The Los Angeles Lakers are off to a fantastic start in JJ Redick’s second season as head coach. The Lakers improved to 13-4 after beating the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday as part of the NBA Cup group play.
In his postgame press conference, Redick was asked by the media about the Lakers’ chemistry and how it continues to show every game. He spilled the beans on what makes the current roster work after some changes in the offseason.
“The bench celebrations, guys running over to pick players up, it’s not required but it shows their hearts and how they like each other. That’s the secret. The guys genuinely enjoy playing with one another, and it shows on the court,” Redick said, via Basket News.
Redick also praised Jaxson Hayes, who stepped up in the absence of Deandre Ayton, who is dealing with a minor knee injury. Hayes only had eight points in 29 minutes, but his impact was felt beyond the numbers. His actions late in the game, protecting Luka Doncic during a scuffle with Kris Dunn, showed how much they care about the team.
Redick Emphasized Importance of Small Interactions
In preparation for the new season, JJ Redick wanted his team to not just be in championship shape, but he also wanted his players to have a championship mindset. One of the things Redick emphasized early in training camp and preseason was the importance of small interactions, as reported by ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
“In any field, small interactions are so important. How many small interactions do you have in a game? You should have thousands. ‘Good screen, good job, good pass.’ That’s what we’re starting to see from our group, which was not great last year… That’s part of our championship communication. That stuff is happening in real time, and we’re happy with the progress we’ve made. Still got a ways to go, it’s happening,” Redick said, via NBA Analysis Network.
After the first five weeks of the season, the Lakers’ only test was surviving without LeBron James, who missed the first 14 games of the season due to sciatica. The Lakers still have a favorable schedule, though they are set to embark on a tough six-game road trip from December 4 to 23.
Reggie Miller Points Possible Problem for Redick
Despite the Los Angeles Lakers’ 13-4 start, Reggie Miller still has questions about the team and coach JJ Redick. Miller was on “The Dan Patrick Show” and focused on a potential problem surrounding the purple and gold franchise.
“The question, I think, going forward is: how is he going to navigate? You’ve got Luka averaging 34 and a half. You’ve got Austin Reaves, the second leading scorer at around 28… How does JJ navigate that having an All-NBA player just a year ago, second team in LeBron? And now you incorporate him within the Lakers structures, who’ve gotten off to a great start,” Miller said, via Basketball Network.
The Lakers are now 3-0 since James returned to the lineup. He also looked comfortable as the team’s third option behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves in those three contests.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post JJ Redick Reveals Driving Force Behind Lakers’ Chemistry appeared first on Heavy Sports.