Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick acknowledged his team’s effort but pointed to execution issues following a 126-106 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. Speaking postgame, Redick emphasized that the Lakers competed hard but struggled defensively without key players.
“It was a different loss than the other night in Brooklyn. I thought our competitive level was really high,” Redick said. “I think overall it’s a tough matchup if we’re not at full strength. That’s just reality.”
The Lakers played without LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, and Jaxson Hayes, forcing the team to rely heavily on Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Doncic led all scorers with 45 points and 11 rebounds, while Reaves added 28 points in the loss.
Milwaukee took control in the third quarter with a dominant 31-19 run, led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, who finished with 24 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists. Brook Lopez contributed 23 points, while Damian Lillard and Kevin Porter Jr. each scored 22.
Redick pointed out defensive lapses against Milwaukee’s stars, specifically mentioning the team’s struggles guarding Lillard and Antetokounmpo in the post. “I thought greens were really bad in the post with Giannis, and our rotations out of that were really bad,” Redick explained.
The Lakers kept the game competitive early, with Doncic scoring 29 points by halftime. However, Milwaukee’s depth proved too much, as their bench outscored Los Angeles’ reserves 45-20.
Redick praised Doncic’s ability to handle different defensive coverages, though he noted the team’s overall lack of execution. “Luka looked very comfortable regardless of the coverages they gave him. A couple of those turnovers when they blitzed him weren’t necessarily his fault,” Redick said.
Despite the loss, Redick highlighted Reaves’ performance, saying, “He didn’t score a ton early but then really got it going from the second quarter on and was really fantastic offensively.”
Los Angeles dropped to 40-24 and has now lost three straight games. The team will conclude its road trip against the Denver Nuggets on Friday before returning home.
Milwaukee improved to 37-28, snapping a three-game losing streak and maintaining fourth place in the Eastern Conference. The Bucks capitalized on their depth and efficiency, using a strong second half to pull away.
With James, Hayes, and Hachimura set to be reevaluated before the Lakers’ upcoming homestand, Redick and his team will look to bounce back in the final stretch of the season.
