JJ Redick caught himself before the 10th game of his coaching career on Sunday night.
The young Lakers coach was about to use an old coaching saying, laughing at the absurdity of offering “in my day” to anyone who would listen.
“There’s an old saying in coaching, ‘You are what you focus on,'” he said before the Lakers played the Toronto Raptors. “‘Your team becomes what you focus on.'”
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Since taking the job, Redick has repeatedly offered his players that advice. Smash the glass. Go back on defense. Stay in rhythm on offense.
And after coming back from a 1-4 trip, it once again became a focus for the Lakers. But against the Raptors, that version of the Lakers did not arrive. At least not in time. They were crushed on the glass. They were beaten in transition. And they stagnated because of offense.
Fortunately, it happened early in the game.
After a sluggish first quarter, the Lakers began to do the things the coaching staff emphasized, outscoring the Raptors while 123-103 win remain undefeated at Crypto.com Arena.
The team fully found its footing midway through the third quarter, LeBron James barrel in transit, Anthony Davis anchor the defense and Austin Reaves cutting through the paint.
James finished with 19 points, 10 rebounds and 16 assists, his third triple-double of the season and his second in as many games. Davis scored 22 in 26 minutes and Reaves led the Lakers with 27 while distributing six assists.
Davis, a huge part of the third-quarter run, made the biggest defensive play of the game when he met Raptors 7-footer Jakob Poeltl in front of the rim, turning down a one-handed dunk emphatically.
But after the play, Davis fell to the court and writhed in pain, holding his face. Replays showed Poeltl poked Davis in the left eye with his hand.
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Davis did not return to the game. After the game, Redick said Davis was having trouble seeing out of his injured eye.
Davis had to leave several games last season after being hit in the eyeeven missing the next game sometimes.
Redick said Davis had trouble seeing after being hit.
“Obviously, take some trauma to the eye, it takes some time to get your clear vision back,” Redick said. “But other than that, no update.”
The Lakers have two days off before hosting Memphis on Wednesday night.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
