Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick said his team showed improvement in competitiveness despite falling 111–103 to the Golden State Warriors in Sunday’s preseason matchup at Chase Center.
“Like you saw that competitive level that you were looking for. Much better,” Redick said postgame. “Part of what we’re trying to do is do it consistently over and over and over. We played about 38 minutes of good basketball.”
Redick acknowledged stretches where the Lakers lost control, notably at the end of the first half and early in the third quarter. “They finished on a 10-0 run and then I’m not sure what was going on at the start of the third quarter,” he said. “Outside of those two stretches, I thought we played much better.”
Gabe Vincent led Los Angeles with 16 points and five assists, while Dalton Knecht added 12 off the bench. Despite improved energy, the Lakers shot just 41.7 percent from the field and gave up 40 points in the third quarter.
Redick highlighted Jarred Vanderbilt’s offseason development, calling him one of the team’s most improved players. “I’ve been very impressed by just the amount of work that he’s done this summer on his game,” Redick said. “His body is significantly better than this time last year. His handle is tighter, and I’ve never seen him make a Euro finish before.”
Vanderbilt scored nine points and grabbed seven rebounds in 21 minutes. Redick said his evolving jump shot could change the team’s spacing. “The shot is sort of the big thing with him,” he said. “If he can be a consistent three-point shooter for us, that unlocks a lot.”
Asked about potential lineup changes, Redick said rotations will be earned, not given. “Everything’s going to have to be earned,” he said. “We started 24 lineups last year. The lineup that started the season for us started eight games together, and we made a change. I’m of course open to things.”
The second-year head coach also discussed Vincent’s adjustment to playing more off the ball compared to his time in Miami. “Whether he likes a role, doesn’t like a role, you’re going to get the same version of him every single day,” Redick said. “He just has a natural way of moving with urgency, and we for sure need that.”
Redick praised rookie Jake LaRavia’s effort but noted areas for growth. “He’s incredibly versatile and does a lot of things really well,” he said. “At times tonight, he got a little sped up trying to do too much, but that’s not the role he’s going to have for us.”
The Lakers fell to 0–2 in preseason play, while Golden State improved to 1–0 behind 19 points from Moses Moody and 14 from Stephen Curry.
