Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick discussed his team’s preseason progress, offensive struggles and potential defensive adjustments after a 114-110 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Thursday at Crypto.com Arena.
The Lakers improved to 2-1 in preseason play, but Redick acknowledged that the team still has work to do before the regular season begins, particularly when it comes to protecting the basketball and building chemistry with different lineups.
“I like where we’re at,” Redick said. “Getting a bunch of guys more than that 20 to 21 minutes is good for live play. Again, we’ll look to continue to build up in terms of playing time for a lot of these guys over the next two games.”
Redick also expressed hope that the Lakers would receive updates on injured players and have an opportunity to see the team closer to full strength before the regular season.
“Just build that rhythm with each other,” he added, expressing confidence that the team would have sufficient practice time before its opening game.
Despite the victory, Redick identified turnovers and offensive rebounds as areas that require improvement. Los Angeles committed 24 turnovers against Sacramento, including five by Luka Doncic and six by Quentin Grimes.
The coach attributed some of the problems to experimenting with lineups, players being unavailable and certain groups struggling to understand the offensive system.
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“We’ve been unorganized with the very specific groups consistently in all three games, and that has led to a lot of turnovers,” Redick explained. “But we’ve got to be better taking care of the basketball. That’s across the board.”
Redick nevertheless liked the Lakers’ offensive process at the beginning of the game, noting that missed shots prevented the team from fully capitalizing on its opportunities.
“I thought our process to start the game was great. Offensively, we just missed shots,” he said, pointing to missed attempts around the rim and open three-pointers.
Redick highlighted Sandro Mamukelashvili, Jake LaRavia and Grimes as players who have found a comfortable rhythm in the Lakers’ offense during preseason.
Mamukelashvili finished with 19 points and four assists in 21 minutes, while LaRavia scored 17 points in 24 minutes. Grimes added 12 points.
“I think for Q and Mamu and Jake, those guys have found a nice rhythm in the offense,” Redick said.
He also praised Austin Reaves, who recorded eight assists in his 25 minutes on the court against Sacramento, describing his performance as a strong overall floor game.
Redick stressed, however, that the team’s rotation could look different once Walker Kessler and Collin Sexton are healthy, meaning preseason performances must be evaluated within the broader context of training camp and practice.
The Lakers experimented with a 3-2 matchup zone defense featuring Mamukelashvili at center. Redick revealed that the team had not practiced the scheme before deciding to try it during the game.
“We just talked about it in a huddle,” he said. “And I thought that group did a really nice job.”
Redick believes the zone defense could become a useful option, particularly with defensive-minded players such as Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams applying pressure near the front of the formation.
“That’s going to be a weapon for us. We’re going to use zone,” he said, adding that communication was encouraging during the experiment.
Redick also discussed LaRavia’s improved shooting, crediting the forward’s work over the summer and during training camp.
He explained that LaRavia did not completely overhaul his shooting mechanics but instead made smaller adjustments to an already solid foundation.
“Ultimately, the tweaks don’t matter if they don’t give you confidence,” Redick said. “And so I feel like he’s shooting the ball with a lot of confidence right now.”
