Head coach JJ Redick has effectively integrated the Los Angeles Lakers’ new acquisitions mid-season, but the road game against the Denver Nuggets presented his most significant challenge to date. Following the blockbuster trade for Luka Dončić, Redick has adjusted the team’s philosophy on both offense and defense, emphasizing small-ball lineups featuring players like Dorian Finney-Smith and Jarred Vanderbilt.
Despite appearing undermanned against Nikola Jokić, the Lakers executed a flawless defensive strategy, consistently swarming Jokić whenever he received the ball in the paint. This approach limited Jokić to just seven shot attempts and 12 points.
Los Angeles Lakers: No Sleep Till Denver!
Offensively, the Lakers capitalized on open three-point opportunities to neutralize the Nuggets’ scoring runs. Redick’s near-perfect game plan, he revealed, came at the expense of his sleep.
Redick notes he hasn’t slept since the Portland game on Thursday in preparation for this game. He said he and his staff spent a lot of time preparing for Denver on both sides of the ball.
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“I thought our guys’ conviction to execute the game plan and stick with that game plan was excellent,” Redick said. “I told the group, there’s certain moments throughout the season that you just get up for. I pretty much haven’t slept since we walked off the court in Portland. I spent a lot of time on this game, our staff spent a lot of time on this game. I envision our guys playing hard, they played harder than I could’ve envisioned. They battled tonight and those were the two things that stood out.”
While the Lakers face a challenging schedule with numerous playoff-caliber opponents in the coming weeks, requiring continued effort from Redick and his coaching staff, the team’s prospects are promising if Redick can consistently develop and implement game plans of this caliber.