Lakers head coach JJ Redick highlighted the team’s collective focus in Tuesday’s 141-116 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. “I thought it just started with, you know, our pregame meeting and thought the guys were…we got to a good place to go compete and go play for each other,” Redick said.
He pointed to the team’s energy and ball movement early as key to the win. “We went for the kill shot there to start the third and got the big lead,” Redick noted. “Second night of a back-to-back, Atlanta’s one of the fastest-paced teams in the league…we were able to resettle ourselves and then ended up with 39 in the fourth quarter.”
Redick emphasized trust and consistency as the foundation of the Lakers’ performance. “There’s stuff you can do in basketball in terms of X’s and O’s, but there’s got to be trust. Our group has responded a number of times throughout the year.”
The coach also shared insight into his pregame routine. “Most of the time I have a plan for those meetings…today I had a plan. We met pregame, it was a 10-minute meeting, we showed the Atlanta stuff, we huddled up, we got to the right place.”
Gabe Vincent’s early shooting contributed to the team’s rhythm, according to Redick. “Gabe made some shots yesterday in the second half…he’s a fighter, he’s a winner and he’s a pro,” Redick said.
LeBron James’ performance, narrowly missing a triple-double, earned special praise. “There’s no decision that gets made for him…his competitive stamina is off the charts. He just said, ‘I’m going to try, I’m going to do everything I can, do my normal routine.’”
Redick also lauded the combined leadership of James and Luka Doncic. “Both those guys completely led the group tonight. 22 assists between them, obviously they made some shots, but they did a great job of leading the group.”
On the broader context of LeBron’s 23rd season, Redick reflected on the superstar’s dedication. “It’s unfortunate how much this guy puts into it and how much he cares…the way certain people talk about him…it’s crazy. Come be around him every day and see how much this guy cares. It’s off the charts.”
The Lakers’ balanced effort included James finishing with 31 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds, while Doncic added 27 points and 12 assists. Jake LaRavia and Deandre Ayton each scored 17 points, helping Los Angeles shoot 58 percent from the floor and 56 percent from three-point range.
