Coming off a rough game vs. the Magic on Tuesday, Lakers coach JJ Redick did not hold back on describing what he called a “great” practice. In a chat with the media ahead of tonight’s clash against the Suns, Redick answered whether the group has moved on from their lackluster effort a few days ago.
“I think there are specific times throughout the season where you talk about what just happened, more than just your normal review,” said Redick. “You know that you’re not gonna do that after every game, but we had a great practice and meeting on Monday after the Boston game. And you know that you don’t need to belabor every single loss.”
The Lakers hit a low point in Tuesday’s defeat. Avoidable errors and miscommunication down the stretch cost them a very winnable game, pushing them down to 34-23; just two games above seventh in the standings. The night was defined by poor shooting performances from Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, who expressed frustration both during and after the loss. In a rare occurrence for Reaves, he didn’t even talk with the media post-game. That’s not to mention Luka Doncic’s foul-hunting habits, who was so busy warring with the refs that he’d frequently give up fast-break opportunities.
Despite those concerns, JJ Redick isn’t doing anything major to change the status quo. He talked through the loss a little more extensively with his team and feels good about how they responded in practice. Ultimately, however, there’s no way to know if the Lakers are changed unless we see something different on the court.
Against the Suns tonight, a team they’ve struggled against this season, the Lakers will have an opportunity to put what they learned into practice, but that doesn’t mean it will be easy. Maintaining a steady rhythm on offense will be tricky, but it’s defensively where the Lakers must take special care. With mediocre defenders, the Lakers will always be limited in how they can offer resistance, but if they can properly execute Redick’s game plan, it could be enough to set things back on the right track.
For now, the Lakers still have a long way to go before they’re satisfied with their current play, but Redick isn’t giving up hope. he stil beleives in what this team can do, and he’s not going to harp on every loss. Instead, he’s going to keep the focus where it should be: on the next opponent. By all accounts, the Lakers have already moved on from Tuesday, and it could go down as the point where the team’s entire trajectory turned around.
