Dave McMenamin
NEW YORK – Visibly confused Los Angeles Lakers manager JJ Redick didn’t mind that his team was missing out on three starters, including superstar LeBron James, after Monday’s 111-108 loss to the Brooklyn Nets.
Available players did not play to team standards.
“I think it was a very low level communication game for our team,” Reddick said. “I’m not an excuse for how I played basketball tonight.”
In addition to James, sitting in his first match after maintaining a tense left gro caliber with the Boston Celtics on Saturday, LA began center Jackson Hayes (knee) and forward Louis Hachimura (knee) and key reserved Drien Finney Smith (ankle).
The Lakers led 15 points early, and their defense kept Brooklyn at just 16 points with 31.6% shooting in the first quarter.
It all went downhill from there.
“I think it was just a general idea to take a shortcut tonight,” Reddick said. “Want to be a good team? Do you want to win in the NBA? You have to do something hard. We couldn’t even pass each other. We couldn’t get into the offense.
Luka Doncic was held responsible for the loss when asked about Redick’s criticism of the team’s communications.
“When JJ said (that) about communication today, it was important,” Donsic said. “That was my fault and we should have done better with it.”
Doncic recorded his second triple double as a Laker with 22 points, 12 assists and 12 rebounds, but shot 26-8 (3-3) on five turnovers.
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The net has repeatedly thrusts Don Sic with two defenders – Don Sic has seen him countless times throughout his career – but he has not been able to properly choose it against Brooklyn.
The Austin Raves, another major LA playmaker, approached a triple double (17 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds) along with Donsic with James Out, but shot 14-3.
“I thought I played incredibly bad,” Reaves said. “That’s what I can say about it, I really know. It’s frustrating that your team doesn’t help win. When Bron got out, I got better and I wasn’t. That’s one of the reasons why we lost.”
Los Angeles received important contributions from several role players, with Gabe Vincent stepping into the starting lineup and earning the most points as a Laker (24 points in a 12-8 shooting, 6-9). Rookie Dalton Knecht scored 19 points. And two-way security guard Jordan Goodwin scored 17 points off the bench and hit five three-pointers (six attempts) with eight rebounds.
“I think I could have helped more,” Donsic said when asked about the trio of Vincent, Knecht and Goodwin. “But they all played great. We were able to move forward with the same mentality. The injury happens and we have to become the next mentality.”
The Lakers’ two-game losing streak combined with the Memphis Grizzlies’ three-game winning streak, playing half-game in Memphis, the third in Western Conference standings.
Things won’t be easy as ESPN’s Shams Charania says James was expected to be on the sidelines for at least a week or two due to his injuries.
Especially on a schedule that packs six games over the eight days that begin on consecutive roads between Milwaukee and Denver on Thursday and Friday.
Reddick said he planned to take his team to the court for a rare practice before Thursday’s game and clean up things before the dangerous stretch.
“Everyone has to buy to help their team succeed,” Reeves said. “And like I’ve already said a few times, I have to get better. I mean, we’re going to start there. I’m getting better.”
