The Los Angeles Lakers are looking to bounce back after a tough Game 1 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, and head coach JJ Redick is stressing the importance of playing harder and being more organized.
The Lakers were dominated in the opener, losing 117-95. Minnesota’s balanced offense, including a playoff-record 21 three-pointers, left the Lakers with little room to recover. Redick acknowledged the need for improvements ahead of Game 2, which will take place Tuesday night in Los Angeles.
“We just have to do a lot of things better, and it starts with playing harder and being organized,” Redick said, addressing the team’s overall approach to the series. “We need to play sharper in all aspects of the game.”
In his comments about Luka Doncic’s fast start in Game 1, Redick made it clear that preparation for postseason basketball is no different from the regular season. “The guys are comfortable with that,” Redick said when asked about Doncic’s explosive first quarter. The Lakers have shown they can handle big moments, but consistency remains an issue.
One challenge Redick identified from Game 1 was the lack of rhythm after extended breaks. “Yeah, we talked about it as a staff right after the game. Should we have scrimmaged more?” he said. “This week, we probably could have done a few more scrimmages, but we had our best practice in months.”
The Lakers’ defensive issues were also a point of focus. Despite Minnesota’s three-point barrage, Redick was quick to point out that the problem wasn’t a lack of attention to Anthony Edwards. Instead, the team’s physicality came into question. “It wasn’t about not showing bodies to Edwards. The physicality aspect was more important,” Redick added.
The Lakers were criticized for their lack of physicality in Game 1, with Austin Reaves mentioning they were not aggressive enough. Redick agrees but doesn’t think it’s a major concern moving forward. “We’ve been one of the more physical teams since mid-January,” he explained. “Saturday’s game was an aberration in terms of physicality.”
Looking ahead to Game 2, Redick made it clear: the Lakers must be prepared to play with more intensity. “We have to be more focused, more physical,” he concluded. “We can’t give away all our adjustments, but we have to do a lot better.”
