JJ Redick, the new head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, clarified his decision to exclude Anthony Davis from his NBA All-Defensive team ballot last season.
Redick’s Reasoning
Redick admits that Davis is one of the premier defenders in the league. Nevertheless, he pointed to the Lakers’ lackluster defensive display as the primary factor for omitting Davis from his ballot. Redick stated that there is a significant distinction between being ranked as a top-10 defender and being selected for an All-Defense team. Team success is a key factor in determining the value of a defensive player like Anthony Davis, who is among the top two or three in the NBA. I gave a lot of thought to the defensive performance of the team.
Davis’s Defensive Prowess
Even though Redick was left out, Davis earned a spot on the NBA All-Defensive First Team for the third time in 2024 and has also been selected twice for the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. In the 2023-24 season, Davis recorded some of the highest defensive stats of his career, with an average of 2.3 blocks and 1.2 steals per game. Nevertheless, the Lakers’ defensive rating was ranked 17th at 114.8, showing a slight improvement to 113.4 during the playoffs.
Redick’s New Role and Goals
Having Redick leading the Lakers as head coach will make enhancing team defense a key focus. The Lakers had a disappointing 47-35 season and made it to the playoffs through the play-in tournament. Following their appearance in the conference finals last season. Furthermore, the Lakers were defeated by the Denver Nuggets in just five games in the first round of the playoffs.
A New Era for the Lakers
With Redick now at the helm. The Lakers are looking to vie for a championship with Davis and LeBron James as their main leaders. The team’s success will rely heavily on defensive improvement. Moreover, Redick’s dedication to this area suggests that the Lakers will be a more resilient squad in the upcoming season.
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