"You're going to die" - Lakers coach JJ Redick sends brutal warning to Luka Doncic's counterparts in 'drop coverage' 

"You
"You're going to die" - Lakers coach JJ Redick sends brutal warning to Luka Doncic's counterparts in 'drop coverage' (Image Sources: Getty, IMAGN)

LA Lakers coach JJ Redick bluntly warned Luka Doncic's counterparts after Sunday's 108-102 win over the LA Clippers. Doncic torched the Lakers' crosstown rivals for the second time in three days with a 29-point, nine-assist performance on 52.6% shooting, including five 3s.

Ad

The Lakers won their sixth straight game. While discussing the Lakers' coverage fit on offense and what Doncic brings to the table, Redick was brutally honest about the challenges other teams would face when playing against the five-time All-NBA star and using 'drop coverage' defense, where the opposing big generally stays close to the paint instead of doubling or switching.

However, the Clippers threw a blitz at Doncic, trying to rattle him and force him to play against double teams. Here's what Redick said:

Ad
"The nature of playing with Luka Doncic is if you play drop coverage against him, you're going to die, so teams are going to ... blitz. We have to be better and we're going to figure that out. It helps when you can play all shooting lineups, I am not concerned about that."

Explore the NBA Draft 2024 with our free NBA Mock Draft Simulator & be the GM of your favorite NBA team.

Ad

Doncic had six turnovers in the game. LA's coverage fit against the blitz hasn't been as neat, but Redick said the staff is working on it. The Lakers haven't had the time to practice over the past week with an intense schedule, which has impacted their execution offensively.


After JJ Redick, Luka Doncic shares views on Clippers' defensive coverage against him

The Clippers tried a different coverage against Luka Doncic except dropping. Doncic's passing and mid-range shooting make him a threat at all times if any team uses that coverage. The Clippers, one of the best defensive teams this year, opted to blitz and switch, but that didn't work much either.

Ad

Doncic passed out of blitzes and made the most of switches. He set the tone early with multiple 3s over Ivica Zubac, making LA pay in that coverage. After the game, Doncic shared his thoughts on the Clippers' defense, saying:

"I remember last game there was only one coverage with me. But like I always say, it’s like playing chess a little bit. You gotta read the defense and take what the defense gives you."
Ad
Ad

The Lakers made 18 of 42 shots from 3, 13 from players not named Luka Doncic. However, his gravity was key to most of those 3-point makes. Doncic created several wide-open opportunities after the Clippers blitzed him.

Also read: Luka Doncic injury update: Lakers star drops massive update about knee injury issues bothering him for 3 games

Los Angeles Lakers Fan? Check out the latest Lakers depth chart, schedule, and roster updates all in one place.

Quick Links

Edited by Arhaan Raje
Sportskeeda logo
Close menu
WWE
WWE
NBA
NBA
NFL
NFL
MMA
MMA
Tennis
Tennis
NHL
NHL
Golf
Golf
MLB
MLB
Soccer
Soccer
F1
F1
WNBA
WNBA
More
More
bell-icon Manage notifications