TITLE: Redick Questions Lakers’ Grit After 132-108 Loss to Suns
SLUG: redick-questions-lakers-effort-after-suns-blowout
CONTENT:
PHOENIX — First-year head coach JJ Redick did not mince words Tuesday night after the Los Angeles Lakers were routed 132-108 by the Phoenix Suns. Asked whether his roster includes enough players “hardwired” to bring steady effort and physicality, Redick answered simply, “No.”
The defeat was Los Angeles’ third in five games and its ninth overall — every setback this season has come by at least 10 points. Despite a 19-9 record and a spot at No. 4 in the Western Conference, the club’s cumulative point differential sits at just plus-8 through 28 contests.
Defense Slides to 24th
After climbing to 17th in defensive rating during the back half of last season, the Lakers have fallen to 24th to open 2025-26. The issues were glaring in the third quarter at Footprint Center, where Phoenix outscored L.A. 45-29 while shooting 72.7% from the field and 83.3% from beyond the arc.
“We practice it, we watch film — it all comes down to making the choice,” Redick said. “You can take shortcuts, or you can do the hard things like sprinting back and making a second effort.”
Lineup in Flux
LeBron James posted 23 points and six assists in 26 minutes. Austin Reaves, returning from a strained left calf that sidelined him three games, contributed 17 points off the bench under a minutes restriction.
The Lakers played without starters Luka Doncic (left calf contusion) and Rui Hachimura (right groin soreness); both are listed day-to-day ahead of the Christmas Day matchup against the Houston Rockets. James previously missed the season’s first 14 games because of sciatica, underscoring the team’s ongoing health concerns.
Players Echo Frustration
James repeated a familiar refrain — “It has to be five guys on a string” — while Reaves emphasized total focus on every possession. Newly signed guard Marcus Smart, acquired for his defensive reputation, was even harsher, calling the team’s recent performance “real s—ty.”
“There’s really no scheme when we’re giving up offensive rebounds or letting guys go wherever they want,” Smart said. “There’s no help, no resistance, no urgency. JJ is right — it’s on us.”
With the trade deadline roughly six weeks away, continued defensive lapses could prompt roster changes if improvement does not materialize.
Source: ESPN
