JJ Redick Cites Physicality As Main Way Lakers Can Improve Defensely https://t.co/tLtFvOnw9I
— LakerTom (@LakerTom) October 2, 2024
Redick gave his honest thoughts as to how the Lakers can improve defensively without having made significant roster changes. He also cited one specific player as someone who could help change their trajectory on that end of the floor.
“Obviously we need to increase our physicality,” Redick said at a recent press conference. “We need to be a better team in terms of contesting shots. We were in the bottom third of the league last year in that.
“I think what will be big for us in sort of the player development work that we’ve done defensively is we’ve talked a lot about having elite presentation and trying to create marginal indecision. That could be in a shift, that could be with low man help, that could be the big up to touch and drop.
JJ Redick likes size and versatility of starting lineup
Lakers head coach JJ Redick announced recently that the team would be returning to their most successful starting lineup of 2023-24. That is the group that went 23-10 in games they started together last season.
Former head coach Darvin Ham experimented with several other lineup pairings, but ultimately landed on this one in the second half of the year when the Lakers desperately needed to go on a run. That lineup had a plus-5.2 net rating after Jan. 1 and was efficient on both ends of the floor.
Redick obviously likes the record associated with that lineup from last year, but he spoke specifically about what he likes when James, Davis, Russell, Reaves and Hachimura are on the court together.