The Los Angeles Lakers are looking to finish strong in January. LeBron James and Co. are on a three-game run that has seen them beat storied rivals like the Golden State Warriors and the Boston Celtics—the old-timers must’ve enjoyed that one! But even as the LA side experiences a turnaround in form and fate, other concerns persist among the fanbase. One of them is why Rui Hachimura isn’t on the court against the Charlotte Hornets!

Well, head coach JJ Redick had addressed Rui Hachimura and his teammate Gabe Vincent’s absence ahead of the Hornets game. If you’re a Lakers fan, you’ll probably sigh in relief once you hear what the coach has to say.

“We expect to have them back on this trip. I think the next two days for all the guys. We just see how everybody feels tomorrow. You know, Gabe banged his knee, so he’s got a little bit of swelling. And Rui’s still dealing with some soreness in the calf. But we would expect to have those guys back on this trip,” said JJ Redick about their recovery and future availability.

So, the duo of Rui Hachimura and Gabe Vincent should be back in the squad before the Grammy Road trip ends. However, missing 2 players of the caliber of Hachimura and Vincent will not be easy. Especially with the Hornets’ LaMelo Ball being in the form he is in now. However, the LA side’s fans will acknowledge the fact that their team has been playing better, collectively as ‘a unit’ in their last few games. And no one is more happier about that than head coach JJ Redick.

JJ Redick impressed with the Lakers’ team play amid Rui Hachimura and Gabe Vincent’s absence

The Lakers have turned around their season of late. They’re 5-1 in their last 6, headed into the Charlotte game. And no one is more elated about the Lakers’ recent good form than coach Redick. In recent days, he’s also been using the word ‘professional’ a lot lately. Professional win, professional display. Seems like he is happy! But JJ also knows that this is not the time to get carried away. Especially with injuries to Hachimura and Vincent temporarily depleting their already thin roster.

A reporter asked him about the recent “push” made by the Lakers.

Redick replied, “I think the word that keeps popping up for me is execution… The foundation of winning a basketball game is you have to play hard and be connected as a team. And then the next step is you have to execute.”

He continued, “I think what we’ve done is execute our defensive coverages really well. And we’ve been really good with our offensive execution… I think the last 3 games our offensive IQ of what we’re trying to do on a given possession has been really good.”

Clearly, coach Redick is pleased with his team’s efforts of late. And why wouldn’t he be? The last 3 games have seen the Lakers thrash the Wizards and historical rivals, the Celtics. Soundly beating the Dubs must’ve been the cherry on top of their recent run.

However, JJ Redick did acknowledge the danger the Hornets posed. He singled out the aforementioned LaMelo Ball as one to watch during that game. But we see the Lakers breezing past the Hornets, barring any blunders or major injuries during the game. Even while missing the likes of Rui Hachimura and Gabe Vincent. But what do you think? Let us know as the game commences live!