How JJ Redick’s Tough Love Challenged Luka Doncic, LeBron James
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick shouted Luka Dončić, LeBron Jamesand his teammates after their 119-96 loss to the Houston Rockets. Redick said the Lakers players didn’t care enoughquestioning their professionalism, and vowed to put his boys through their toughest workout of the season before they face the Sacramento Kings on Sunday.
The Lakers responded with a 125-101 victory. After the game, Redick highlighted the cohesive approach of Doncic and James and said he did testimony of the practice of teams in advance, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
“I’m not surprised the way those two guys played together tonight because yesterday was one of the best practices we’ve had with the two of them playing together and just sharing the basketball and playing one-ups,” Redick said.
Luka Doncic led the Lakers with 34 points on 11-of-23 shooting, including 5-for-14 from deep and 7-for-8 from the free throw line. He also finished with seven assists, five rebounds, three steals and one block. LeBron James scored 24 points on an efficient 11-of-13 shooting, five assists and two steals.
JJ Redick shares the uncomfortable truth about the 2025-26 Lakers
When the head coach JJ Redick called out his Lakers players after a 23-point loss to the Rockets on Christmas Day, he didn’t hold back. Some wondered if the harsh assessment would fall on deaf ears, given Redick’s bold approach as he promised to put his players through the toughest practice they’ve had this season.
“We didn’t care enough,” Redick said after the Lakers’ Christmas Day loss to the Rockets. “And that’s the part that bothers me a lot. We don’t care enough to do the things that are necessary, we don’t care enough to be professional. We had it, we had it. I always say this about culture, I always say that a good team is a functional organism, that can change like that. We don’t have that right now.”
The Lakers will host the Pistons on Tuesday.
2025-12-29 16:26:00
