JJ Redick’s only in his second year as head coach, but he’s already shaping the Lakers into a real contender again. Sure, the season started a bit rough, with injuries, lineup shuffles, all that stuff, but now the team’s rolling. They went 15-2 in March. At this point, they’re locked in as the third seed in the West.

So what changed? Redick points straight to health. After beating Cleveland 127-113 on Tuesday, he said, “It really started with being healthy.” He’s right. With guys finally able to play night after night, it’s a lot easier to settle into roles, find some rhythm, and stick with rotations. Early on, the Lakers couldn’t manage that recipe. Once everyone bought in or just relaxed into what the team needed, things started to click.

Redick even gave a nod to Luka Dončić for having one of those scorching stretches that you just remember. “I think Luka’s had as good a month as anybody I can remember in the modern NBA. LeBron’s had those, Harden has had those, Steph too, but what Luka’s doing right now just wow. And the rest of our guys have been huge, too.”

Luka’s basically taking over the MVP conversation. In March, he snapped off averages of 37.5 points, 8 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 2.4 steals, with some wild efficiency. He’s leading the league in scoring, too, just shredding defences at 33.8 points per game. But get this: LeBron James and Austin Reaves aren’t even in Luka’s shadow. LeBron’s still putting up 20.7 points, 6 boards, and 7 assists on the regular. Reaves is at 23.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.6 assists. Pool them together, and those three guys account for nearly two-thirds of the Lakers’ offence every night.

Redick also threw credit around the whole locker room. When asked about players’ roles, he rattled off the hits: “Austin Reaves getting healthy, LeBron doing everything, DA and Jaxson Hayes crashing and battling, Kennard and Rui for shooting, LaRavia and Marcus Smart on D, Bronny, Vando, Maxi just stepping up.” Everyone’s doing their bit, and you can feel it.

Yeah, it’s been a strong stretch, but the Lakers aren’t done. Six games are left in the regular season, and seeds are still up for grabs. They’re 3.5 games ahead of Minnesota for that last playoff lock. The top six are already theirs, but they're not coasting just yet; they want the best spot possible.

The thing is, the West isn’t forgiving. Oklahoma City and San Antonio are monsters this year, sitting on the NBA’s two best records. The Lakers’ path to the Finals won’t be easy. But if they stay healthy and keep playing like this, you’ve got to give them a shot.

Rory McIlroy called it a “truly surreal” moment walking onto the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland with all four Major trophies around him. Hard to blame him. After years chasing that last piece, he finally nailed down the elusive Masters title just under a year ago, beating Justin Rose in a playoff and slipping into the Green Jacket at last.

Now, at 36, McIlroy sits with five Majors in the bag. He started with the US Open in 2011, then won the PGA Championship in 2012, and delivered a huge 2014, winning both The Open and a second PGA. That run put him close, but not over the line for the Grand Slam. He had to wait more than ten years before Augusta finally gave in and let him complete the set.

To mark the milestone, Rory posted a shot on social media: there he is, Green Jacket on, all four trophies lined up at the Causeway, the Masters Trophy, the Claret Jug, the Wanamaker Trophy, and the US Open Trophy. “As a kid growing up in Northern Ireland, I dreamed of winning all four majors,” he wrote. “Being able to bring these trophies home was truly surreal.”

It looks like he snapped the photo while filming a new documentary, “The Masters Wait,” all about his long road to the Grand Slam. The film landed on Amazon Prime this week.

And the journey isn’t over yet. McIlroy is set to defend his Masters crown at Augusta next week, when the tournament starts on April 9. The PGA Championship comes right after, set for May in Pennsylvania, then the US Open in June at Shinnecock Hills, and finally, The Open returns in July at Royal Birkdale.

Ranked No. 2 in the world, Rory’s aiming to join a very short list; he’d become only the fourth player to defend the Masters, after Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, and Tiger Woods.

He’s dealing with a back injury right now. He picked it up during the Arnold Palmer Invitational last month and hasn’t played since the Players Championship. Still, nothing suggests he’ll miss the Masters, and at the very least, he’ll be there at Augusta to host his first Champion’s Dinner on Tuesday night, in honour of last year’s victory.