Swanson: Lakers' JJ Redick makes a case that he's the right coach for the playoffs - BERITAJA

The only point that would make the occupation JJ Redick is doing amended is if he were wearing a suit.

If the Lakers’ coach looked the part.

The portion of a lawyer, stepping down his guidance successful the unfastened court. He delivered an airtight opening statement that was stunning for really overmuch stronger it was than opposing coach Ime Udoka’s. And grounds of really acold Redick has come.

Now, look, your honor: The short-on-star-power Lakers winning some games astatine location to return a 2-0 bid lead complete the heavy favored Houston Rockets successful the first information of the Western Conference playoffs? That’s a compelling start.

But Redick, James and Associates are only halfway there; they’re still proving their case.

They still request to beryllium beyond a reasonable uncertainty that their apical domiciled players could execute arsenic persuasively connected the roadworthy arsenic they person astatine home.

And they’ll about apt person to beryllium they could efficaciously rebut the Rockets’ adjustments, though those are simply conceptual astatine this point, they’re truthful overdue.

Two games into this bid it looks to us, the members of the jury, arsenic though Redick has taken this allegedly open-and-shut case, this slam dunk of a proceedings — and thrown down a reverse.

The Lakers look for illustration the amended team. Like the better-constructed team, even. And that’s without injured stars Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, who are hustling backmost arsenic accelerated arsenic their bodies will fto them from hamstring and oblique injuries, respectively.

They look for illustration the better-coached team.

It’s the opposing counsel who looks dressed for the part, Udoka successful a sweatsuit for illustration a dada astatine a Saturday greeting younker convention trying to get his players to get along, pinch conscionable 1 play successful his pocket: Give the shot to Kevin.

Meanwhile, the ineligible squad minding the crippled successful the Lakers’ huddle is moving laps about the guys connected the different bench.

Coach JJ Redick and guardant LeBron James person helped the Lakers gain a 2-0 lead successful the best-of-seven playoff bid agains the favored Rockets without injured guards Luke Doncic and Austin Reaves.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Exhibit A: One of the game’s top scorers, Kevin Durant, has been forced by his ain squad to do a batch of ballhandling chores too. So the Lakers person been double-teaming and blitzing Durant each complete the court, compelling him into 9 turnovers successful Tuesday’s 101-94 Game 2 victory astatine Crypto.com Arena. Using the aforesaid strategy, they’ve turned him complete 20 times successful his past 3 meetings pinch the Lakers, going backmost to the regular season.

Exhibit B: By playing drop, hedge, man and mixing area defenses, the Lakers besides person been, according to Marcus Smart’s postgame testimony, “throwing different packages” astatine the Rockets. It’s working: Houston has grounded to people 100 points successful either crippled of the series.

Exhibit C: The Lakers are putting the shot successful Smart’s hands, utilizing him successful a measurement that forces the Rockets to take sides honestly, alternatively of sagging disconnected him. They’ve besides been intentional pinch really they leverage Luke Kennard, moving actions that overrule his reluctance to shoot. It should please the tribunal to spot the man shooting 65.4% (17 for 26) from the section successful the first 2 games!

With these strategies and others, the Lakers look almost to beryllium creating caller precedent for the laws of basketball, because what do you mean the Rockets person taken 44 much shots but person been outscored by 16 points?

What makes it truthful wildly awesome is that earlier the Lakers brought this point to trial, it looked arsenic though it would beryllium thrown retired connected the grounds of insufficient prima power.

With conscionable 41-year-old LeBron James to transportation them without Doncic and Reaves, Houston seemed truthful overmuch stronger. Physically, connected the boards, successful conscionable about each measurement — isolated from successful position of chemistry, camaraderie and communication.

Even Udoka’s grounds seemed superior. In 2021-22, his first (and only) play arsenic the Boston Celtics’ coach, he led them to the NBA Finals.

Redick, successful his first playoffs arsenic a coach past year, showed specified contempt for his ain squad and made an absolute insult of the crippled scheme that sewage the Lakers to the postseason successful the first place. Remember really he panicked, refusing moreover to attack the chair to springiness his preferred 5 a breather for a afloat losing half successful Game 4 against the Minnesota Timberwolves? The small fight he threw erstwhile asked about it earlier the Game 5 finale?

The Duke postgraduate and self-proclaimed “basketball sicko” has appeared overmuch much prepared this time, overmuch much composed.

He seems to beryllium successful his element, problem-solving alongside his erstwhile podcast host, James, who has stepped correct up pinch 47 points, 20 assists and 16 rebounds — including immoderate highlight-reel dunks and passes — done the first 2 games. We are each witnesses.

Still, this point is going to past astatine slightest 2 much games, and perchance more, earlier we get a verdict.

And if it goes the Lakers’ way?

Congratulations, JJ, you will person earned the estimation arsenic a coach who could return connected the toughest cases and triumph them. And do we person an intolerable situation for you adjacent connected the docket.

The top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder are young, deep, and up 2-0 successful their first-round bid against the Phoenix Suns. The defending-champion Thunder person tally the Lakers retired of tribunal successful each gathering this season, beating them by an mean of 29 points. And they’re clever too; referees — those judges connected the tribunal — ever look truthful sympathetic to OKC.

Would the Lakers person immoderate chance? Redick is proving he mightiness beryllium capable to make a case.