Head coach JJ Redick believes the upcoming All-Star break has arrived “at a good time” for the Los Angeles Lakers, who reach the midway point of Redick’s second season with a 33-21 record and the Western Conference’s No. 5 seed.
Los Angeles owns the NBA’s No. 11 offense, No. 23 defense and No. 16 net rating, posting a neutral 0.0 point differential despite being one of only two teams above .500 without a positive margin. The club trails the third-place Denver Nuggets by 1.5 games.
Injuries Cloud First-Half Picture
Assessing the season has been difficult, Redick said, because the team’s three top players have shared the floor only 10 times. Luka Dončić, the league’s scoring leader, has missed 12 games; LeBron James has sat out 18; and Austin Reaves has been unavailable for 26.
Grueling Schedule
Redick called the Lakers’ pre-break slate “probably the hardest” he has experienced in 17 NBA seasons. The club last held a two-day gap between games on Dec. 27 and will not have another until late March, leaving little practice time. The team is scheduled to hold workouts next Wednesday and Thursday.
Defensive Uptick
While the Lakers rank 23rd defensively on the season, they have climbed to 11th since Jan. 29. Redick credited improved communication and effective use of zone schemes but noted “there’s still some things that we can get a lot better at.”
Big-Picture Satisfaction
Despite daily “internal pressure,” Redick said the broader view is encouraging: “If you told me in September we’d be top five in the West with our core together for only 10 games, I’d feel good.” He added that Los Angeles has won 13 of its last 14 contests outside of a recent loss to San Antonio.
Locker-Room Confidence
Rookie guard Bronny James echoed his coach’s optimism, stating the roster believes it can contend once healthy. “It’s just gonna come down to playing hard and playing smart and winning games,” he said.
The Lakers resume play after the break looking to solidify playoff position and continue their defensive progress.
Source: Lakers Nation
