Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick addressed his team’s 126-105 loss to the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on Friday night, reflecting on both the positives and the areas that fell short. Redick noted that despite the blowout, his team’s fight remained evident throughout the contest.
“We had the highest paint touch rate we’ve had in the half, I think, or one of the highest,” Redick said. “We’ve been one of the best non-rim paint two teams in the league. We shot five for 13 there… we outscored them by one the last three quarters. Unfortunately, that’s not how basketball works, and you end up losing the game by 21.”
Redick singled out Boston’s hot shooting from deep, particularly Jaylen Brown and Jordan Walsh. “I wanted Jaylen Brown, a low 30% off the dribble three-point shooter. He hits three threes in a row in the third quarter. Jordan Walsh… hits four of them. We ended up getting a contest on three of them. They made us pay.”
He also explained the use of an internal metric called “expected score” to evaluate performance. “It’s based on shot quality and scoring opportunity battle… we know what it is at halftime every game,” Redick said, emphasizing that the analytics help the team understand where they stand against opponents in real time.
On Gabe Vincent’s performance, Redick praised his progression since returning from an ankle injury. “We’ve talked about trying to get him back into a rhythm… it was good to see him make some shots tonight,” Redick said, noting Vincent’s ability to step into a starting role with Luka Doncic out.
Redick also reiterated the importance of focusing on process over results. “The tape is not going to lie in terms of effort and physicality. I thought our group had the right spirit. We talked about it after the game and at halftime… it’s consistent with our message this season.”
He highlighted the challenge posed by Boston’s roster construction and shooting ability. “It’s tough when you have guys that can break down their defender and force a reaction from the defense… Derrick White, Walsh, Josh Minott—they can all shoot and make defenses pay,” Redick said.
Looking ahead, Redick hopes for a full lineup for Sunday’s matchup in Philadelphia. “The hope for everybody is that they’re available Sunday,” he said, referencing both LeBron James and Luka Doncic.
