In his second season as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, JJ Redick has found a new mantra: focus on "the task at hand." It's a simple philosophy, but one that's keeping him grounded as his team battles through one of the most challenging playoff runs in recent memory.
"A little more sane," Redick says of his approach this year. And sanity is exactly what the Lakers need right now.
The Western Conference semifinals have been a brutal test. The Oklahoma City Thunder, the defending NBA champions, have jumped to a 2-0 series lead, putting the Lakers on the brink of just the 10th sweep in franchise history. What makes it even more frustrating? It hasn't been Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander doing the damage. Instead, Oklahoma City's depth, athleticism, and relentless pace have overwhelmed a shorthanded Lakers squad.
"You have to look at everything," Redick admitted after Game 2, where the Thunder dominated the minutes without their MVP on the floor. It's a problem that almost no one in the NBA has solved.
But Redick isn't panicking. He's adapting—just like his team has all season.
The Lakers entered these playoffs without Luka Dončić, the NBA's leading scorer. They lost Austin Reaves, their second-leading scorer, for two games in the first round. When both star guards suffered season-ending injuries against the Thunder back on April 2, it looked like a disaster. The Lakers were just starting to show their potential.
They grieved through a three-game losing streak. They regrouped. And then they won.
"We could have really folded," center Deandre Ayton said after the Lakers closed out their first-round series against the Houston Rockets in six games. "But JJ didn't give a damn who was out there with him."
Between shocking trades and major injuries, it's felt like Redick has coached at least six different teams this season. Through it all, his focus remains laser-sharp.
"The thing I love about the playoffs," Redick said before the second round, "is you only can worry about the task at hand."
For Lakers fans, that task is simple: survive. And with a coach who refuses to look past the next possession, there's always a chance.