Without Anthony Davis, the Lakers generally missed out on their match in Memphis. They were sucked in by the Grizzlies' pace, then sickened by the winning baskets of Ja Morant and his teammates. JJ Redick never found the solution to put his troops back upright. For the coach, only one player has evolved at his level: LeBron James.
“I think LeBron was fantastic”, comments the coach on the 39 points of his star. “That’s what stands out the most. He played hard. He is almost 40 years old and he gave the most in the team. That says a lot about him. »
“Basically, and especially when players are missing, you have to fight”reacts LeBron James, who also sometimes took care of Jaren Jackson Jr. in defense, near the circle. “We have to fight even harder, give everything we have on both ends of the pitch. We did it a few times, but the majority of the time the energy and effort was not sustained enough. »
The Los Angeles coach therefore did not appreciate the efforts of his players, considered insufficient. When asked at a press conference how he planned to tell his players, JJ Redick replied: “I just did it. » He then told journalists, as he left the press room, that it was “the first thing” that he had told his players.
An absent defense, a failed “road trip”
Before that, his rotations had already given a clue to the technician's feeling of anger. D'Angelo Russell, quite transparent with 12 points at 4/12 shooting, only played 6 minutes in the second half.
“The level of competition, the attention to detail, things we’ve been talking about for a few weeks”lists JJ Redick to justify this choice. “He was sometimes good at those things but, at other times, he reverted to his old, bad habits. It wasn't a punishment. Simply, to hope to win this match, it was the route to take. »
It would have taken more skill to win. D'Angelo Russell therefore shot 2/9 at 3-pts, just like Austin Reaves, when Dalton Knecht finished with an awful 1/7 at 3-pts and Gabe Vincent with an ugly 1/6… A clumsiness at 3 -points which are repeated and which contrast with the 17/34 of the Grizzlies in this exercise.
Even if LeBron James first wants to emphasize Los Angeles' failing defense. “We have to defend. They shot well from 3-point range, were in the paint, took offensive rebounds, scored points on second chances and also in transition”regrets the best scorer in history, facing this fourth defeat in five matches during this “road trip” which is now over.
