“We’re gonna try something different with our lineups, and we’ll see how it goes,” Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick said in the lead-up to Sunday’s game against the Sacramento Kings. It turns out the change involved a new game plan for Luka Doncic, the team’s leading scorer.
Redick subbed Doncic out with 2:31 left in the first quarter, a change in strategy from earlier in the season when the Slovenian played the entire first 12 minutes. According to Spectrum Sports Net’s Mike Trudell, the new game plan will continue going forward, as Redick prefers to stagger the minutes of Doncic and LeBron James.
“JJ Redick said we’ll continue to see the rotation where Luka comes out at the 3 min. mark of the 1st and 3rd instead of going full quarters, with Luka and LeBron being the QB’s of respective units. Redick added that they ran more 2-man action with both when they shared the court,” Trudell reported on X.
Trudell noted that Redick wanted to similarly sub Doncic out at the end of the third quarter, but couldn’t as there was no stoppage in play. As a result, he ensured that LeBron James started the fourth quarter with Doncic on the bench.
Austin Reaves Injury Factor
Redick’s new game plan is directly related to the Lakers losing Austin Reaves, their second-leading scorer, for at least a month with a grade 2 calf strain. When Reaves was in the lineup, the Lakers had the luxury of three playmakers and ball-handlers, allowing either James or Doncic to go to the bench, sometimes even simultaneously.
It appears one of James or Doncic will always be on the floor until Reaves’ return, judging by Redick’s postgame sound. The second-year head coach revealed he went over a new game plan with his co-stars during Saturday’s grueling practice session.
“I’m not surprised at the way those two guys played together tonight, because yesterday was one of the best practices we’ve had with the two of them playing together and just sharing the basketball and playing two-man action,” Redick said of James and Doncic, via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
Lakers Rout the Kings
Redick, who owns a 70-42 record since taking over as Lakers head coach, has repeatedly stressed the need to finish and end quarters with force. In Sunday’s game, the Lakers did just that, as they nearly doubled their 68-53 halftime lead within the first 3-and-a-half minutes of the third quarter courtesy of 13-2 run.
“There were a couple possessions in that 13-2 run where we just started with a five-guys-guarding mentality, and that’s really what we’re after,” Redick said.
“We really just want five guys at all times, on every possession, engaged. That’s sort of the North Star of how we try to build a good defense.”
In Reaves’ absence, Doncic, who finished with a game-high 34 points, realizes that the onus is on him and James to carry the Lakers.
“I think it definitely starts with us,” Doncic said. “And when AR is back, it’s going to be all three of us. But now, it starts with us. We need to show what we can do and if we are going to do it, we both are going to do it. The group is going to follow.”
After snapping their three-game losing streak, the Lakers (20-10) will next face the Detroit Pistons (24-8) on Tuesday night, incidentally on James’ 41st birthday.
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