JJ Redick, Lakers
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JJ Redick of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the first half of a game against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center on December 14, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick did not hold back after his team suffered a 132-108 blowout loss to the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday. In one of their worst defensive performances of the season — which is saying a lot, given they’ve given up an average of 121.6 points in their last 10 games — the Lakers allowed the Suns to shoot 59% from the field, including 62 points in the paint.
“They scored in the first 13 possessions of the second half,” Redick fumed. “They had about a 140 offensive rating when they touched the paint, and they touched the paint on every possession, and we couldn’t keep them out of the paint.”
Redick said his coaching staff tried various defensive schemes, but nothing seemed to work against a Suns starting unit that shot 65% from the field, with even an unheralded G-Leaguer like Jamaree Bouyea (7-of-10 FG) torching them off the bench.
“We tried zone, they got a layup and an open three,” Redick said. “We didn’t get the ball iced in pick and roll. On the second possession in zone, they got middle, we didn’t go under, and they got a layup. You don’t do the things we’re trying to do to sort of protect and keep the ball on the side, you get exploited.”
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JJ Redick: “There’s shortcuts you can take or you can do the hard thing and you can make the second effort or you can’t or you can sprint back or you cant. It’s just a choice.”
Lakers ‘Stuck in Mud’
The second-year head coach noted that the Lakers’ defense has been particularly vulnerable against young teams with dribble-penetrating guards. Further to that point, the Philadelphia 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey, San Antonio Spurs’ guard trio of De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper and Utah Jazz’s Keyonte George have all had a field day against the Lakers in recent weeks, leading to the Suns’ explosion on Tuesday.
“…I think the theme with our team again is like, these young teams that move, we just can’t move. It’s like we’re stuck in mud,” Redick rued.
“Zone didn’t work, we went to a 15 in the second half, one through five switching, that didn’t work. At that point, you’re out of options.”
𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐩𝑮𝒐𝒍𝒅 🏆
“The theme with our team is that, these young teams that move, we just can’t move. It’s like we’re stuck in mud.”
JJ Redick on younger teams being hard to defend
Lakers Defense Beyond Repair?
After the loss, the Lakers’ defensive rating dropped back to No. 24, with all six teams below them bound for the lottery, having records under .350. That’s a rather scary sign for a Lakers team that has ambitions to pursue an NBA title, not a high lottery pick.
Tuesday’s outcome also marked the Lakers’ first two-game losing streak of the season after JJ Redick’s team was blown out by the LA Clippers last Saturday. Despite the midseason slump, Redick sounded optimistic about a turnaround, citing his team’s recent misfortune with injuries.
“The guys have been great about responding to challenges, whether that’s been injuries, a loss, a poor performance,” Redick said of his team.
“We got a lot of games left, so we got to continue that trend and we got to stick together. Coming off these two games, you’re not gonna have a good taste in your mouth, and you’re gonna be thinking about how you played, how the team’s playing.
“I told them to detach tomorrow, be with their family, enjoy the holiday, we’ll all come with the right mentality on Christmas.”
The Lakers (19-9) will next host the Houston Rockets (17-10) on Christmas Day. It will mark the first matchup of the season between the West rivals. In a positive update, the Lakers could get both Luka Doncic and Rui Hachimura back from injuries.