Lakers' JJ Redick reveals what's 'okay' about loss to Clippers

01/20/2025 10:34 AM

Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick focused on the positive aspects of Sunday's 116-102 loss to the LA Clippers. Redick provided an injury update on Austin Reaves before getting into what transpired against the Clippers' Norman Powell, James Harden, Ivica Zubac, and Kawhi Leonard — the four leading scorers who scored 19+ points in the Lakers' 14-point loss.

For Redick, it's all a part of the team's growth midway through the Lakers' trying 2024-25 campaign, per Spectrum Sports.

"We are growing. We all know during the growth process you have some bumps, and that's ok," Redick said. "Our group is together, and we're connected certainly more times than not. And we'll continue to grow and build. There was some good stuff tonight. There was good stuff. We have to try to keep getting better."

After Redick's postgame media availability, in which he reminded reporters of the Lakers' slim margin for error, those words were relayed to superstar LeBron James, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

"That's the way our team is constructed. … We have to play close to perfect basketball [to win]," James said. "We know the game is never perfect. There's never going to be a perfect 48-minute basketball game. But we can combat it with multiple possessions in a row, or if we turn the ball over, we'll do a better job of that. But if we're making aggressive turnover plays where we're trying to make the right plays for our teammates, but it's some of the careless ones we made defensively, we can't have breakdowns.

"Our coaching staff has a gameplan for us; we can't break down in that gameplan."

James’ 25 points led six Lakers players in double figures, including Rui Hachimura (19 points), Anthony Davis (16), Austin Reaves (14), and Max Christie (10). Powell (22 points), Harden (21), Zubac (21), and Leonard (19) pushed the Clippers to outscore their opponent 64-49 in the first half, building a cushion the Lakers couldn’t come back from.

JJ Redick breaks silence on Austin Reaves injury after Clippers loss

Lakers guard Austin Reaves suffered an injury in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s loss. After the game, Lakers head coach JJ Redick delivered an update on Reaves’ status.

"I believe he banged knees," Redick said. "We'll wait and see how he feels. Sometimes that could be an hour thing, or a day, I don't know."

Reaves checked out of the game with 3:40 remaining, and never returned. The Lakers will most likely provide another update within the next day or two.

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