Lakers get the message after Redick’s team meeting

Lakers coach JJ Redick did not outright address the passing of star guard Luka Doncic (or lack thereof) following the team’s loss to the Clippers on Thursday.

But he also didn’t absolve Doncic of any wrongdoing in the matter, saying Doncic should “trust the pass…[when] he plays in a crowd, he has to pass the ball.

Doncic’s response?

Back-to-back double-digit assists, including a 46-point, 12-assist highlighted in Monday’s win over the Chicago Bulls for Doncic’s third 40-point, 10-assist game of the season.

“I was just aggressive,” Doncic said.

Doncic has downplayed Redick’s comments about his passing since he was asked after the loss to the Clippers, though he acknowledged his responsibility as a catalyst for ball movement as the team’s primary ball handler.

And the numbers suggest Doncic hasn’t made a significant change in his game since the loss to the Clippers.

But it feels like Doncic has made a change.

Get rid of the ball a little earlier than normal. And with a little more intent.

And it’s not just an observation. Rui Hachimura acknowledged that the team had a meeting in which Redick told his star players that they needed to pass more.

“I want to give credit to our coaches, especially JJ. They spoke to the main player [ball handlers]:Lebron [James]Luka, those guys, they always have the ball. And they told them during the team meeting that they needed to look out for their teammates more. And that’s what they did.

“They took it in a good way and that’s what they did. Everyone gets touches and everyone shares a ball. It’s fun. That’s what basketball should be. We’ve got to keep doing it.”

The Lakers are unlikely to become a high-frequency passing team.

It is not necessary for success.

Their 269.8 passes per game secured a victory over the Bulls at number 27 in the league.

And because Doncic, James and Austin Reaves – who are expected to return to the lineup next week – have the ability to create advantages in different ways, the Lakers don’t always have to pass to create the best scoring opportunity.

But there is an advantage for the Lakers’ star players, especially Doncic, as they get their teammates more involved with the ball through passing.

They are more involved offensively. They will play harder defensively because they are more involved. And trust will develop.

“When you have a playmaker like that,” Jaxson Hayes said of Doncic. “Just someone on your team who can make any type of play happen, like passing or shooting, you just have to give them a chance.”

And if Doncic is in a passing rhythm like he was when he made the behind-the-back pass to Gabe Vincent on a live dribble before Vincent made the swing pass to assist Rui Hachimura for a 3-pointer to put the Lakers up 89-80 in the third against the Bulls, this could be as contagious to the team’s energy as one of Doncic’s stepback 3s.

“I’ve talked about this: He’s a full-on engine and he loves to create out there, and that’s part of what makes him a great player,” Redick said. “Because I played with him, I have a pretty good understanding of that. Not that it doesn’t test your patience sometimes, but you have to be willing to live with some of the things he tries. Because more often than not, you’re going to get a great result.”

“And he had some great passes. He made some great shots. But there is that creative element that he needs to thrive, and you have to allow that.”

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