The Los Angeles Lakers went into the halftime break trailing by only one single point against the Golden State Warriors. Then, the third quarter happened.
Los Angeles found themselves outscored 35-25 by Golden State as they quickly lost their grip on the ball game. Buddy Hield lit the Lakers up with his shooting, Jimmy Butler kept getting to the free throw line, and the Lakers ultimately lost a disappointing 119-109 contest to the Warriors.
JJ Redick did not hold back any words to comfort anyone's feeling in his postgame comments. The Lakers head coach identified the clear issue that, in his mind, he had seen too many times in his short tenure in Los Angeles.
"The trend I see is that we continue to be a terrible third quarter team to start," Redick told the media. "That was last year, that was the preseason. Got to rethink some things, and it's a two-way thing with the guys. What do they need at halftime? ... They're not ready to play to start the third quarter."
Persistent third-quarter issues separate the Lakers from true contenders
It was not just the Lakers coach sharing his frustration with the persistent issue. Austin Reaves offered a similar sentiment to that of Redick.
The talented offensive guard expressed the troubling notion that ever since he arrived in Los Angeles, there has been an issue with how the Lakers have managed third quarters. Reaves told the media there has to be a way for the team to come out with more energy after the break.
Austin Reaves:
"Ever since I've been here, we've had a problem with 3rd quarters" pic.twitter.com/jMDRMz6MwR
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) October 22, 2025
The Lakers guard wanted the players to have accountability for the struggles. Reaves said the coaches provided the answers to the test that Los Angeles needed. There was just a lack of execution.
This has to be an annoying game for the Lakers to lose, considering they were swinging momentum in their favor towards the end of the second quarter. That did not last.
These are the type of issues that cannot be had with a true title contender. The Lakers lost multiple games against the Minnesota Timberwolves in their premature exit from the 2025 NBA Playoffs after allowing the game to start slipping in the third. Granted, there were bigger issues overall there.
Still, the Lakers cannot continue a pattern they know is a mess and expect anything other than disappointment. Cliched as it may be, playing the full 48 minutes with the type of first half intensity the Lakers showcased is a must.