Los Angeles Lakers Embrace a New Era Under Coach JJ Redick
In a surprising move, the Los Angeles Lakers have appointed JJ Redick as their new head coach, after a storied career as a player and a smooth transition to broadcasting. As the team embarks on the new NBA season, Redick is already making his mark, aiming to revitalize the Lakers with an increased emphasis on offensive dynamism and perimeter shooting.
The dawn of this fresh chapter sees the Lakers entering the regular season with a few notable goals, primarily revolving around increasing their three-point attempts. "If you look at it, for us and our group to take 40 threes in a game, that's promising. It's promising," Redick remarked. "We can get it up to 50, hopefully, but 40 is good." This ambition crystallizes his vision of expanding the Lakers' shooting range while maintaining a potent inside game.
The Lakers, striving for improved offensive fluidity, have shown hints of transformation compared to last season's criticisms of static playing. Highlighting this shift, the team recorded 334 passes in their season opener, a stark increase from last season's average of 267.5 passes per game. This uptick in movement mirrors an approach focused on teamwork and efficiency over isolated plays.
In their two regular-season games, the Lakers have managed an average of 28.5 three-point attempts per game. Redick has been vocal about pushing this number up by five or six more attempts each contest. Under his leadership, the roster is encouraged to remain adaptable, harnessing both crafted plays and instantaneous decision-making to make the most of their potential scoring opportunities.
Despite an initial preseason setback in a loss against the Golden State Warriors, the Lakers are not deterred. Their performance revealed promising insights. In their clash against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Lakers outmaneuvered their opponents by a significant 32 points in the paint, displaying their prowess in scoring through high-percentage shots and physical play under the basket.
Moreover, the Lakers have leveraged their aggressive style to earn 64 trips to the foul line across two games. This aggressiveness, paired with strategic off-ball plays, also allows them to capitalise on cuts, having so far accumulated 37 points from cutting plays, averaging 18.5 points per game this way.
Exhibiting unselfishness and precision, the Lakers assisted on a remarkable 33 of their 40 field goals in their game against Phoenix. This strategy echoes Redick's overall philosophy of enhanced offensive motion and strategic perimeter play—a blend that aims to maximise scoring from both beyond the arc and within the paint.
While the current season is still in its infancy, the Lakers under Redick are an intriguing work in progress. Striking a balance between newfound enthusiasm for three-point shooting and an established strong inside game, the team is steadily finding its identity. For a squad that has faced its share of criticism for stagnant offense, Redick's focus on movement and shot creation promises to carve a new path forward.
In a game where adaptation is key, the Lakers are harnessing their rich legacy while welcoming modern innovations under Redick's watchful eye. With enhancements to both their perimeter and inside play, the season ahead holds the potential for narrative shifts—potentially even propelling the Lakers into playoff contention with an invigorated style of play.