LOS ANGELES — The Lakers are going to get there. JJ Redick is sure of it.
The Lakers’ coach is so sure of it that Redick said the phrase “we’re going to get there” four times Tuesday night. Redick is sure of his team’s ability to get the most out of LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves on the floor together, a recipe yet to bear fruits as James sits for another multi-game absence due to injury; sure of center Deandre Ayton meeting expectations, sparking energy across the floor like he did in a double-double effort in Tuesday’s victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves; and sure of the way the Lakers can flourish defensively as veteran guard Marcus Smart’s sprawl-onto-the-court tendencies infects the physicality and posture of his team’s defense.
“I think we’re playing some of our best basketball games … of the season,” said Doncic, who still leads the league with 32.5 points per game after scoring 31 points as the Lakers defeated the Timberwolves 120-106. “And like I said before, it starts with our defense. I think everybody’s putting in the effort, and that’s not easy to do, you know? And I think we’re doing it now.”
Before the All-Star break, the Lakers ranked 23rd in defensive rating, calculated as points allowed per 100 possessions. Since the final stretch of the season began Feb. 20, the Lakers have turned a corner, now landing at 15th with a 111.6 defensive rating , which is the fifth-best mark in the Western Conference. Three of the Lakers’ top-10 defensive ratings in a game this season have arrived since March.
Those small steps, improvement along the margins while the offense remains near the top in the NBA – fifth in offensive rating since the All-Star break – could reverse the variety of narratives over what makes the Lakers weak heading into April.
And rather, how the Lakers have transformed heading into games with win-or-go-home stakes. Redick’s words hold a steadfast belief that the Lakers can turn heads in the West, starting with turning heads in comfortable, even dominant, victories over the New York Knicks and Timberwolves in back to back games in winning six of their last seven contests. Both teams hold top-10 defensive ratings on the season.
“We’re not going to be the number-one defense in the league,” Redick said. “But to be, you know, above average, and to have those two performances against those two teams, back to back, is really encouraging.”
Redick has watched as the roster flew through uncertainty during the 2025-26 season – all three of his stars spending time on the sideline, while the franchise shifts in new directions as Mark Walter grasped ownership reins from Jeanie Buss (who remains as Lakers governor) – and yet the Lakers (40-25) currently land in fourth in the Western Conference with the third seed in sight heading into Thursday’s game against the Chicago Bulls (27-38).
“I think throughout the season, as we’ve had injuries, trade-deadline stuff, some bad losses, the natural human instincts of people, and this is a very human game, can creep in,” Redick said pregame Tuesday afternoon.
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame finalist Doc Rivers had taught Redick, while a player for the Clippers from 2013-2017, the tug-of-war methodology when it comes to basketball. In war, Redick said, one side of the battle is always going to let go of the rope – giving up while the fight is still ongoing.
It’s up to the Lakers to hold onto the rope, testing their mental fortitude that Redick says is part of why he loves the challenge of coaching; juggling personalities while teaching the X’s and O’s with one goal in mind come the playoffs.
“One thing I’ll say about my staff and myself, we will never let go of the rope,” Redick said. “We’re not going to let go of the rope. And again, I’m confident we’re going to get there.”
Redick now just has to keep his, and the Lakers’ grasp, on the rope tight.
Chicago at Lakers
When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday
Where: Crypto.com Arena
TV/Radio: Spectrum Sportsnet/ESPN LA 710