LOS ANGELES — Head coach JJ Redick praised the Los Angeles Lakers for finishing Emirates NBA Cup group play unbeaten but said the team’s focus has already shifted to a demanding stretch of regular-season games.
Los Angeles improved to 14-4 after a 129-119 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Nov. 18 at Crypto.com Arena, closing West Group B with a 4-0 mark. The win came despite an early-season injury list that has included LeBron James (sciatica, first 14 games) and rotation players Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart and Gabe Vincent.
“I’m really pleased we went undefeated in our pool,” Redick said postgame. “More importantly, we’ve got a back-to-back coming up and a really hard road trip. Phoenix is playing great. New Orleans has a ton of talent. We’ve got to take care of business in the next two games, and then be great on the road like we have been most of the year outside of two games. The Cup is, in some ways, a distant memory for the next 12 days.”
The Lakers remain home for consecutive games against the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday and the Phoenix Suns on Monday. A three-game trip follows with stops at the Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers.
Los Angeles has relied heavily on Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves while waiting for James and other veterans to return to full strength. Redick said the Cup’s group stage provided useful high-stakes repetitions but emphasized the need for “48 minutes of consistent play” as the regular season continues.
The Lakers are one of two franchises to capture an Emirates NBA Cup title, and Redick confirmed the roster is motivated to add another when tournament play resumes on Dec. 10.
Source: LakersNation.com
