Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick had a lot to share about his team and their plans to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs.
“Very difficult opponent,” said Redick while sharing his thoughts on the matchup. “They play as well as anyone lately. They’re one of the four teams in the top 10, offense and defense, so they present a lot of problems.”
“We have a general idea of what their roles are, and they have a general idea of what our roles are,” he added. “So it doesn’t necessarily matter that we don’t have anything on tape with both teams at full strength.”
JJ Redick talks with the media after the Lakers wrap up their regular season. They'll host the Timberwolves in the first round of the NBA playoffs. #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/y6jCTRlXQo
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JJ Redick added that his current plan is to gradually focus on strategies for the Timberwolves from Wednesday. Instead of overloading the team with information, Redick has opted for a “slow drip” approach to give the coaching staff some time to prepare relevant strategies as well.
The Lakers have had a rollercoaster of a season. From experiencing windfalls in performance to seeing major roster changes, the team somehow righted their ship with Redick at the helm and ended the regular season as the third-seed in the West.
A 50-win season is no small feat for a rookie coach, and LeBron James made sure that Redick received his laurels for it.
The upcoming matchup against the Timberwolves poses a lot of challenges. The Lakers also notched a 2-2 record against Minnesota in the regular season. While this tie could be an indicator of many things, it is an inaccurate depiction of the Lakers’ current state and form.
Luka Doncic’s arrival after the blockbuster trade involving Anthony Davis shifted the landscape of the NBA. The Lakers have only played Minnesota once since Doncic joined the team. In this regard, Redick and the Lakers coaching staff will certainly have their work cut out for them as they try to “map out” the plans for the playoffs.
Luka Doncic Will Be The “X Factor” For The Lakers In Upcoming Matchup
Luka Doncic will play a vital role for the Los Angeles Lakers in their upcoming playoff games against the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, there is an extremely limited sample of his performances against them this season.
The last game the Lakers star played against Minnesota was on February 27th. In this game, Doncic notched 21 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists. LeBron James was the star of this game, as he led the Lakers to a 111-102 win with a 33-point performance.
Dončić has played the Timberwolves three times this season (not counting the one he missed due to injury). The first game resulted in a 120-114 win for the Mavericks as the five-time All-Star dropped 24 points along with 8 rebounds and 8 assists on the night.
Meanwhile, the second game resulted in a 99-105 loss for the Mavericks. This is noteworthy as this was also the night Doncic hurt himself and was sidelined for an extended period with a calf strain.
With this in mind, Luka Doncic could effectively be the difference-maker in this series. The Lakers star has averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.5 assists since becoming a Laker. It is safe to say that he will be the point of focus for the Timberwolves.
