JJ Redick on short-handed Lakers: ‘Everybody wants to play us’
LOS ANGELES — Lakers coach JJ Redick does not know what seeds his crew will earn within the Western Conference playoffs standings, with Nos. 3-5 all in play heading into the ultimate weekend of the common season.
But he is aware of that with Luka Doncic sidelined due to a Grade 2 left hamstring pressure and Austin Reaves out due to a Grade 2 left indirect muscle harm, nobody shall be afraid of his crew.
In reality, Redick believes that the opposite West groups that also have their seeding to be decided will want LA as their first-round opponent.
“I’m sure everybody wants to play us,” Redick stated earlier than the Lakers’ 101-73 win at home over the Phoenix Suns on Friday. “Let’s get that out there, like, everybody wants to play us.”
The Lakers (52-29) are No. 4 within the West — one sport behind the No. 3 Denver Nuggets (53-28).
The Lakers maintain the tiebreaker over Denver and the Houston Rockets (51-30) by advantage of successful their season sequence in opposition to each groups. Minnesotawhich is locked into No. 6, defeated the Fifth-seeded Rockets, 136-132in Houston on Friday.
Denver defeated the West’s No. 1 crew, the Oklahoma City Thunderon Friday, 127-107.
Although OKC has clinched No. 1 and rested 10 of its gamers, Denver additionally sat out seven gamers — together with Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon — on Friday, despite the fact that the Nuggets’ seeding continues to be undecided.
Without naming any groups, Redick appeared to allude to Denver’s lineup choice.
“[Teams] are in a position where they can start looking forward to potential second-round matchups as well,” Redick added. “We see some of those teams rest their entire lineup basically, so they — we can’t be concerned with all of that.
“Again, I’ll say what I advised the crew yesterday, what I advised you guys after the sport, we’ve to determine the method and the assumption for this group to achieve success. And so, that is our focus for tonight, and that is going to be our focus on Sunday.”
LA closes out its schedule at dwelling in opposition to the Utah Jazz (22-59).
