Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick praised his team’s effort despite falling short in a 131-126 loss to the Denver Nuggets. Speaking after the game, Redick highlighted the Lakers’ resilience in battling back despite a rough start to the second half.
“Proud of the group for their level of fight and resiliency, particularly not getting off to a great start there in the second half,” Redick said. “Our transition defense was pretty bad for the first six minutes on. And then fighting back and taking the lead. There’s a lot we could have done better. But the group competed tonight, gave ourselves a chance to win.”
The Lakers, missing multiple key players including LeBron James and Luka Doncic, put up a strong fight before Jamal Murray’s late-game heroics sealed the victory for Denver. Murray drained a clutch three-pointer with 5.6 seconds remaining, and Russell Westbrook followed up with a steal and dunk to secure the win.
Despite the loss, Redick remained positive about his team’s performance. “The spirit was great. It’s been that and will continue to be that,” he said. “I think it was a good opportunity for a number of guys to play bigger minutes. Shake [Milton] in particular, Christian [Koloko] defensively in the second half was awesome. So happy for those guys, they played well.”
Austin Reaves stepped up with a season-high 37 points, while rookie Dalton Knecht added 32 in an impressive showing. Los Angeles now sits at 40-25, holding the fifth seed in the Western Conference, but faces increasing pressure with injuries piling up.
Denver, led by Nikola Jokic’s 28 points and Murray’s 26, improved to 43-24 and maintained its position as the second seed in the West. The Nuggets struggled to close out the game, allowing the shorthanded Lakers to take a late 126-123 lead before Jokic tied it with a three-point play.
Los Angeles struggled to get to the free-throw line, attempting only seven free throws in the first half compared to Denver’s 25. Redick acknowledged areas for improvement but emphasized his pride in the team’s fight. “Very proud of their fight and the way they started the game and the resiliency they showed to get back in the game,” he said.
With a four-game losing streak and injuries piling up, the Lakers face an uphill battle as they try to stay in the playoff hunt.
