Lakers head coach JJ Redick highlighted the team’s poise and unselfishness as Los Angeles defeated the Utah Jazz 140-126 on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena.
“Just thought he played with the right spirit. Very unselfish all night… took his drives and his shots when they were there,” Redick said of LeBron James, who returned in the first game of his 23rd NBA season.
Redick noted James’ impact as a facilitator: “He made a lot of great decisions tonight… really good to have him back.” The Lakers’ floor spacing allowed Luka Doncic, who scored 37 points with 10 assists, to dominate in the third quarter as the team overcame a halftime deficit.
The coach also praised the bench during the decisive stretch: “It was Smart, it was Jake, it was Jaxson, it was Gabe hitting a couple big threes… our four guys off the bench really helped us during that stretch.”
Defensively, Redick credited the team’s physicality and adjustments after halftime. “We started pattern recognizing a little bit… we started honoring the game plan,” he said, adding that the Lakers held Utah to 36 points in the first half after giving up 71 earlier.
Redick emphasized the team’s collective energy: “After the game… our poise as a group… not overreacting, not pulling apart, problem solving, all that stuff in real time… a collective spirit, a collective pull all in the right direction.”
Regarding LeBron’s conditioning, Redick said the 40-year-old’s performance exceeded expectations: “I thought it was better than expected… he would have been able to finish the game had we needed him.”
The Lakers are confident integrating James and Doncic in post-up situations. “We feel really comfortable with both LeBron and Luka in the post… they’re good decision makers and they’re going to generate good shots for us,” Redick said.
Redick also reflected on the starting unit’s chemistry: “There were stretches that I thought it was really good… I feel comfortable with that lineup. We’ll continue to build on that.”
Austin Reaves contributed 26 points, and the Lakers shot 60 percent in the second half while outrebounding Utah 41-35. The team returns to Utah for a rematch on Sunday, seeking to continue their three-game winning streak.
