Lakers' JJ Redick Doesn't Hold Back on 'Terrible' Aspect of LA's Game

Oct 14, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick against the Phoenix Suns during an NBA preseason game at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers dropped their season opener to the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night, falling 119-109 at home.

After a slow start in the first quarter, the Lakers bounced back in the second, making it a one-point game at halftime thanks to a 22-point first half from Lakers guard Luka Doncic — who would go on to score a team-high 43 points.

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However, things fell apart in the third quarter as the Lakers were outscored 35-25, falling into a deficit that would prove too much to overcome. After entering the fourth quarter down 11 points, the closest the Lakers got to eating into the Warriors' lead was when they were down six points with a little under four minutes left in the contest.

"The trend I see is that we continue to be a terrible third-quarter team," Lakers coach JJ Redick told reporters after the game. "That was last year. That was the preseason. Gotta rethink some things and it's, you know, a two-way thing with the guys. What do they need at halftime to make sure they're ready to play? They're not ready to play to start the third quarter."

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Defensively, the Lakers clearly struggled to contain the Warriors immediately out of halftime. In the first two minutes of the third quarter, the Warriors scored 10 points thanks to a dominant stretch from forward Jonathan Kuminga.

As Redick noted, the Lakers' struggles in the third quarter are a continuation of a disconcerting trend. In the preseason, the Lakers were outscored 201-136 in the third quarter.

One bright spot for the Lakers in the loss was the play of Doncic, whose 43 points were just shy of a Lakers' franchise record for points scored in a season opener, which is still held by Kobe Bryant. While Doncic showed off his elite mid-range game, sinking 79 percent of his shots within the arc, he struggled from three, making just 2-of-10 three-pointers.

In addition to his offensive production, Doncic showed promise on the defensive end, recording two steals, one block and 12 defensive rebounds.

"I think I'm getting better on the defensive end, I'm just trying to get more involved, more communication [with his teammates]," Doncic said. "But overall, 41 minutes, so I like that."

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