"They saw how "contagious" it was when playing defense at a high level against the Suns and how Jarred Vanderbilt lit the fuse to ignite things for the Lakers in their last victory over Phoenix. And for the Lakers to maintain that defensive mindset, stars Luka Doncic and LeBron James also have to be committed to that end of the court. That was the message from Lakers coach JJ Redick to Doncic and James."
"The Jazz have a developing star in Lauri Markkanen, a difficult matchup at 7-foot-1 who is ninth in the NBA in scoring at 27.8 points per game, and a young talent in guard Keyonte George, who is averaging 23.5 points and 6.8 assists. Utah is fourth in the league in pace (102.98), ninth in scoring (119.0), second in assists (29.8). The Jazz are fifth in rebounds (45.7), eighth in offensive rebounds (12.6), and 12th in field-goal percentage."
Coach JJ Redick told Luka Doncic and LeBron James they must be more committed to defense to sustain the Lakers' momentum. Doncic acknowledged the need for greater effort from star players, especially early in games, and praised the defensive-focused plan used in Phoenix. Jarred Vanderbilt provided a catalytic bench presence with energy and production in limited minutes. The Lakers face a tough defensive test against the Utah Jazz, who feature Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George and rank highly in pace, scoring, assists, and rebounds. The team message emphasizes consistent defensive approach and game-to-game focus.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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