The Los Angeles Lakers have grinded through one of the more demanding stretches of the season, and head coach JJ Redick isn’t shy about saying it out loud. The schedule heading into the All-Star break gave them little time to catch their breath, something both Redick and the fanbase noticed.
Despite the chaos, the Lakers managed a 6-4 record over their last ten games and entered the break sitting at 33-21. Redick thinks they could’ve done better, but he’s not pointing fingers at his roster.
After Thursday’s 124-104 win over the Dallas Mavericks, he told reporters the team hasn’t had a full two-day break since December 27. For him, that detail alone captures just how relentless this stretch has been.
“This is probably the hardest schedule that I’ve been a part of in 17 years in the league, prior to the All-Star break. You know, and it’s not that it gets any easier. I mean, we don’t have 2 days between games. Last time we practiced was December 27th.”
“We don’t have 2 days between games from that point until, I think, it’s late March, so it’s almost 3 months stretch. We’ll be able to get some work done in next week on Wednesday and Thursday. It’ll be, it’ll be good for everybody, for the mental and physical reset.”
According to Redick, the Lakers last held a real practice before facing the Sacramento Kings on December 28. Since then, they’ve played 25 games in under seven weeks, often on back-to-backs or with just one day in between. They did get a two-day window between their home game against the Milwaukee Bucks and the road trip to Sacramento, but that’s been about it.
The frustration isn’t just about fatigue, it’s the lack of practice time and recovery, forcing the coaching staff to lean heavily on film sessions and in-game adjustments.
This stretch was not just tough because of the pace. The Lakers faced a brutal mix of playoff contenders and bottom-feeders. They have gone up against the Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs twice, Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Golden State Warriors, and Oklahoma City Thunder. Teams that demand preparation and focus.
It’s been a rollercoaster, and the lack of time to reset has only made it harder. Injuries have not helped either. LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves have all missed games throughout the stretch, creating lineup inconsistency that Redick and his staff have had to manage on the fly. And even with the All-Star break offering some relief, the road ahead does not get much easier.
The Lakers have 28 games remaining, and the schedule is still loaded with dangerous opponents. They’ll face the Pistons once, the Thunder twice, the Boston Celtics once, the Nuggets twice, the Knicks once, and the Houston Rockets twice. That is at least nine matchups where they’ll need to be at their best just to keep pace in the West.
Still, the Lakers climbed to fifth in the Western Conference after the win over Dallas, a spot that didn’t seem guaranteed just a few weeks ago. Redick said he’s comfortable with where they stand, especially considering how much time his key players have missed.
Doncic has been in and out of the lineup. Reaves missed an extended stretch. James wasn’t available at the start of the season. The internal pressure will not go away, this group cares too much for that, but Redick believes the body of work over this period gives them reason to feel encouraged.
“The micro day-to-day stuff that you fret over and you think about all day long, that’s one part of this job. The other part is the macro stuff and the big picture stuff… We’re top five in the West, and we’ve had those guys together for 10 games.”
He’s got a point. Having your stars on the floor together for just 10 out of 54 games is tough for any team trying to build chemistry and consistency. The hope now is that the All-Star break gives everyone a chance to heal up and stay healthy for the final push.
