The Los Angeles Lakers are on a roll, as their 108-102 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday night was their sixth straight win. Don’t tell that to head coach JJ Redick, as he sent a clear cut message to his team on their playoff quest after their latest big win.
The Lakers shocked the world by adding Luka Doncic in a blockbuster deal with the Dallas Mavericks ahead of the trade deadline, and it has helped them move all the way up to the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. After taking down the Clippers, Redick explained the danger that opposing teams face when guarding Doncic.
“The nature of playing with Luka Doncic is if you play drop coverage against him, you’re going to die, so teams are going to rattle or they’re going to blitz,” Redick said. “We have to be better, and we’re going to figure that out. It helps when you can play all shooting lineups, I am not concerned about that.”
Considering how the Lakers are already rolling, even without Doncic firing on all cylinders (he’s shooting just 39.2% over his first eight games with his new team), that’s a scary proposition for the rest of the NBA. Redick doesn’t want to hear it, though, saying he won’t be content until L.A. officially clinches a playoff spot.
“I want to make the playoffs. I don’t want to be in the play-in,” Redick said after the Lakers latest win. “Until that is secured, the seeding thought won’t cross my mind.”
After their latest victory, the Lakers boast a 38-21 record this season, and while they are the No. 2 seed in the West, they still sit 10.5 games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder, who sit in first place.
Los Angeles will return to the court on Tuesday night when they take on the New Orleans Pelicans at 10:30 p.m. EST.
