The Los Angeles Lakers are remarkably close to being able to declare the controversial hiring of JJ Redick a resounding success. Los Angeles is on pace for 51.8 wins, and whether one were to round up or down, that would mark the franchise's highest win total since 2019-20.
As the Lakers inch closer to a postseason berth, a rival head coach offered an intriguing breakdown of how Redick has led Los Angeles this far.
The Lakers are currently 43-25, as well as 23-8 since Jan. 15. During that stretch of 31 games, Los Angeles has navigated a franchise-altering mid-season trade to rank No. 2 in the NBA in defensive rating, No. 4 in net rating, and No. 10 in offensive rating.
According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer believes the key to the Lakers' success is that they're playing for one another.
"They look like they're connected," Budenholzer said. "It looks like they're covering for each other, a commitment to that end of the court. It looks to be improved."
That team-first mentality has been evident in everything the Lakers have done during their sustained period of remarkable success.
Mike Budenholzer explains how JJ Redick has brought Lakers together
Budenholzer is an authority on getting the most out of teams. He delivered the Milwaukee Bucks' first championship in 50 years, led the Atlanta Hawks to a franchise-record 60 wins, and won four titles as an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs.
At every one of those stops, the key to those respective teams' success was their willingness to buy in on defense and play for each other.
Budenholzer now sees something similar transpiring in Los Angeles. It's difficult to disagree, as the Lakers have battled injuries to an almost endless list of players to still rank No. 2 in defensive rating without a proven rim protector to anchor their efforts.
It's been a direct result of Los Angeles' commitment to defending with energy, intensity, and a keen awareness of how important rotations and positioning truly are.
Redick deserves endless credit for how he's convinced the team to buy into what he's selling. The Lakers were already 28-19 and on a run during which they'd won eight out of 10 games before they even traded for superstar Luka Doncic.
For that matter, Los Angeles has never once dipped below .500 in 2024-25—and the closest they came was when they dropped to 4-4 on Nov. 6.
The Lakers have accomplished all of this while playing 44 games without Jarred Vanderbilt, 18 sans Rui Hachimura, and 10 with LeBron James absent. Los Angeles also endured bouts with inconsistency from Gabe Vincent that Redick brilliantly navigated to help the $33 million guard find his form again.
The result of Redick's patience, persistence, and innovation has been a team that's willing to run through a wall for each other—just as the postseason comes around.
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