Magic Johnson didn’t hold back after the Lakers’ win over the Atlanta Hawks, and his message was clear: JJ Redick has earned real respect for the way he’s steering this team.
Los Angeles has now ripped off six straight wins and sits at 10-2, good for first place in the Western Conference. Luka Doncic has been the headline act in that run, and for good reason - he’s leading the NBA in scoring again at 39.3 points per game. But Johnson made sure Redick got his flowers too.
“The Lakers’ win over the Hawks yesterday showed that JJ Redick has become a great NBA coach. His in-game switch from man-to-man to a zone defense changed the trajectory of the game, and he’s outstanding at drawing up plays out of timeouts!”
That kind of praise matters, especially with Redick’s work sometimes getting buried under Doncic’s huge numbers.
The challenge he walked into was no small thing. The Lakers lost future Hall of Famer LeBron James in NBA free agency this past summer and brought in nine new players, leaving Redick with a major overhaul to manage heading into the 2026-27 season. So far, he’s handled it well enough that his name is already in the Coach of the Year conversation.
According to Polymarket via NBA Central’s X account, Redick is currently the favorite for the award at 19 percent. Micah Nori is next at 17 percent, followed by Chris Finch, Dusty May and Ime Udoka at 12 percent apiece.
Nick Nurse sits at 9 percent, Mark Daigneault at 6 percent, J.B. Bickerstaff, Steve Kerr and Tuomas Iisalo at 5 percent, and Joe Mazzulla at 4 percent.
There’s still plenty of season left - 70 games, to be exact - but the early signs are hard to ignore. The Lakers have already outperformed expectations and look like one of the West’s best teams.
Johnson also sees a team that feels different from last year’s version. He pointed to the added mentality and physicality, saying this group is not getting pushed around the way the previous one did.
Last season’s Lakers were slow and vulnerable in transition. This year, they’ve come out looking tougher and more connected, and that has shown up in the record. Even with all the new faces around Doncic and Austin Reaves, the chemistry has come together fast.
The bigger test is still ahead. If the Lakers want to keep this pace, they’ll have to prove it against stronger opposition, including the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.
In Other News...
Stephen A. Smith Just Gave Lakers Fans A New Reason To Be Furious
Stephen A. Smith lit up Lakers fans this week with a take that landed badly even by the standards of hot-take television. On his show, he argued the Lakers would not win the NBA title this season, and the reaction was immediate, with plenty of pushback from fans who saw the comment as both unnecessary and out of step with what the team has shown early on.
The backlash only grew because the Lakers have opened the season looking like a legitimate contender, sitting atop the Western Conference and playing like a group that expects to matter in June. Critics also quickly pointed to championship teams led by white players in the past, while Smith, for his part, acknowledged what a title could mean for Luka Doncic before making clear he still does not see it happening. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Suddenly Have One Big Concern Hanging Over This Win
The Lakers got the result they wanted against Milwaukee, but the postgame mood came with an obvious complication. Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic both left the game after injury scares, turning what should have been a clean win into a night with an uneasy finish for a team that can ill afford more health uncertainty.
Reaves went out with a left heel injury and was ruled out for the rest of the game, leaving his status as the bigger concern moving forward. Doncic also had a brief scare after rolling his right ankle, though he later said he was fine, giving the Lakers at least one reassuring note as they wait to learn more about Reaves. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Win Streak Comes With Two Injury Scares Fans Will Watch
The Lakers kept their roll going with a seventh straight win over the Bucks, but the night came with a couple of moments that had everyone in the building paying closer attention than usual. Austin Reaves left with a left heel injury, while Luka Doncic also appeared to tweak his ankle during the game, adding a little unease to an otherwise strong stretch for a team that has been stacking wins and building momentum.
There was at least some immediate relief after the final buzzer, with head coach JJ Redick easing concern around Reaves injury. Doncic also downplayed his ankle issue afterward, which should help calm nerves heading into a few days off. The Lakers now have three days before they meet the Suns, giving the team a little breathing room before the next test and a chance to see how both players respond. [Read more 🡒]