Lakers defeat Wizards, JJ Redick calls shooting a horror movie
Muhammed Asif
Host · Writer
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick cracked jokes in his halftime interview. On Monday, the Lakers led the Washington Wizards in scoring but kept seeing shots rattle in and out of the rim. Spectrum SportsNet’s reporter Mike Trudell asked Redick about the team’s shooting luck.
The halftime score at Crypto.com Arena: Lakers 65, Wizards 44, with 14:32 played in the second quarter. Trudell asked Redick about his team’s multiple shots rattling “in and out" despite the big lead.
Redick blamed the misses on “microchips" inside the NBA basketballs. He said:
“The ball stopped rattling in and out… When there’s five of those shots in a quarter, it’s a little odd… that movie, I think it was, it took place with the Washington Huskies or something. No, maybe that’s a different movie. There was a basketball movie about that where they put a little electronic chip in the ball, and every time it got near the rim, they would make it rattle off.”
Redick then added, “Zone was good for us in the second quarter. We slowed him down. Uh, held him to whatever, 18 points in the second quarter. Zone was good for us.”
Despite the unlucky bounces, the Lakers shot 55.7% from the field and beat the Wizards 120-101 for their 15th win in 17 games. They improved to 49-26 while the Wizards fell to 17-57, all but eliminated from the playoffs.
- LeBron James posted a triple-double with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists, going 8-of-16 from the field.
- Center Jaxson Hayes was perfect, hitting all 8-of-8 shots for 19 points.
- Guard Austin Reaves added 19 points and 9 assists but made just 4-of-11 field goals.
Lakers star Luka Dončić sat out with a one-game suspension announced by the NBA on Saturday – his 16th technical foul of the season after the prior game against the Brooklyn Nets. Reports say the suspension cost him about $317,000 in salary, but the Lakers cruised to victory anyway.
