Last April, nearly 30 minutes into a conversation with defending NCAA champion coach Dan Hurley, podcaster/broadcaster JJ Redick asked Hurley about a specific offensive play the Huskies were running.
By putting a non-shooting big man in the corner and throwing a cross-court skip pass to him, the opponent’s center is forced out of the paint to guard the opponent’s center, allowing passing, cutting – and lanes are created.
“Where…did you steal that piece?” Redick asked Hurley on his podcast.
On Friday, in his first game as the Lakers’ new head coach, Redick opened the game by stealing Hurley’s set. And while the play created an open three for Rui Hachimura, it resulted in no points.
Whether it was a piece of inspiration or a nice nod to the offseason planning that saw Redick only become head coach of the Lakers after Hurley rejected them is unknown. What is clear, however, is that Redick has worked hard to rid himself of results during the first week of Lakers basketball, instead encouraging his team, and himself, to throw himself into the process.
Fortunately for the Lakers, the results don’t count now.
Read more: D’Angelo Russell Takes No Shots When Talking About JJ Redick’s ‘High IQ’
Despite some good moments from a few young players, the Lakers’ preseason opener and Redick’s tenure got off to a rocky start, with Minnesota dominating in a 124-107 Timberwolves win Friday night at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert.
With LeBron James and Anthony Davis starting the game and Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle in Minnesota, there were plenty of opportunities for role players to stand out.
For the Lakers, this meant rookie Dalton Knecht and third-year guard Max Christie showed they could be part of Redick’s rotation.
Knecht made seven of 13 shots and finished with 16 points, tied with Austin Reaves for a team high. Christie scored eleven and grabbed seven rebounds.
Rookie Bronny James, playing for the first time in his NBA career, scored his only points on a left-handed layup late in the fourth quarter with the Lakers trailing by 20. The crowd erupted. He also had three blocked shots.
James is not expected to figure into the Lakers’ daily plans this season, but who and how Redick will benefit from his bench is still being calculated.
“I’ll just be honest: We preach organization and we preach structure,” Redick said before the game. “We obviously give the guys freedom within that structure, but I have to trust that you know what’s happening on both ends of the floor.”
Read more: Lakers Newsletter: Max Christie tops the list of young Lakers to watch in the preseason
At first it seemed no one did.
The Lakers trailed by as many as 20 points in the first half, while Minnesota’s starters played just one shift in the first quarter.
But led by Christie and Knecht, the Lakers worked their way back into the game early in the fourth before Minnesota pulled away.
The Lakers, who have vowed to shoot more threes under Redick, shot 10 for 32 from deep.
The Lakers play again on Sunday, this time against Phoenix at Acrisure Arena.
Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things Lakers.
This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.
