The Lakers defied all odds but missed the beat at the end! After losing three straight road games, they visited the Mile-High City to end their trip. With three starters, including LeBron James, out on injury, the team ruled out Luka Doncic against the mighty Denver Nuggets. Naturally, anyone would pick Nikola Jokić & Co. to win the game without any second guessing. But Coach JJ Redick proved his caliber by pulling off a thriller with Austin Reaves and Dalton Knecht as starters.
Right from the tipoff, the inexperienced Lakers unit kept the Nuggets on their feet. Guess who was happy with the proceedings on the sidelines? JJ Redick. Impressed with the team’s performance, the 40-year-old was beaming with happiness. Announcers, catching a glimpse of it, said, “Who’s that JJ Redick? Having a time of his life. We are next to Lakers’ bench. We get to everything that’s going on. All the assistants and the staff are in their element,” on live TV.
Over the last three games, voices that hailed the Lakers as championship contenders faded away. Especially in the last game against the Bucks, Luka Doncic’s 45-point outing couldn’t save the game. Everyone blamed the bench for not stepping up. However, tonight it wasn’t the case. Dalton Knecht and Austin Reaves led the Lakers’ unit with a combined effort of 69 points.
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Notably, the rookie sensation had a game to remember. The 23-year-old, known for his shooting prowess, mixed it up tonight with all-round effort, sinking 5 three-pointers in a 13-27 FG effort. The small forward indeed had a special night, crossing 100 career 3 PM and almost posterized Aaron Gordon with an insane effort near the rim.
Nevertheless, this wasn’t just enough to stop the in-form Nuggets. Jamal Murray shot a clutch three-pointer to take the lead with 6 seconds on the clock and Russell Westbrook sealed the night with a game-winning steal and a flush in fastbreak. It wasn’t the only thing that went wrong during the game. There was a technical issue as well.
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JJ Redick & Co. nearly miss crowning victory amid a technical issue
While Dalton Knecht and Austin Reaves deserved raving praise for their efforts on the court, JJ Redick equally needed it. Whenever he was thrown under the bus, the former player has managed to bounce back. Tonight, when everything was stacked against the team, Redick’s strategic game plan brought the Lakers right back into the competition.
via Imago
Oct 22, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick signals a play beside guard Austin Reaves (15) during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images
The announcers, on the other hand, couldn’t stress enough, as they brought in rare stats at regular intervals and ultimately validated the coach’s brilliance. However, at one point, the announcers’ hands were tied with a technical delay. Amid the intense back-and-forth, one of the announcers on live TV said, “We have lost our stat monitor. So we apologize if we can’t give you some numbers that we love to give you.”
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Nevertheless, this game’s intensity at the end didn’t need stats support to emphasize. With a rivalry already in place, everyone was pretty much invested in the game. Just when everyone expected the Lakers to pull off a miracle, Jamal Murray, dialed back the clock with his dagger threes.
What do you make of the experienced Lakers’ thrilling game? Let us know in the comments below.
