The Los Angeles Lakers suffered a loss at the hands of the L.A. Clippers on Thursday night. That loss brought them to 6-6 in January, dropping them to the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference and into a virtual tie with the Phoenix Suns for No. 7. Head coach JJ Redick simply couldn’t find a lineup that could take control of the game offensively.
Luka Doncic and LeBron James were the only players to reach 20 points in the game, combining for 55 points on a poor 20-for-46 from the field. Nobody else scored more than 12. One of the key moments of the game for the Lakers came at the end of the first half, when they scored just two points in the final 3:03, while the Clippers scored nine points in that same span.
L.A.’s defense has been a struggle all season long, which isn’t surprising. But the offense having such poor stretches consistently is more of a shock. Redick explained what happened during that run, having critiques on both sides of the ball, but focusing more on offense, via Spectrum SportsNet:
“Just a poor job of defensive coverage execution, and just didn’t trust each other on offense. Not enough passing. And that was a lot of the game, not enough passing. That’s a consistent thing when we don’t play well. We don’t pass to each other, and we don’t execute defensively.”
Redick expanded on the team’s lack of passing, citing trust as a significant factor and saying it has to come from the top of the depth chart.
“There’s gotta be a trust factor with all our guys, just to trust the pass. That starts with Luka, he’s going to have the ball the most of everyone. He’s gotta trust the pass. He’s got two on him, he’s playing in a crowd, he’s gotta pass the ball. And I think as much as we can talk about being connected on defense, you gotta be connected on offense.”
The Lakers coach was then asked whether external factors — such as the trade deadline and the high number of expiring contracts on the roster — could be affecting these issues.
“I think it just goes back to the human element of everything. Guys are worried about their futures, and that’s what happens when you’ve got a team full of free agents and player options. I think it’s just natural that you’re going to worry about the offense. I’ve been there, you can get in your head a little bit. Oh I’ve played five minutes, haven’t got a shot yet. And that’s a human thing, it’s not anybody’s fault.”
All of this suggests Redick sees fundamental problems in L.A. that won’t be fixed in one or two games. It’s something that may not get fixed this year at all, so long as the team’s salary structure is what it is.
Regardless, it starts with Luka — as Redick said — to initiate that trust and create a more free-flowing offense.
JJ Redick: Lakers must keep Deandre Ayton involved
One major topic surrounding the Lakers in the last few weeks — in a similar vein to Thursday’s loss — has been Deandre Ayton’s involvement in the offense. He has made it clear he thinks he’s not getting enough touches, and Redick seems to agree.