JJ Redick Highlights a Persistent Lakers Weakness from Last Season

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JJ Redick Highlights a Persistent Lakers Weakness from Last Season

The Los Angeles Lakers faced a challenging start to their regular-season opener against the Golden State Warriors. After trailing by 10 points in the second quarter, the Lakers rallied, outscoring the Warriors 19-10 to close the gap to just one point by halftime. However, the second half saw a decline in performance. The Lakers struggled offensively, leading to a 119-109 loss.

Failure to Capitalize After Halftime

In the third quarter, the Lakers were outscored 35-25, falling behind by as much as 17 points. This persistent issue has been a hallmark of the Lakers’ performance, as highlighted by Coach JJ Redick in his postgame press conference. He noted that his team was not prepared to play after the halftime break.

Redick’s Observations on Third-Quarter Struggles

Redick expressed concern over the team’s lack of readiness, stating, “The trend I see is that we continue to be a terrible third-quarter team to start. That was last year, that was the preseason.” He emphasized the need to rethink their approach to halftime adjustments and improve overall preparedness.

Statistical Insights from Last Season

The Lakers’ issues in the third quarter are backed by statistics. Last season, they ranked 27th in third-quarter scoring, averaging just 26.7 points per game. Despite allowing fewer points defensively, they finished with a minus-1.5 scoring differential during that period, placing them 23rd overall.

Contrasting Performance with Golden State

In contrast, the Golden State Warriors have historically excelled in the third quarter. Last season, they ranked seventh in third-quarter plus-minus and tied for sixth in third-quarter scoring. This has reinforced their reputation for coming out strong after halftime.