{"id":7944,"date":"2024-11-09T08:07:50","date_gmt":"2024-11-09T08:07:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hotnews.azontree.com\/?p=7944"},"modified":"2024-11-09T08:07:50","modified_gmt":"2024-11-09T08:07:50","slug":"breaking-critical-decision-by-jj-redick-pays-off-in-lakers-win-over-76ers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hotnews.azontree.com\/?p=7944","title":{"rendered":"BREAKING: Critical decision by JJ Redick pays off in Lakers\u2019 win over 76ers.."},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Lakers<\/p>\n

In Las Vegas last summer, a veteran NBA coach spoke about the Lakers\u2019 decision to hire JJ Redick noting that nothing can prepare someone \u2014 an assistant, broadcaster, whoever \u2014 for the massive volume of decisions a head coach needs to make on a nightly basis.<\/p>\n

Most of the choices are relatively small \u2014 what play to call out of a timeout, when to use a challenge, how to adjust a pick-and-roll coverage.<\/p>\n

When it comes to decisions, that\u2019s a lot of the job.<\/p>\n

But Friday night with the Lakers having lost four of their last five games, Redick went down a less common road. He made a big choice.<\/p>\n

Following a benching Wednesday in a loss to Memphis, Redick moved point guard D\u2019Angelo Russell to the second unit in favor of Cam Reddish, who wasn\u2019t even in the rotation three games ago.<\/p>\n

Decisions like that are fraught with second-guessing, the kind of moves fans can hold against a coach like they did a year ago when after nine games, Darvin Ham sent Austin Reaves to the bench to start Reddish.<\/p>\n

Friday, the move worked about as good as it could\u2019ve for all parties involved. Reddish took on the responsibility of defending Philadelphia\u2019s best perimeter player, Paul George. Reaves, freed of that responsibility, had his best shooting game of the season. Russell gave the toothless Lakers\u2019 bench some real bite.<\/p>\n

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\"Lakers<\/picture>\n
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Lakers guard Austin Reaves passes in front of 76ers forward Guerschon Yabusele in the second quarter Friday.<\/div>\n
(Wally Skalij \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

And, most importantly, the Lakers won, beating the\u00a076ers 116-106\u00a0in their first game in Los Angeles following a 1-4 road trip.<\/p>\n

LeBron James had 21 points, 12 rebounds and 13 assists, his second triple-double of the season. Anthony Davis scored 31 points to lead the Lakers, and the team made a season high 16 three-pointers \u2014including six from Reaves.<\/p>\n

Russell scored 18 points off the bench, tied for the most by a Laker reserve this season.<\/p>\n

Redick pulled Russell midway through the third quarter Wednesday against the Grizzlies and cited a lack of attention to detail after the game. Video of Russell\u2019s last stretch against Memphis included an irate Redick slamming his chair multiple times into the court in frustration.<\/p>\n

\u201cBasketball is, to me, an emotional game. I\u2019m a competitive person, I\u2019m a passionate person,\u201d Redick said pregame Friday. \u201cSometimes you lose, for a brief period of time, you lose control of that emotion. It\u2019s not the first time that it\u2019s happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

Redick said he told Russell that the anger wasn\u2019t directed specifically at him, that it was because of compounding mistakes the Lakers made early in the second half of a game they thought was winnable. Redick said his talk with Russell went well.<\/p>\n

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