After Thursday’s heartbreaking loss against the Warriors, the Lakers took care of business last night. Of course, it helped that they were facing one of the bottom two teams in the West, the Pelicans. So, LeBron James and Co. got an easy blowout victory and took back that third seed from the Nuggets. But now, a massive challenge awaits—They head to OKC for back-to-back encounters against the Thunder, on Sunday and Tuesday. And JJ Redick has already buckled up, anticipating the level of competition against West’s top-seeded team.

Amid the heated playoff race in the West, the Thunder have been a tier above everyone else, with the best record in the league at 64-13. While Redick already knew that Sunday’s game was going to be tough for his squad, he blamed the Rockets for making the challenge even more difficult, “Yeah, I mean we got a bone to pick with Houston for beating them pretty bad tonight. Just we’re gonna get an angry team on Sunday.”

Yes, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Co. will likely be in revenge mode this weekend after last night’s embarrassing blowout loss against the Houston team. And that could mean trouble for the Lakers, considering how dangerous the Thunders have been this season.

Sure enough, Redick had high praise for what his peer, Mark Daigneault has built in OKC, “Mark is one of if not the best coach in the NBA. I mean he’s that good and he’s been that good for a number of years. I’m glad that their team and their program people are realizing how good that organization is and what they’ve built.” Well, this is not the first time HC Redick has praised Mark this season. Earlier in March, when Redick and LeBron appeared in a podcast, the two had only good things to say about the Thunder coach.

“He’s ridiculous. He’s so good.” said Redick. Responding to Redick, James said, “Yeah, he’s on he’s s—. He’s young, too.” Tells you there is nothing sour between them and how good the Thunder have been under Mark Daigneault. In only a few years, Mark has turned the Thunder to legitimate title contenders and perennial threat in the West. He is one of the top candidates to win Coach of the Year this season. Plus, the squad that he’s coaching is no joke either.

JJ Redick reveals unique expectation from Lakers’ road trip as he praises OKC Thunder

After appreciating Daigneault’s coaching, JJ also highlighted the versatility in the Thunder roster, “I watch them a lot. They’re really hard to score on. They have a number of high-level defenders. You just go down the line and we were watching pregame today and Lu Dort’s disrupting multiple plays and he gets subbed out and they bring in Alex Caruso. Jalen Williams has been awesome. Shai is obviously disruptive. Cason Wallace, I think for every coaching staff around the NBA is a favorite. They have a number of guys that can really defend at a high level.”

Depth. Grit. Spirit. That’s what makes OKC such a nightmare this season—and JJ Redick knows it. With the Thunder rolling and the playoffs looming, the Lakers are staring down a brutal stretch of games, and Redick’s not sugarcoating it.

His concern? Not just the scoreboard. It’s how his team shows up — “I think it’s more spiritual than anything else than results,” Redick said, when asked about expectations heading into the road trip. “We’re gonna have three massive tests, come home, have another massive test, and then play a really tough Portland team.”

With only five games left in the regular season, the Lakers are walking a tightrope. First up? A back-to-back test against the red-hot Thunder. Then, a showdown in Dallas, where Luka Doncic welcomes LeBron and the crew to his old stomping grounds post-trade.

And let’s not overlook the final two—against the Rockets and Blazers—games that could determine playoff seeding and show whether this Lakers squad has the backbone to survive high-pressure moments. But JJ’s not just watching for wins. He’s watching for heart.

“So, if our spirit is right, I can live with the result,” he said. “And I’m pretty confident that the results will be more good than bad.” Translation? It’s not just about beating OKC—it’s about proving they’ve got what it takes when it matters most.

Do you believe the Lakers can shock the Thunder this weekend?