Lakers head coach JJ Redick took responsibility for his team’s struggles in Wednesday’s 121-92 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“Sometimes when you’re not playing well offensively, it can affect what you’re trying to do defensively,” Redick said, noting confusion on the defensive end as a key factor.
Redick pointed to lapses in execution despite having defensive schemes in place. “SJ scored seven points on an empty wing ISO. That’s our normal defense… coming out of a timeout, we were supposed to be in a zone. Three guys knew it,” he explained, adding, “I’ll take some ownership on that.”
The coach highlighted offensive inefficiency as a contributing factor. “They gave us the advantage a lot and we didn’t take advantage of it,” Redick said, citing missed opportunities in pick-and-roll situations that left the Lakers unable to capitalize.
Despite the first-half collapse, Redick saw some improvement in the second half. “I thought we passed the ball a little bit better… there were a few good offensive sets and early offense that got us good looks,” he noted, but emphasized that overall execution still fell short.
Redick acknowledged the broader context of the team’s performance this season. “I don’t think the Atlanta game and tonight are reflective of who the group is going to be. But it clearly is who the group is right now,” he said, underscoring the need for course correction.
He also addressed decisiveness, rating his team’s performance as a zero out of 10 for most of the game. “If you close out and don’t shoot it, you have to drive it. Too many times we were hesitant,” Redick explained, highlighting individual defensive pressure from the Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Cason Wallace, and Alex Caruso.
Redick praised Gilgeous-Alexander’s performance and mentality. “He’s a killer just like a lot of the best players in the world… he’s the MVP for a reason. Even with attention and scheming, he still figures out a way to get 30,” Redick said, reflecting on the Thunder star’s impact.
The Lakers remain without LeBron James, who practiced for the first time this season, and now face a challenging road trip to New Orleans on Friday. Redick emphasized learning from the game while preparing for upcoming challenges, stressing that clarity, execution, and decisiveness are key to turning their season around.
