Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt and head coach JJ Redick made headlines for a sideline altercation during the team’s blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder this past week. The two were seen yelling at one another, with Vanderbilt needing to be held back.
The Lakers have won their last two games since then, but with Vanderbilt playing in only 12 minutes in each game. He played 19 and 26 minutes, respectively, in the two games prior to the incident. However, Vanderbilt says the two have talked and are ready to move on, emphasizing the importance of sticking together at this stage of the season.
“We talked about it and moved on from it,” Vanderbilt said after the win over the Phoenix Suns. “At this point in the season, we both realized this is the group we’ve got. So it’s definitely not a time for everybody to separate. I think unity, especially with our group right now, is super important.”
L.A. is going to need Vanderbilt with both Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves sidelined for likely the entire first round of the playoffs. And fighting through adversity like this has been a key for the Lakers this season.
“For sure. I think adversity is inevitable in this league. Every team goes through ups and downs, injuries, losing streaks, winning streaks,” he said.
“So there’s always highs and lows to the game, and the best teams are the ones that can withstand the tough times and bounce back quicker than other teams. So I think that’s something that we’ve been able to do this year.”
Vanderbilt’s minutes have been a rollercoaster for nearly his entire Lakers tenure. He has had stretches of consistently playing 25 or more minutes a game, followed by times when he’s been out of the rotation entirely. The latter simply can’t be the case in the playoffs.
Without Doncic and Reaves, L.A. has to lean on their defense, and Vanderbilt is a massive part of that. Him talking through issues with Redick is huge, and hopefully it will lead to his minutes ticking back up when the postseason begins.
Deandre Ayton appreciates being called out by JJ Redick
Vanderbilt is not the only player that has been called out by Redick in the last week, as Deandre Ayton was also on the receiving end. But the starting center has made it clear that he views those moments positively, saying that it not only helps him, but the entire team, get back on track.
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