Redick Says Luka's Play Will 'Test Your Patience At Times' After LeBron, Lakers' Win vs. Bulls
For the second time in less than a week, Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick has had a unique way of describing the way Luka Dončić plays.
After the Lakers' 129-118 win over the Chicago Bulls on Monday night, Redick told reporters that Dončić will "test your patience at times" because he likes to experiment in games to see what he can get away with.
"He's an engine that's fully on," Redick said. "And he likes to create out there, and that's a part of what makes him a great player. ... Not to say it doesn't test your patience at times, but you have to be willing to live with some of the stuff that he tries, because more often than not, you're going to get a great result."
The results against the Bulls saw Dončić put up 46 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds in 38 minutes. He did the bulk of his scoring in the second half with 29 points, including each of the Lakers' first 12 points in the third quarter.
LeBron James had his highest-scoring game since Jan. 18 with 24 points in the win. Rui Hachimura's 23 points off the bench were his most since Nov. 3.
Redick hasn't been shy about calling out his team this season when he feels their effort is lacking. He challenged both Dončić and LeBron James to give more effort defensively during a team meeting in December.
Following a Jan. 22 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, Redick said they needed to be more "connected on offense" because that helps them stay engaged defensively, and that starts with Dončić being able "to trust the pass" to keep his teammates involved.
Even though the defense remains an issue for the Lakers, Dončić and the offense have responded well to Redick's comments after the Clippers game. They have now won back-to-back road games against the Dallas Mavericks and Bulls.
Dončić has 79 points and 23 assists in these two wins. It's his first time with more than 20 assists over two games since Nov. 25 and 28 when he had 24.
The Lakers (28-17) will look to keep their positive momentum going on Wednesday when they play the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena.
