Redick demanded more from LaRavia after a slump, and the young forward delivered.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick is not the type to sugarcoat things, and he proved that once again when talking about forward Jake LaRavia's recent struggles.
Redick told reporters he went straight to LaRavia after a pair of ugly performances and let him know exactly how he felt about what he saw on the court.
"I think it was the Denver game and whatever the game before that, which has seemed so long ago, and I told him he was awful," Redick said. "He played terrible in both games, on both ends, and he's responded like he always does throughout the season."
A Rough Stretch Since the All-Star Break
LaRavia had been one of the more pleasant surprises for the Lakers this season, but his play has taken a noticeable dip since the All-Star break, and the numbers back it up.
The 24-year-old forward was moved out of the starting lineup when the team got healthy, and the transition back to the bench has not been smooth.
In his last 11 games, LaRavia has averaged just 6.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists while shooting only 40.7 percent from the floor, which is a significant step back from the production he was giving the team earlier in the year.
The Denver game on March 5 was the low point, as LaRavia played just 10 minutes, shot 1-for-6 from the field and 0-for-3 from three while finishing as a minus-16 in a 120-113 loss to the Nuggets.
The game before that against the Pelicans was not much better, with LaRavia putting up just five points in 14 minutes.
On the season, LaRavia is averaging 8.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game while shooting 46.3 percent from the field, but those numbers have been dragged down by his recent cold spell.
Why He Still Matters
Even with the struggles, Redick has no plans to move away from LaRavia in the rotation because his value goes well beyond what shows up in the scoring column.
"He's played great, he's a guy we have a lot of confidence in when he gets open catch-and-shoot threes, we have a lot of confidence when he plays in transition, when he plays on closeouts," Redick said.
Redick also praised LaRavia's physicality, rebounding and defensive improvement throughout the season, calling his contributions on that end of the floor a big reason the team trusts him.
The Lakers have won four straight games since that rough Denver loss, and LaRavia has been a consistent positive in those wins by doing the little things that do not always show up on the stat sheet.
He has not cracked double figures in scoring during any of his seven March games, but Redick sees the bigger picture and believes the shots will start falling again soon.
"When he gets to double digits, which he has done often this season, it's such a bonus and lift," Redick said.
At 41-25, the Lakers are sitting in a strong spot in the Western Conference, and a big part of that is because players like LaRavia have bought into their roles and kept things moving even when the shots are not going in.
LaRavia has not missed a single game this season, and that kind of availability and willingness to accept coaching is exactly why Redick felt comfortable calling him awful to his face and expecting him to respond the right way.