The Lakers got a blunt reality check in their 124-98 preseason loss to the Warriors, and JJ Redick didn’t waste time dressing it up.
Los Angeles was already short-handed without Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and Walker Kessler, but Redick made clear after the game that the absences were not the issue. The problem was the way his team came out, especially after a 24-point win over the Kings just one day earlier.
“The way we started that game was insane. I’ll just say that it was insane.
I don’t know the reasons why, because this group has been awesome for the two months I’ve been around them. So it’s just unacceptable; the first half was unacceptable,” JJ Redick said.
Redick pointed to a better stretch after halftime, when the Lakers’ defensive edge returned.
“I thought that group that started the second half- we got back to our physicality defensively, and Adou and Jake, particularly, were really good in that stretch,” he further added.
He then drew a line between being undermanned and being off standard.
“We’ve had a handful of these games where you’re missing star players and a lot of your depth. I still expect to win, and I still expect us to play to our standards.
That first half did not meet my expectations, and I let them know that. You can still hold them accountable.
And I do think they respond,” Redick concluded.
Without a primary playmaker on the floor, the Lakers’ offense never found a rhythm and spent much of the night looking flat and improvised. That stood out even more because the Warriors, though also missing pieces, still had Stephen Curry and Draymond Green available.
Golden State got a strong night from Yaxel Lendeborg, who led all scorers with 17 points, nine rebounds, two assists, and one block. He shot 7-for-11 from the field and 2-for-3 from three.
For Los Angeles, Sandro Mamukelashvili finished as the leading scorer with 15 points, two rebounds, and two assists while going 6-for-10 from the field and 3-for-4 from deep.
The Lakers now run back the same stretch of preseason opponents, meeting the Kings on October 8, the Warriors again on October 13, and then the Nuggets in Denver on October 16. They have less than 48 hours before seeing Sacramento again, and Redick is looking for a much sharper showing. With the regular season a little over two weeks away, the message is clear: the Lakers still have to hold their standard, even when the stars sit.
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