JJ Redick Calls Lakers Start Against Warriors ‘Unacceptable’

JJ Redick needed less than a minute to call his first timeout Tuesday night.

The Los Angeles Lakers’ opening possessions against the Golden State Warriors already required his attention. By halftime, the problems had grown into an 81-53 deficit, leaving Redick with a performance that fell well below the expectations established during training camp.

L.A. lost 124-98 at Chase Center, dropping to 1-1 in the preseason. The score mattered little for a depleted roster, but the Lakers' start gave their coach plenty to address.

“The way we started that game was insane,” Redick said. “The first half was unacceptable.”

The Lakers played without Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, Walker Kessler, Collin Sexton, Ziaire Williams, Matisse Thybulle and Arthur Kaluma. That left Bronny James, Quentin Grimes, Jake LaRavia, Adou Thiero and Sandro Mamukelashvili in the starting lineup.

Those absences changed the available combinations and placed greater responsibility on players still establishing their roles. They also made it difficult to evaluate how the Lakers will look with their expected rotation together.

Redick nevertheless maintained that the available group needed to meet the team’s expectations.

“I still expect to win and I still expect us to play to our standards,” he said.

That is a reasonable distinction this early in the preseason. A team can struggle to generate offense without its leading creators while still executing assignments, communicating and competing defensively.

Golden State scored 45 points in the opening quarter. The Lakers repeatedly lost track of cutters, allowing the Warriors’ movement to create openings around the basket. Their difficulties protecting the rim and finishing defensive possessions compounded the problem.

For a group trying to establish a more physical defensive identity, that opening half offered a clear reminder of the work remaining.

Redick did identify a better stretch after halftime, crediting Thiero and LaRavia for helping restore the team’s defensive physicality.

That response matters because both forwards are competing for opportunities in a crowded wing rotation. Their value will depend partly on whether they can bring consistent activity when the offense struggles or the lineup changes.

Mamukelashvili finished with 15 points, while Grimes contributed 12 points and three assists. LaRavia added nine points, three rebounds and three steals. Those individual contributions gave the Lakers some positives, although they could not overcome the early deficit.

The larger lesson is that defensive pressure must extend beyond isolated possessions. A deflection or steal helps, but tracking cutters, making timely rotations and securing rebounds determine whether a defense can sustain its effort.

The Lakers have another opportunity against Sacramento on Thursday. The most useful response would be a sharper opening stretch, with players showing they can carry practice habits into a game from the first possession.

Preseason provides room for mistakes and experimentation. Redick’s reaction made clear that he expects those minutes to reflect the approach his team has spent camp developing.