LeBron James, JJ Redick's Messages to Lakers Revealed by Deandre Ayton Ahead of NBA Playoffs Game 3
The Los Angeles Lakers have taken a surprising 2-0 lead over the Houston Rockets in the first round of the Western Conference Playoffs despite being without Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.
But as Deandre Ayton told reporters on Thursday, the team isn't about to rest on its laurels:
The series will shift to Houston after L.A.'s 107-98 win in Game 1—the Rockets were without Kevin Durant for that one—and 101-94 victory in Game 2.
Much of the success upon Durant's return came from the Lakers' defense, which routinely double-teamed the superstar, much to his great ire.
"Yeah, they're switching our pick-and-rolls, and then once they switch they're just doubling off of me," Durant told reporters. "So it's hard to get into our actions. We're used to teams playing pick-and-roll, or maybe trapping me or playing in the drop. But they're switching, and then just running a guy at me at the half (court line) or at the 3-point (line), or wherever I'm at, to double. We've played this team before, and they know this is the way for them to stay in the game, is to play this type of defense. We've got to make them pay."
That level of effort will be paramount for the Lakers going forward, as they look to prevent the Rockets from getting back in this series and attempt to mitigate the absence of Dončić and Reaves.
