LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers saw their nine-game winning streak snapped Monday night when a late rally fell short against the Detroit Pistons. Head coach JJ Redick, speaking on Spectrum SportsNet after the game at Crypto.com Arena, said the loss did not alter his confidence in the team’s potential.
“We’re a good basketball team,” Redick said, noting that the club’s recent surge coincided with one of its few healthy stretches this season. The Lakers erased a 16-point deficit to briefly seize the lead, but Detroit held on in the closing seconds.
Redick pointed to the absence of guard Marcus Smart and forward Rui Hachimura as a critical factor. “Not having Smart tonight killed us,” he said, citing the veteran’s ball-handling and perimeter defense. Hachimura’s outside shooting, Redick added, is another element that balances the rotation.
The coach praised forward Jarred Vanderbilt for making the most of his minutes and emphasized that, since the mid-season trade for Luka Doncic, the Lakers have performed well whenever their full nine-man rotation is intact.
Doncic continues to post MVP-caliber numbers, while Austin Reaves and LeBron James have settled comfortably into complementary roles. Redick said the priority now is to “finish the season strong” and, above all, healthy.
Los Angeles will try to rebound on Wednesday when it hosts the Indiana Pacers.
Source: LakersNation.com
