Head coach JJ Redick has proven himself to be a strong choice for the Los Angeles Lakers despite not having any coaching experience prior to joining the organization. He has the Lakers in the No. 6 spot in the Western Conference, but has had some ups and downs thus far. The same could be said for Anthony Davis, who has at times looked dominant but has also had some more human stretches this season.
For the last few seasons, the Lakers have said that in order for them to be at their best, they have to work through Davis. It was true when they won the championship in 2020 and was proven even more when injuries plagued Davis for three seasons and the team faltered greatly because of it.
Now, Redick is looking to add a different challenge to Davis’ plate. It’s not just about being available and running the offense through him, but also the need to step up as whatever kind of leader he can be. Redick described this challenge to Davis — and other Lakers — after a hard-fought win over the Miami Heat on Wednesday.
Redick specifically praised Davis for his hustle plays in the game.
“It was awesome. I just told him it was a big-time play,” Redick said. “You know what I what I told the team today. What I told the team today, I’ll share this with you guys, because I’m pretty honest with you, and I’ve never, I don’t believe, no, I’ve never shared anything with you that I haven’t already shared with the team. I don’t use these opportunities to talk about my players unless I’ve already said something to them, good or bad.
“I challenged the team across the board today in our meeting about leadership. And leadership, people think about talking, obviously being vocal, talking in the huddles, whatever it may be, that certainly is a form of leadership. But leadership takes many forms, and I think talk is a requirement of the job as a basketball player. Talk is a requirement of the job, but leadership can be playing hard defensively. Leadership can be taking a charge. Leadership can be taking care of the basketball. It’s all about leadership and ownership for what you are supposed to do.
“That’s your job. That’s leadership to me, and that’s a great example to me of leadership from AD, is being the first to the floor in a tight game. It’s a momentum-swinging play for us. So I was just, I wanted to give him some love when he did it, don’t always say something stuff to guy that always, not always positive, trying to be, but not always.”
Davis responded to this challenge from Redick with his play on the floor on Wednesday night. And after, he gave some thoughts as to what leadership means to him, when he knows he is not the same type of leader as someone like LeBron James.
“Obviously the two main guys are me and Bron, but leadership can come in different ways from everybody, it doesn’t have to be vocal. Bron is probably more vocal than anybody as far as a leadership standpoint but you go out there and by doing your job,” Davis said.
“Diving on the floor, if you’re a shooter, shoot the ball and make shots, offensive rebounds. Whatever is required from you to do for us to get a win, just do it. That’s how guys outside of me and Bron can lead. Some guys also have more than enough right to say what they have to say as well. It goes back to being connected. I think everybody in the locker room just needed that. The coaching staff also told us they can be better in that department so we all just wanted to show that we’re all connected and anybody can lead.”
In order for the Lakers to be successful and stay ahead of the tightly-contested Western Conference pack, they need to be consistent in the way they all show leadership. LeBron is always going to do his thing, as he has been doing that for 22 years.
But Davis, and others, need to step up in the way they can to show leadership and stay consistent in that.
JJ Redick thought Lakers played hard in second half
It was a tale of two halves for the Lakers against the Heat. L.A. trailed 66-54 at the break, allowing for guard Tyler Herro to score 22 points on five made 3-pointers.
But the Lakers flipped a switch in the second half, storming back and taking command of the game. They won the third quarter — a period that has been a struggle for L.A.. this season — 29-19 and won the second half 63-42 en route to a nine-point victory that snapped a three-game losing streak.
JJ Redick was asked about what changed for the Lakers at halftime and how they were able to completely change the course of the night. And while there has been much talk about games where the team fails to execute the game plan, Redick believes this was just a matter of wanting it more and communicating.
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