Lakers Struggling? Redick: “Everybody Wants to Play Us in the Playoffs”
The Lakers enter the NBA Playoffs surrounded by injuries and uncertainty, and JJ Redick admits every team wants them in the first round
The Los Angeles Lakers head into the NBA Playoffs with one certainty and one major question mark. The certainty is a postseason berth for the fourth straight year. The much bigger question is how this team will be viewed – and targeted – by the rest of the Western Conference.
And on that point, JJ Redick did not hold back.
JJ Redick on the Lakers: “Everybody Wants to Play Us”
Speaking before the matchup against the Phoenix Suns, Redick bluntly described the current state of the Lakers:
I’m sure everybody wants to play against us. Let’s make that clear right now: everybody wants to face us.
JJ Redick
The comment did not come from pessimism, but from a realistic assessment of the situation. The Lakers are entering the playoffs far from an ideal position.
Injuries and Thin Rotation: The Lakers’ Biggest Problem
The primary issue is availability. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are expected to miss several weeks, leaving the team without two of its most important offensive engines.
It’s hardly a new problem: the Lakers’ season has been shaped by constant injuries. Even LeBron James dealt with physical issues earlier in the year, including sciatica.
Supporting Cast Will Decide Everything
With Doncic and Reaves sidelined, the burden shifts to the rest of the roster.
Redick understands that clearly: for the Lakers to stay competitive, their role players must take a significant step forward. That means not only increased offensive production, but also defensive discipline and better possession management.
That also raises another legitimate concern: expecting the supporting cast to fully compensate for the loss of two primary creators is a difficult ask. Historically, that kind of adjustment takes time – and the playoffs offer none.