Redick Blasts Lakers’ Lack of Defensive Intensity After Blowout Loss
redick-blasts-lakers-defense-intensity
The Los Angeles Lakers left Phoenix on Tuesday night with a 132-108 defeat and a 19-9 record, but head coach JJ Redick was far more concerned with the way his team is guarding than with the standings.
Los Angeles owns a 117.6 defensive rating, 24th in the NBA. The six clubs below them each have 10 or fewer victories, underscoring Redick’s frustration.
“We practice this stuff enough, we review it enough, we show film enough,” Redick said after the loss. “At the end of the day it comes down to making the choice. You can take shortcuts or you can make the hard second effort and sprint back. Can you make the vast majority of those choices correctly? It gives you a chance to win.”
Missing Last Season’s High-Energy Pieces
According to Dan Woike of The Athletic, the organization believes this season’s roster has a higher ceiling, citing Luka Dončić’s growing comfort in Los Angeles and the collection of scoring options around him. However, Woike noted that relentless defenders Dorian Finney-Smith and Jordan Goodwin, both acquired mid-season in 2024-25, are no longer on the roster.
Smart’s Impact — and His Concern
The Lakers tried to offset those departures by signing former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart. In Smart’s 523 minutes, the club’s defensive rating is 111.9, a figure that would rank fifth league-wide. When he sits, that number swells to 119.1.
“We’re being real soft right now, and it’s showing,” Smart said. “There’s no scheme that fixes giving up offensive rebounds in crucial moments or letting guys get wherever they want. There’s no help, no resistance, no urgency. JJ’s right — it’s on us.”
Looking Ahead to the Deadline
Woike reported internal doubts that the solution to the Lakers’ defensive problems is already in the building. With the trade deadline set for February 5, the front office is expected to explore deals for players who can provide immediate help on that end of the floor.
Source: Hoops Rumors
