Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick has issued a stern warning to his players: shoot the open shots created by Luka Dončić's offensive advantages, or risk being taken out of the game. Redick expressed his frustration that the team is not capitalizing on the opportunities generated when defenses double-team the star guard.
Dončić has been performing at a high level early in the season, averaging 37.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game. His offensive prowess often forces opposing defenses to send multiple players at him, creating 4-on-3 situations for his teammates. Redick acknowledged that Dončić is making good plays out of these scenarios, but the team's overall results have not reflected these advantages.
Redick specifically pointed to instances in a recent game against the Toronto Raptors where the Lakers passed up "wide open threes." He stated directly, "I know in the second half I can think of four times that we turned down wide open threes, like I’ll take these guys out. Like you gotta shoot the ball when you’re open."
The coach believes this indecision stems from new players not yet fully grasping the Lakers' offensive system and the purpose of creating these advantages. He suggested that the players might be overthinking due to a desire to perform well and gain the approval of Lakers fans.
"Because I lived this as a player, it’s like, ‘Ahhh, I want to shoot well. I want the Lakers fans to like me. I want to score. I want to do this,’" Redick said. "You’re thinking too much. Just go play basketball and do our stuff and I promise you there’s going to be opportunities to score."
The coach's message emphasizes the need for aggressive, decisive playmaking from his team to complement Dončić's exceptional individual performance.