Lakers, JJ Redick Identify Key Playoff Weakness

Coach Redick must address team's rebounding struggles without key players

Apr. 15, 2026 at 1:58am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a Lakers basketball game, with players' forms abstracted into angular shapes and planes of vibrant purple and gold colors.The Lakers' playoff hopes rest on their ability to outwork opponents on the boards, a challenge made tougher by key roster absences.Los Angeles Today

The Los Angeles Lakers face a major challenge heading into the NBA Playoffs, as they will be without key players Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic. Coach JJ Redick acknowledges the team must focus on improving its rebounding performance in order to have a chance at a deep postseason run.

Why it matters

Rebounding is a critical component of playoff success, and the Lakers' struggles on the boards could be their downfall against tougher competition. Redick will need to get creative with his lineups and rotations to compensate for the loss of Reaves and Doncic, two strong rebounding guards.

The details

With Reaves and Doncic out, the Lakers will lean heavily on LeBron James to carry the load. However, Redick knows they can't solely rely on James' individual brilliance - the entire team must commit to crashing the glass and limiting second-chance opportunities for opponents. The coaching staff has emphasized box-out drills in practice this week to address this weakness.

  • The Lakers' first playoff game is on Thursday, April 17.
  • The team will conduct a detailed scout on their opponent on Friday, April 16.
  • Redick said the Lakers will be "good to go" by Saturday, April 15 after focusing on rebounding in practice.

The players

JJ Redick

Head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, tasked with leading the team through the NBA Playoffs without two key players.

LeBron James

Superstar forward for the Lakers who will need to elevate his game and provide leadership to compensate for the team's roster limitations.

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What they’re saying

“Thursday, we'll do our scout, as we would. Friday will be a reinforcement of that scout. Saturday, we'll be good to go. Only thing we did today was box out.”

— JJ Redick, Head Coach, Los Angeles Lakers

What’s next

The Lakers' first playoff game is on Thursday, April 17, where their rebounding performance will be closely watched.

The takeaway

The Lakers' path to a deep playoff run hinges on their ability to address their rebounding deficiencies, especially with the absences of Reaves and Doncic. Redick must get creative with his lineups and rotations to ensure the team is crashing the glass and limiting second-chance opportunities for opponents.