Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick had a lot of positive things to say about his team ahead of Game 2 of the Lakers-Wolves series. Following what he claims to be “the best practice” the team has had in months, Redick revealed a major factor that would boost the team in the upcoming game.
“We probably could have done a few more scrimmages,” stated Redick as per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. The Lakers’ head coach also emphasized that the team’s poor organization and coordination were a reason for the outcome in Game 1.
“Being organized is screening. Being organized is getting to the proper spacing. Being organized is getting the corners filled after makes and misses. That’s being organized,” said Redick, highlighting the minor details that mark the difference between winning and losing.
Redick concluded by saying: “We just have to do a lot of things better, and it starts with playing harder and being organized.”
The Los Angeles Lakers seemed out of sorts during Game 1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. A 117-95 loss is an accurate depiction of their performance.
Although the Lakers started the game off well, they saw a drastic drop-off in performance from the second quarter onwards. Meanwhile, the Wolves started knocking down shots at an impressive rate, and with the gaps in the Lakers’ defense widening, Minnesota made sure to exploit the situation.
Lakers star Luka Doncic had himself a solid scoring night with 37 points and eight rebounds. Unfortunately, the star’s efforts weren’t supported by the rest of the team. A lot of things went wrong for Los Angeles in this regard.
The Lakers struggled as they shot an underwhelming 39.8% from the field. Players such as Austin Reaves and Dorian Finney-Smith also looked tentative with the ball, as the hesitation to shoot led to costly turnovers and missed opportunities.
Meanwhile, Minnesota saw fantastic performances across the board. Naz Reid had himself a night, as he recorded 23 points on 6-9 shooting from beyond the arc. Jaden McDaniels was the team’s highest scorer with 25 points to go with nine rebounds.
However, the best player on the floor was certainly Wolves guard Anthony Edwards, who successfully answered the challenge issued to him. With 22 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists, Edwards rose to the occasion and asserted himself. The numbers do not do justice to the influence the 23-year-old star had on the game.
The Lakers have a lot of work to do if they hope to make a comeback from this loss. While strategies will be a vital part of the process, the team also needs to focus on the intent with which they play first.
With several uncharacteristic aspects of the performance being addressed during practice, Redick and the Lakers will aim to tie the series up in Game 2 on Tuesday at 10:00 pm ET.
