Lakers head coach JJ Redick highlighted his team’s late-game execution following Los Angeles’ 128-121 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday. “I just — our defense has been really good in the clutch,” Redick said, pointing to a series of stops that helped seal the victory.
Redick noted the importance of Jaxson Hayes’ presence late in the game. “Once we got Jaxson back in there, we were able to execute a couple blitzes, got some turnovers, just getting multiple stops in a row,” he said. The Lakers limited Memphis to 20 fast-break points despite giving up early offense.
LeBron James’ performance also stood out to Redick, who called him “phenomenal” and credited him for responding whenever the team needed a bucket. “Whether it was driving the basketball, getting into the paint, getting to two feet, he was phenomenal tonight,” Redick said.
Redick praised Jake LaRavia’s effort, particularly on off-ball movement. “I think he’s just made a really concerted effort of late with what we call effort offense — cutting, crashing, running — and got the beneficiary of that tonight,” he said, highlighting LaRavia’s big three-pointer in the fourth quarter.
Marcus Smart and Jarred Vanderbilt also contributed key shots in the fourth, with Redick emphasizing how secondary scorers lifting their game reduces the burden on the team’s stars. “It actually takes the pressure and the load off of LeBron and Luka and AR when he’s in the lineup,” he explained.
When asked about managing James’ minutes, Redick said, “Some of that is what coverage a team’s running… he’s continuing to just do a good job being a screener and then playing off of that.” He noted a play where Hayes read the court and converted a dunk following Reaves’ screen.
Redick also pointed to the energy from LaRavia and Smart as critical. “It can’t just be one guy. When the collective group of them is playing the way they did tonight, it’s huge for our team,” he said, citing their ability to crash the boards, defend with toughness, and generate momentum.
Finally, Redick connected the team’s defensive performance to free-throw opportunities. “We had multiple times we didn’t get matched up after free throws, so it didn’t really help us,” he said, adding that the team’s energy and attention to detail allowed them to execute effectively in half-court sets.
