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Dave McMenaminMar 11, 2025, 12:40 AM ET
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- Lakers and NBA reporter for ESPN.
- Lined the Lakers and NBA for ESPNLosAngeles.com from 2009-14, the Cavaliers from 2014-18 for ESPN.com and the NBA for NBA.com from 2005-09.
NEW YORK — A visibly perturbed Los Angeles Lakers trainer JJ Redick did not care that his staff was once lacking 3 starters, together with famous person LeBron James, after Monday’s 111-108 loss to the Brooklyn Nets.
The gamers who have been to be had did not play as much as the staff’s requirements.
“I believe it was once an excessively low-level verbal exchange recreation for our staff,” Redick stated. “I don’t believe being short-handed is an excuse for a way we performed basketball this night.”
But even so James, sitting out his first recreation since maintaining a strained left groin towards the Boston Celtics on Saturday, L.A. was once with out beginning middle Jaxson Hayes (knee), beginning ahead Rui Hachimura (knee) and key reserve Dorian Finney-Smith (ankle).
The Lakers led via as many as 15 issues early, and their protection held Brooklyn to just 16 issues within the first quarter on 31.6% capturing.
All of it went downhill from there.
“I believe it was once simply an general mentality simply to take shortcuts this night,” Redick stated. “Wish to be a just right staff? You wish to have to win within the NBA? You were given to do the exhausting stuff. We could not even go to one another. We could not input our offense, working ball monitors actually at half of courtroom. Yeah, that is going to finally end up in a turnover. I do not know what we are doing.”
Luka Doncic, when requested about Redick’s complaint of the staff’s verbal exchange, took accountability for the loss.
“When JJ stated [that] about verbal exchange these days, that was once vital,” Doncic stated. “That is my fault and we will have to have accomplished higher at that.”
Doncic logged his 2d triple-double as a Laker with 22 issues, 12 assists and 12 rebounds, however he shot 8-for-26 (3-for-10 from 3) with 5 turnovers.
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The Nets time and again blitzed Doncic with two defenders — one thing Doncic says he has noticed too repeatedly to rely all the way through his occupation — however he failed to select it aside correctly towards Brooklyn.
Austin Reaves, L.A.’s different number one playmaker but even so Doncic with James out, additionally neared a triple-double (17 issues, 10 assists, 8 rebounds) however shot 3-for-14.
“I simply concept I performed extremely unhealthy,” Reaves stated. “That is, actually, you already know, about up to I will be able to say about that. It is irritating now not serving to your staff win. When Bron’s out, I were given to be higher and I wasn’t. That is one of the vital causes we misplaced.”
Los Angeles won key contributions from a number of function gamers, with Gabe Vincent moving into the beginning lineup to attain his maximum issues as a Laker (24 issues on 8-for-12 capturing and 6-of-9 from 3); rookie Dalton Knecht scoring 19 issues; and two-way guard Jordan Goodwin scoring 17 issues off the bench, hitting a occupation prime 5 3-pointers (in six makes an attempt) with 8 rebounds.
“I believe I will have to have helped extra,” Doncic stated when requested concerning the trio of Vincent, Knecht and Goodwin. “However all of them performed nice. We were given to have the similar mentality transferring ahead. Accidents are going to occur and it has got to be a next-man-up mentality.”
The Lakers’ two-game dropping streak, mixed with the Memphis Grizzlies’ three-game successful streak, has them only a half-game up on Memphis for No. 3 within the Western Convention standings.
With assets telling ESPN’s Shams Charania that James was once anticipated to be sidelined a minimum of 1-2 weeks as a result of his damage, issues don’t seem to be going to get any more uncomplicated.
Particularly with the time table packing six video games within the span of 8 days beginning with a highway back-to-back towards Milwaukee and Denver on Thursday and Friday.
Redick stated he deliberate to get his staff at the courtroom for a unprecedented observe sooner than Thursday’s recreation to wash issues up sooner than the treacherous stretch.
“Everyone’s were given to shop for in to serving to the staff achieve success,” Reaves stated. “And prefer I have stated two or thrice already, I have were given to be higher. I imply, we will get started there with me. I were given to be higher.”
