Regardless of previous tensions and public criticisms, Bucks coach Doc Rivers and Lakers coach JJ Redick mentioned there aren’t any unhealthy emotions between them.
“We’re advantageous,” Redick mentioned pregame Thursday. “I don’t carry beef with individuals. And I’m not going to get into the historical past of Doc and I’s relationship proper now. And I in all probability received’t ever. He’s advantageous in my guide.”
Redick would go on to beat Rivers and the Bucks 107-102 for the Lakers‘ first win of the preseason.
Throughout a media look final season on ESPN, Redick pointedly questioned Rivers’ sense of accountability after Rivers talked about difficulties in taking the Milwaukee job midseason.
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“I’ve seen the pattern for years,” Redick mentioned on “First Take.” “The pattern is all the time making excuses. Doc, we get it. Taking up a crew in the course of a season is tough. It’s laborious. We get it. It’s laborious. … However it’s all the time an excuse. It’s all the time throwing your crew beneath the bus.”
Redick mentioned Thursday that he apologized for the tone of his feedback, which ESPN posted on YouTube beneath the headline “JJ Redick goes SCORCHED EARTH on Doc Rivers for making excuses!”
“It is by no means been actually (a problem) for me,” Rivers mentioned. “It has been a technique, and I’ve mentioned this many occasions. And… take JJ off the board, coaches, they, pour into gamers. They actually do. They pour in a ton of affection to gamers. And oftentimes that love is rejected, it is simply the way in which it’s.”
Rivers mentioned he anticipated Redick’s Lakers to be robust when it got here to “execution.”
“I believe in all probability execution stuff as a result of that is what we had been identified for when he performed for me. Ran a number of it,” Rivers mentioned. “As a matter of truth, I watched the primary two video games and lots of the units we ran with the Clippers, the Lakers are working now. … I did the identical factor as a participant. You run what you already know nicely and what you want. … My guess is that JJ will in all probability take from all of the coaches he performed for.”
Rivers mentioned that he’s empathetic for his high assistant, former Lakers coach Darvin Ham, who has been considered by some as receiving oblique criticism any time a participant says one thing optimistic in regards to the Lakers’ vibes or group this preseason.
“There’s heartbreak for coaches. Darvin’s coping with that somewhat bit,” Rivers mentioned. “He sees guys make feedback now that he poured into. It is not proper. However that is simply what occurs on this a part of our job. We all know that going into it.”
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Thursday, the Lakers had been with out Austin Reaves due to ankle soreness. Redick mentioned the difficulty wasn’t a priority. The crew additionally saved minute limits on Max Christie, Gabe Vincent and Cam Reddish.
LeBron James, like he did on Sunday in Palm Desert in opposition to Phoenix, performed solely the primary half. He scored 11 factors to go together with six rebounds and 4 assists. Anthony Davis, who performed into the third quarter, had 11 factors and eight rebounds to go together with three blocks.
The Lakers trailed by as many as 15 within the fourth quarter earlier than a 20-0 run by rookie Dalton Knecht and the Lakers’ deep bench pushed them to the win.
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This story initially appeared in Los Angeles Occasions.
