The Los Angeles Lakers have quietly found success during a recent stretch without LeBron James, and head coach JJ Redick believes there are clear basketball reasons behind it.
James has missed several games recently while dealing with minor injuries, including sitting out a primetime matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite his absence, Los Angeles managed to secure its third consecutive win, continuing a surprising trend.
When Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves play without James this season, the Lakers hold a 10–2 record.
Redick recently addressed the situation and explained that the team’s offensive hierarchy becomes more straightforward when James is not on the floor.
“I think when all three of those guys are on the court specifically, again, it goes back to the human element,” Redick said while discussing the Lakers’ lineup dynamics. “It’s what they’re comfortable doing as basketball players, which, for all three of those guys, one of those guys having scored the most points in NBA history and doing it for 23 years, is to have the ball in his hands. [Luka Doncic] has five First Team All-NBAs, should make another First Team All-NBA this year, is [used] to having the ball in his hands. So the human struggle to want what you want, and AR is ascending to an All-Star level, but the human struggle to want what you want while also having the emotional maturity and recognition that you have someone next to you, it hasn’t been as clean. And I think losing a training camp and losing the start of the year and then kind of losing AR then for a long stretch, I think we’re starting to get it.
“But there’s a clear pecking order when Luka and AR are on the floor together with guys that are low usage players. That’s just the nature of it. And that’s the nature of nearly every Big 3 that’s ever existed.”
Redick made it clear that the Lakers still view their veteran superstar as a crucial part of the group’s championship ambitions.
“We’re gonna get there,” Redick said.
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