JJ Redick is taking accountability for the Lakers’ early playoff exit last season. Speaking with ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, the Lakers head coach admitted that his biggest regret from the first-round loss against Minnesota was how he handled the team’s preparation after locking up the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.
“The biggest regret I have is that from the moment we secured the third seed that Friday night against Houston through when we played Game 1 at home on Saturday, I would have done that whole week differently,” Redick said.
Reflecting on film from that series, Redick said the Lakers’ effort was strong but inconsistent, and he emphasized the need for his group to make that level of intensity a nightly standard.
“I was watching film from the series, and a lot of our guys played so hard,” Redick said. “This group has to build a habit of playing that hard every single night. We played really hard against Minnesota last year on opening night with that group, but it didn’t really become our habit until later in the year. That’s the biggest takeaway from watching that stuff, is that we have to get back to that.”
The Lakers were only able to win one game against Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves, and they looked outmatched for most of the series. Between Minnesota’s stifling defense and inconsistent scoring from the supporting cast, the Lakers struggled to keep up against a younger, more versatile opponent.
After the series was over, Redick reflected on the games and why his team suffered an early defeat. At the time, Redick blamed turnovers and offensive rebounds for the loss, but now it seems the preparation itself was also a problem.
If he could do it all over again, Redick would change the game plan going into the series. He could have altered the offensive schemes or simply changed the rotation. Unfortunately, there’s no changing things now, but Redick can still adjust the approach for their latest matchup.
Tomorrow, the Lakers will get a chance to show what they’ve learned in a rematch against the same team that ended their season. Without LeBron James, who is out until mid-November with a sciatica injury, it will be a tough fight for the Lakers, but Redick believes they can come out on top with enough patience, preparation, and focus from the main cast.
The key to victory for this game, and the rest of the Lakers’ season, is taking care of all the little things on the court. In the modern NBA, attention to detail will get you far, and Redick has been working hard with his guys to develop a scheme that will bring out the best in everyone.
JJ Redick’s words show maturity beyond his years as a coach. Even after just one season at the helm, he’s proving he’s willing to learn from his mistakes and grow with his team. If the Lakers can channel that accountability into consistent effort, they’ll have every chance to make a deep playoff run once LeBron returns.
