Last summer, many fingers were pointed at the Lakers for hiring JJ Redick. An inexperienced coach taking on the Purple and Gold coaching seat left most people scratching their heads. But the decision was made, and it was now to make or break for Redick. Fast forward to the second half of the season, and the team sits at the second spot in the West. A vision that seemed nearly impossible given where they started. But Redick knew the task at hand. And now, even others are starting to take notice. The latest hint of acknowledgment came from the Clippers’ HC.

The back-to-backs at the Crypto.com Arena has been too much for the Clippers. The last thing they wanted was a repeat of the previous season’s series result with their rivals, but here it was again, a 1-3 in the regular season. After taking the L from the more successful LA side, Ty Lue conceded defeat as Redick’s strategy against Ivica Zubac proved effective.

During the press conference following the 108-102 loss, reporters asked if the Clippers’ HC noticed anything different the Lakers did around the Clippers’ center, who scored the team-high points in the last matchup. Lue simply pointed out, “Just double teaming.” That limited the Croatian’s actions, and he finished with just 12 points on Sunday because of the high-pressure JJ Redick created with his game plan.

Lue then added, “Last game, we kind of sent the doubles late, and then today they came quick, you know, and he turned it over a couple of times, you know, with their pressure. And so, like I said, Zu’s been, you know, getting better every single season, and that’s a sign of respect when teams got to double-team you every night.” Redick analyzed the previous game between the two sides and felt that guarding him early would make a difference and he was spot on.

Lue also spoke about the Lakers’ key players, who played a major role in handing out the loss.

Ty Lue makes true confession about JJ Redick’s players

When the media asked about the Clippers giving up on the offensive rebound in the game, Lue said, “Well, tonight, Dalton Knecht, like we understand, he’s a good shooter. We got to make him put the ball on the floor and get to the basket. We can’t allow him to have catch and shoot threes, and we allowed that all tonight, along with Gabe Vincent.” So, the Clippers’ plan was to prevent the rookie from shooting beyond the arc, but he ended up hitting 5-of-8 threes, while Vincent made 3-of-6.

But their main focus was on Luka Doncic, and he still managed to contribute 29 points, shooting 5-of-12 from the deep. “Luka, you know, he made five, but he’s going to make some tough shots, step-back threes and things like that. And so, um, some guys that are making them that we’re taking them, you know, on this last little stretch, um, and some guys that we got to do a better job of getting to them.” Lue said.

JJ Redick has definitely brought out the best in the squad, helping them rack up a six-game winning streak. Now, with the team clicking and finding their rhythm, they’re determined to maintain that momentum, pushing towards the postseason. Imagine if the Lakers actually make it to the championship, the NBA world would surely be turned upside down! Or is it too early to speculate?