JJ Redick did not hold back in his post-game press conference after the Los Angeles Lakers’ disastrous third quarter against the 111-101 loss to the Boston Celtics. The Lakers had been in a tightly contested game in the first half but completely collapsed in the third quarter, scoring only 13 points while shooting 5-23 from the field and 1-10 from beyond the arc.
“Didn’t like our general pace, and a lot of people think pace is just playing fast and up and down, but you’ve got to have some thrust. And we didn’t have any thrust in the half court. We missed three layups, missed all our catch-and-shoot threes. I think we were one for whatever we were in that quarter.”
“We just weren’t generating enough force to put any pressure on the rim and get better looks. Sometimes in these games, you never know what to chalk these things up to, but I think, you know, sort of an East Coast trip, some brain fog execution-wise for us. It was a little out of character, and I think that contributed as well.”
“That third quarter—where we would call a play and not actually run the play, drop an ATO and not have the right defender in the right spot—was just out of character, and that got us stagnated.”
Their sluggish play and poor execution allowed Boston to blow the game wide open, outscoring the Lakers 29-13 in the period. JJ Redick pointed to a lack of pace, poor shot selection, and mental lapses in execution as the primary reasons for the team’s struggles.
Redick, who has emphasized offensive discipline and tempo since taking over as head coach, was visibly frustrated with the team’s inability to execute in the third quarter.
The Celtics’ defensive adjustments in the second half played a role, but Redick was more concerned with his team’s mental lapses and lack of execution. He specifically called out moments where the team failed to run designed plays, miscommunicated on inbounds plays, and struggled to position defenders correctly.
The Lakers’ lack of offensive rhythm was evident, with Luka Doncic accounting for nine of their 13 points in the quarter. Outside of Doncic, only LeBron James and Dalton Knecht managed to score, with two points each. The rest of the team was completely shut down, struggling to create quality looks against a locked-in Celtics defense.
Boston, meanwhile, capitalized on every Lakers misstep. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown dominated throughout the game, combining for 71 points, but it was their third-quarter performance that truly shifted the momentum.
The Lakers’ stagnant offense led to poor transition defense, allowing the Celtics to push the pace and extend their lead. The game, which had been within reach at halftime, quickly spiraled out of control.
Injuries certainly played a role in the Lakers’ struggles, with LeBron exiting the game in the fourth quarter due to a groin strain. But Redick refused to use that as an excuse for what transpired in the third quarter.
Despite their eight-game winning streak before this loss, the Lakers’ performance in the second half raised serious concerns about their consistency and ability to compete against elite teams. With LeBron’s status uncertain and Doncic battling through back discomfort, the Lakers will need to regroup quickly if they want to maintain their positioning in the Western Conference standings.
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