LOS ANGELES — The Lakers are 19–10 and sit fourth in the West. Despite being nine games above .500, concern is growing in Los Angeles. A three-game losing skid has exposed familiar issues. Houston punctuated that slide with a Christmas Day blowout. Amid the spiral, the Lakers need to play Adou Thiero more.
Time For The Lakers To Reverse Their Adou Thiero Decision
Offense Holding, Defense Cratering
The Lakers own the league’s seventh-best offense. Injuries have forced players in and out of the rotation. When healthy, they can field a top-three offense. That potential still exists despite recent struggles. The defense tells a different story. The Lakers carried a middling defense for most of the season. Over the last two weeks, it has cratered. They now rank among the league’s bottom-five defenses. That decline has caused major headaches for JJ Redick and his staff. They have leaned on effort and focus. That approach seems to have hit a brick wall.
Redick’s Frustration Boils Over
“We don’t care enough right now,” Redick said after the 27-point loss to Houston. “And that’s the part that bothers you a lot. We don’t care enough to do the things that are necessary. We don’t care enough to be a professional.”
“The two words of the day were effort and execution,” Redick added. “When we do both at a high level, we’re a good basketball team. When we don’t, we’re terrible. Tonight, we were terrible. That started right away.”
The Banshee Identity
Redick understands this roster lacks elite defensive talent outside Marcus Smart and Jarred Vanderbilt. He expects the team to compensate with effort. He wants them to play like banshees.
“Banshee” became internal shorthand during Redick’s first season. The term reflects an identity. It is also the name of a group chat with assistants Greg St. Jean, Beau Levesque, Ty Abbott, and Michael Wexler. They applied it to players coaches trust. Those players embrace physicality, effort, and unglamorous work. They prioritize winning above all else. Redick has used the label broadly.
Why Adou Thiero Fits
Thiero fits the banshee mold with jaw-dropping athleticism and a nonstop motor. Rob Pelinka maneuvered aggressively in June’s draft. He moved up multiple times in the second round to select Thiero at No. 36. Thiero fills an immediate need on a roster lacking above-the-rim athletes. His seven-foot wingspan gives him disruptive upside. He averaged 1.6 steals during his junior season at Arkansas. That number highlights his instincts. He covers ground defensively. Thiero has the lateral quickness to switch across forward spots. He also has the length to contest at the rim.
Thiero uses speed, motor, and reach to impact the glass and open court. He thrives in transition. He finishes above the rim or draws fouls with long strides. Thiero attacks closeouts as a straight-line slasher. These traits align perfectly with Redick’s vision. To revive their defense, the Lakers must give Adou Thiero real minutes.