Breaking: Lakers’ JJ Redick gets brutally honest on D’Angelo Russell benching

JJ Redick and D'Angelo Russell, both in Lakers gear with stoic expressions

The Los Angeles Lakers got humiliated by the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night. The Grizzlies blew out JJ Redick and company in the second half on the way to a dominant 131-114 win.

Lakers point guard D’Angelo Russell only played 22 minutes in the loss, which is a season low for the veteran.

Russell found himself on the bench for the final 17 minutes of the game, and Redick wasn’t shy about his displeasure with Russell’s effort after the game, according to Daniel Starkand of Lakers Nation.

“Level of compete,” Redick said about why Russell’s playing time was cut, per Starkand. “Attention to detail. Some of the things we’ve talked with him about a couple of weeks. At times he’s been really good, other times it’s just reverting to certain habits. It wasn’t like a punishment, but for us to have a chance to win this game, that was the route we wanted to take. Gabe in the first half, especially defensively, was fantastic. I just wanted to see what that looked like.”

Russell couldn’t find a groove offensively in this one, as he finished with just 12 points on 4-for-12 shooting and 2-for-9 from three-point range.

Gabe Vincent and Cam Reddish got a lot of Russell’s minutes in the second half when Redick left him on the bench.

Outside of LeBron James, the Lakers really struggled on both ends without Anthony Davis.

The Grizzlies got whatever they wanted on offense in this one and easily ran away from the Lakers as the game went on. Ja Morant had something to prove and controlled the game before leaving with a hamstring injury in the third quarter.

This loss drops the Lakers to 4-4 on the season, and the honeymoon phase with Redick as the new head coach is quickly over.

The offensive process is much better under Redick than it has been in the past, but the Lakers still have shooting problems due to their personnel, and their defense suffers without Davis on the floor.

Thankfully for the Lakers, they won’t have to wait long for a chance at revenge. After games against the 76ers and Raptors, Redick and company will see the Grizzlies again in exactly one week’s time on Nov. 13 in Los Angeles.

Related Posts

BAY AREA BREAKDOWN: Warriors crush the Bulls in a statement win that exposes a shocking trend hiding beneath the box score, raising brutal questions about who’s rising and who’s falling apart. One thing’s crystal clear—this shift could reshape the entire season..ll

A shorthanded Warriors squad dominated the Bulls on the road, revealing a surprising trend that could shape their season.

How to Watch Golden State Warriors vs. Minnesota Timberwolves — Live from San Francisco on December 13, 2025..ll

Fans won’t want to miss the showdown at Chase Center as the Golden State Warriors host the Minnesota Timberwolves on December 13, 2025. With both teams battling…

Warriors vs. Timberwolves in San Francisco — Form, Head-to-Head & Key Storylines Ahead of Dec. 13, 2025..ll

Warriors vs. Timberwolves in San Francisco — Form, Head-to-Head & Key Storylines Ahead of Dec. 13, 2025 On December 13, 2025, Chase Center will heat up as…

Breaking!! New details about a potential Lakers trade target’s cost are raising big questions in Los Angeles

Lakers’ Trade Deadline Target Gets Surprising New Update on Cost The Los Angeles Lakers are still waiting for the Miami Heat to soften their stance on former…

Report: Luka Dončić Has a Surprising Trade Target in Mind for the Lakers

Luka Dončić Has a Bold Trade Target for Lakers… Luka Dončić has quickly become the new face of the Los Angeles Lakers, and his influence across the franchise may…

REPORT: Lakerѕ’ Trade Deadlіne Target Getѕ Surрrіѕіng New Uрdate on Coѕt

The Loѕ Angeleѕ Lakerѕ are ѕtіll waіtіng for the Mіamі Heat to ѕoften theіr ѕtance on former All-ѕtar Andrew Wіggіnѕ, but the lateѕt reрortіng ѕuggeѕtѕ lіttle рrogreѕѕ haѕ been made. Accordіng to NBA іnѕіder…