The Los Angeles Lakers are in fine form under rookie head coach JJ Redick, currently holding the fourth spot in the Western Conference; and it comes as a surprise to many, including Jeanie Buss who worried about the decision.
This 36-21 record marks a significant improvement compared to the previous two seasons under Darvin Ham, where the Lakers finished with records of 30-27 and 26-31 despite possessing the likes of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and D’Angelo Russell.
With this new strong standing and Luka Doncic now in the team, the Lakers are on track to avoid the play-in tournament and are aiming for home-court advantage in the NBA Playoffs as they quicky emerge as one of the favorites.
Redick has quickly proven himself in his first year as a head coach and is positioning himself as a contender for the Coach of the Year award, his leadership proving instrumental in the Lakers‘ success thus far.
If the Lakers continue on their current trajectory, Redick could join an elite group, as only three rookie head coaches in the 21st century have led their teams to an NBA championship by bringing glory back to the Staples Center for the first time since 2020.
However, despite Redick‘s early success, Lakers owner Jeanie Buss recently shared that she had initial reservations about hiring a first-year head coach and feared it could all go wrong for her.
“I was worried about hiring a rookie coach,” Buss said to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “This team is so important to this community, and to bring in a rookie coach that had no experience before, that was a big leap.
“I knew that [Redick and Rob Pelinka, general manager] would work well together, and I love watching the progress that they’re making.”
What odds are the Lakers to win the NBA?
As the Lakers enter the final stretch of the regular season with 25 games remaining, the team’s future looks increasingly promising. With Redick at the helm, the Lakers are poised to continue climbing the Western Conference standings and strengthen their playoff positioning.
With a talented roster and strong leadership in place, the Lakers are now looking ahead to securing a deep playoff run, with the potential for their rookie head coach to cement his place in NBA history.
Prior to acquiring Doncic, the Lakers were tipped at +1800 to go all of the way but now that’s slipped straight down to just +850 highlighting the step up in quality at Los Angeles. However, they trail the Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder in the odds charts, both priced at +220.
