"Can't make that many mistakes": JJ Redick rues Lakers' 24-pt blowout loss to Cavs as team loses two in a row
JJ Redick was a picture of disappointment after the LA Lakers went down 134-110 to the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Wednesday. The loss marked the second of the season under his tenure as head coach and the former sharpshooter didn't mince words when talking about the stinging defeat. The Lakers are now 0-2 on their five-game road trip.
Speaking to the media in the aftermath of the loss, Redick initially lavished praise on the Cavaliers, before saying the Lakers received a punch in their mouths.
"When you play a good basketball team, you can't make that many mistakes. We made mistakes. Rotations, and not executing our switches early, did a lot of things that forced us into these mistakes early. But, when you play a good basketball team, you can't make those mistakes."
This comes on the back of the 40-year-old fuming and seething after the team's loss to the Phoenix Suns earlier this week. The 109-105 loss had Redick reportedly upset in the locker room after the game. With the loss, the Lakers are now under pressure to crank up wins in their remaining three away games.
JJ Redick explains how the Lakes can stave off transition defense issues after a loss to the Cavaliers
Familiar issues of turnovers and transition defense rose to the fore for the Lakers, and JJ Redick weighed in on the issue. Speaking to reporters in the same presser, he said:
"You have to stay at a limbo, number one. And your offense has to help your defense. So, if you turn the ball over and you’re not getting back, your transition defense is gonna suck."
The Lakers were once again dependent on LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The 4x NBA champion propped up a game-high 26 points. Davis continued to be a double-double machine with 22 points and 13 rebounds. Their efforts weren't enough as the Lakers were outplayed by the pacy Cavaliers outfit.
Much depends on how LA can shore up and learn from their mistakes as they head to the Scotiabank Arena to take on the Toronto Raptors. Only time will tell if they can bounce back to winning ways when they face off on Friday and JJ Redick's era that looks promising continues to get back on track.