Lakers' Jj Redick Makes A Case That He's The Right Coach For The Playoffs

The only point that would make nan occupation JJ Redick is doing amended is if he were wearing a suit.

If the Lakers’ coach looked nan part.

The portion of a lawyer, stepping down his guidance successful nan unfastened court. He delivered an airtight opening statement that was stunning for really overmuch stronger it was than opposing coach Ime Udoka’s. And grounds of really acold Redick has come.

Now, look, your honor: The short-on-star-power Lakers winning some games astatine location to return a 2-0 bid lead complete nan heavy favored Houston Rockets successful nan first information of nan Western Conference playoffs? That’s a compelling start.

But Redick, James and Associates are only halfway there; they’re still proving their case.

They still request to beryllium beyond a reasonable uncertainty that their apical domiciled players tin execute arsenic persuasively connected nan roadworthy arsenic they person astatine home.

And they’ll astir apt person to beryllium they tin efficaciously rebut nan Rockets’ adjustments, though those are simply conceptual astatine this point, they’re truthful overdue.

Two games into this bid it looks to us, nan members of nan jury, arsenic though Redick has taken this allegedly open-and-shut case, this slam dunk of a proceedings — and thrown down a reverse.

The Lakers look for illustration nan amended team. Like nan better-constructed team, even. And that’s without injured stars Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, who are hustling backmost arsenic accelerated arsenic their bodies will fto them from hamstring and oblique injuries, respectively.

They look for illustration nan better-coached team.

It’s nan opposing counsel who looks dressed for nan part, Udoka successful a sweatsuit for illustration a dada astatine a Saturday greeting younker convention trying to get his players to get along, pinch conscionable 1 play successful his pocket: Give nan shot to Kevin.

Meanwhile, nan ineligible squad minding nan crippled successful nan Lakers’ huddle is moving laps astir nan guys connected nan different bench.

Coach JJ Redick and guardant LeBron James person helped nan Lakers gain a 2-0 lead successful nan best-of-seven playoff bid agains nan favored Rockets without injured guards Luke Doncic and Austin Reaves.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Exhibit A: One of nan game’s top scorers, Kevin Durant, has been forced by his ain squad to do a batch of ballhandling chores too. So nan Lakers person been double-teaming and blitzing Durant each complete nan court, compelling him into 9 turnovers successful Tuesday’s 101-94 Game 2 victory astatine Crypto.com Arena. Using nan aforesaid strategy, they’ve turned him complete 20 times successful his past 3 meetings pinch nan Lakers, going backmost to nan regular season.

Exhibit B: By playing drop, hedge, man and mixing area defenses, nan Lakers besides person been, according to Marcus Smart’s postgame testimony, “throwing different packages” astatine nan Rockets. It’s working: Houston has grounded to people 100 points successful either crippled of nan series.

Exhibit C: The Lakers are putting nan shot successful Smart’s hands, utilizing him successful a measurement that forces nan Rockets to take sides honestly, alternatively of sagging disconnected him. They’ve besides been intentional pinch really they leverage Luke Kennard, moving actions that overrule his reluctance to shoot. It should please nan tribunal to spot nan man shooting 65.4% (17 for 26) from nan section successful nan first 2 games!

With these strategies and others, nan Lakers look almost to beryllium creating caller precedent for nan laws of basketball, because what do you mean nan Rockets person taken 44 much shots but person been outscored by 16 points?

What makes it truthful wildly awesome is that earlier nan Lakers brought this point to trial, it looked arsenic though it would beryllium thrown retired connected nan grounds of insufficient prima power.

With conscionable 41-year-old LeBron James to transportation them without Doncic and Reaves, Houston seemed truthful overmuch stronger. Physically, connected nan boards, successful conscionable astir each measurement — isolated from successful position of chemistry, camaraderie and communication.

Even Udoka’s grounds seemed superior. In 2021-22, his first (and only) play arsenic nan Boston Celtics’ coach, he led them to nan NBA Finals.

Redick, successful his first playoffs arsenic a coach past year, showed specified contempt for his ain squad and made an absolute insult of nan crippled scheme that sewage nan Lakers to nan postseason successful nan first place. Remember really he panicked, refusing moreover to attack nan chair to springiness his preferred 5 a breather for a afloat losing half successful Game 4 against nan Minnesota Timberwolves? The small fight he threw erstwhile asked astir it earlier nan Game 5 finale?

The Duke postgraduate and self-proclaimed “basketball sicko” has appeared overmuch much prepared this time, overmuch much composed.

He seems to beryllium successful his element, problem-solving alongside his erstwhile podcast host, James, who has stepped correct up pinch 47 points, 20 assists and 16 rebounds — including immoderate highlight-reel dunks and passes — done nan first 2 games. We are each witnesses.

Still, this point is going to past astatine slightest 2 much games, and perchance more, earlier we get a verdict.

And if it goes nan Lakers’ way?

Congratulations, JJ, you will person earned nan estimation arsenic a coach who tin return connected nan toughest cases and triumph them. And do we person an intolerable situation for you adjacent connected nan docket.

The top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder are young, deep, and up 2-0 successful their first-round bid against nan Phoenix Suns. The defending-champion Thunder person tally nan Lakers retired of tribunal successful each gathering this season, beating them by an mean of 29 points. And they’re clever too; referees — those judges connected nan tribunal — ever look truthful sympathetic to OKC.

Would nan Lakers person immoderate chance? Redick is proving he mightiness beryllium capable to make a case.