JJ Redick on short-handed Lakers: 'Everybody wants to play us'

""I'm sure everybody wants to play us," Redick said before the Lakers hosted the Phoenix Suns on Friday. "Let's get that out there, like, everybody wants to play us.""

""[Teams] are in a position where they can start looking forward to potential second round matchups as well," Redick added. "We see some of those teams rest their entire lineup basically, so they -- we can't be concerned with all of that.""

""Again, I'll say what I told the team yesterday, what I told you guys after the game, we have to figure out the formula and the belief for this.""

Lakers coach JJ Redick is uncertain about his team's playoff seeding, with positions 3-5 still in contention. With Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves injured, Redick feels other teams will favor playing the Lakers in the first round. The Lakers are currently fourth in the West, tied with the fifth-place Rockets and trailing the third-place Nuggets. Redick noted that some teams are resting players, hinting at their focus on future matchups rather than the current standings. He emphasized the need for the Lakers to establish their own strategy and confidence.

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