JJ Redick caught himself before the 10th game of his coaching career Sunday night.
The young Lakers coach was about to use a well-worn coaching adage, chuckling at the absurdity of offering a “back in my day” to anyone listening.
“There’s an old saying in coaching, ‘You are what you emphasize,’” he said before the Lakers played the Toronto Raptors. “‘Your team becomes what you emphasize.’”
Since taking the job, Redick has repeatedly stressed the importance of certain things. Crash the glass. Get back on defense. Stay in rhythm on offense.
And after returning from a 1-4 trip, those important aspects have once again become a focus for the Lakers. But against the Raptors, that version of the Lakers didn’t arrive — at least not on time. They got crushed on the glass. They got beat in transition. And they stagnated on offense.
Luckily, it happened early in the game.
After a sluggish first quarter, the Lakers started to do the things the coaching staff has been emphasizing, zooming past the Raptors for a 123-103 win to stay undefeated at Crypto.com Arena.
The team fully found its footing midway through the third quarter, LeBron James barreling in transition, Anthony Davis anchoring the defense and Austin Reaves slashing through the paint.
“We got back in transition,” James said. “And then we executed offensively. Got the shots that we wanted. And that helped build a lead.”
James finished with 19 points, 10 rebounds and 16 assists, his third triple-double of the season and his second in as many games. Davis scored 22 points in 26 minutes and Reaves led the Lakers with 27 points while dishing out six assists.
“It’s always been my biggest threat. I’ve always got a kick out of seeing my teammates succeed and being able to attract defenses and being able to read and just try to put the ball on time, on target,” James said. “That’s always been my basketball pleasure, being able to just kind of read the game and put the ball, like I said, for guys to just to be able to just catch, shoot, layup, dunk, whatever it is.”
Davis, a huge part of the third-quarter run, made the biggest defensive play of the game when he met Raptors 7-footer Jakob Poeltl in front of the rim, rejecting a one-handed dunk emphatically.
But after the play, Davis fell to the court and writhed in pain, holding his face. Replays showed Poeltl poked Davis in the left eye with his hand.
Davis didn’t return to the game.
Redick said Davis was having trouble seeing after getting hit.
“I just know that he got poked in it,” Redick said. “He was having trouble seeing. Obviously taking a little bit of trauma to the eye, it takes a little bit of time to get your clear vision back. But other than that, no update.”
Davis had to leave multiple games last season after being hit in the eye, even missing the following game on one occasion.
The Lakers have two days off before hosting Memphis on Wednesday night.
“The thing that’s been promising is… things we emphasize, they’re really responsive,” Redick said after the win. “I think there’s a trust that is building with each other as players and the trust that is building between the players and the staff. Holistically, in terms of our offense, our defense, look there’s a long way to go with all that stuff. That, to me, is more exciting, I think.”
