Fired-up Lakers coach JJ Redick doesn't hold back after another late-quarter fumble: "So bad!"
JJ Redick did not hold back when addressing the LA Lakers’ late-quarter execution during their game against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday. The first-year head coach noted that poor execution has been a recurring issue for the team over their last three games.
In the final 65 seconds of the second quarter, the Lakers missed three field goals and surrendered six points to the Spurs. An Austin Reaves 3-pointer at the buzzer bailed them out, securing a 58-47 halftime lead.
Despite the lead, JJ Redick voiced his frustration about the team’s performance during the broadcast.
“Our end-of-quarter execution has been so bad the last three games. So bad!” he said.
He also emphasized the need for improvement in closing out plays.
“Our defense was awesome in the first half. It really was. I thought our physicality was great. I thought our cover mentality was great, helping each other. I feel like we’ve got to be a little bit better with our closeouts.”
JJ Redick says Lakers’ defensive problems are ‘personnel-based’
The LA Lakers entered their matchup tonight riding a three-game losing streak, which included a last-second loss to the Orlando Magic on a Franz Wagner 3-pointer and consecutive blowout defeats of 25+ points against the Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns.
Following the Phoenix loss, head coach JJ Redick stressed the need for the Lakers to bring more intensity on defense and focus on being disruptive, though he acknowledged the team faces “personnel-based” challenges in executing that style of play.
"I would say, if you think about being disruptive, I think it starts there. Some of it is personnel-based, we don't necessarily have a ton of guys that can go and pick up full court,” he said (per Fadeaway World).
“But teams are trying to disrupt what we do, just like we're trying to disrupt what other teams are doing. And whether that's with screening action of DHOs, whatever it may be, we need to be better there."
The Lakers currently rank second-worst in defensive rating, sitting at 118.2 according to NBA Advanced Stats, narrowly ahead of a three-way tie at 118.3 between the New Orleans Pelicans, Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards. They also rank in the bottom five in defensive rebounding and the bottom 10 in both steals and blocks per game.
The Lakers allow the fourth-most points in the paint and the second-most fastbreak points in the league.