The Los Angeles Lakers are better than expected. It's only been two games, but it's a simple and valid statement to make based on style and quality of play, and the general level of energy and intensity that's been on display thus far.
During the second game of the season, first-year head coach JJ Redick showed a quality that will play a direct role in determining how high the Lakers' ceiling is.
The clash with the Phoenix Suns got off to a brutal start, as Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and the rivals from Arizona simply couldn't miss. It wasn't necessarily that the Lakers were playing poorly on defense; Phoenix just couldn't find a shot it wasn't going to make.
That included a stretch during which the Suns made nine out of 10 three-point field goal attempts, with most coming over strong contests.
By the second quarter, the Lakers found themselves in a 22-point hole. Had it been the team from a season ago, the game would've been over there as Phoenix simply maintained a relatively high level of play and Los Angeles bowed its head in defeat.
Redick didn't allow that to happen. Instead, he stuck to his game plan and ensured that the Lakers would play from 22 points down the same way they would've if it were a tie game.
That mentality will define the Lakers' season.
JJ Redick unfazed by adversity as Lakers erase 22-point deficit for 123-116 win
Many coaches and teams panic when they fall behind by a deficit as massive as 22 points. Redick and the Lakers did nothing differently, however, as they continued to run the same plays they would've had the game been played under different circumstances.
Slowly but surely, the Suns' heat check cooled down and the Lakers' consistency won out as the opposition's lead was erased and a new double-digit divide swung in the other direction.
It obviously didn't hurt that Anthony Davis went off—again. He tallied 35 points, eight rebounds, one offensive board, four assists, two blocks, and a steal on 11-of-18 shooting, just one game after he scored 36 points against the Timberwolves.
On yet another night when LeBron James allowed the game to come to him instead of attempting to impose his will, however, this was a true team effort.
Dalton Knecht finished with eight points in 13 minutes, including two huge threes in the first half to begin the process of responding to Phoenix's run. Jaxson Hayes provided all-around value as the backup center, including four assists, a block, and a steal.
Gabe Vincent, meanwhile, came up with three steals and saved all five of his points for the second half—including the three that gave Los Angeles the lead late in the third quarter.
D'Angelo Russell only made one shot, but it was a three in the fourth quarter—while Rui Hachimura delivered his second triple during the final two minutes of the game. All of this supplemented Davis' dominance, James' second-half tear, and Austin Reaves taking the leading role as a playmaker with 26 points, eight assists, and three steals in an All-Star level showing.
It was a compelling display by the Lakers that was fueled by Redick simply staying the course when times got tough.
As the 2024-25 season progresses, that level of mental toughness will be essential to Redick's success as a head coach. Both during games and in the locker room, he must be able to navigate the perils of adversity if he's going to find overall success.
It may be early, but the first two games provided early evidence to support the belief that Redick is better prepared for being a head coach than anyone had anticipated.