3-point percentage 🇯🇵 4th in true shooting percentage 🇯🇵 4th in total minutes (382) 🇯🇵 14th in effective field goal percentage GIVE RUI HIS FLOWERS 💐

In what has been an otherwise topsy-turvy start to the campaign for the Lakers from an availability standpoint, Hachimura’s consistency, not only just in playing every night, but showing up offensively when needed, has gone under the radar. 

His play has been pivotal to the team’s 8-3 start to the young season, especially with both Dončić and Reaves missing a couple games, and LeBron James and Gabe Vincent being sidelined as well, as they continue to work back from longer-term injuries.  

The Lakers play the Oklahoma City Thunder at 9:30 p.m. EST on Nov. 12, marking the third of five road games in a row for Los Angeles.