Lakers HC JJ Redick Explains Strategy in Resting Anthony Davis vs Portland

Los Angeles didn't need its All-NBA big man against the lowly Trail Blazers.

Jan 2, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23), center Anthony Davis (3) and forward Jarred Vanderbilt (2) look on in the fourth quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers didn't need All-NBA Second Team center Anthony Davis to beat the jumbo-sized Portland Trail Blazers, as L.A. vanquished the 11-22 club in a narrow 114-106 defeat.

Per Dave McMenamin of ESPN, Los Angeles head coach JJ Redick claimed pre-game that his club "just wants to [be] smart" when it comes to handling Davis' lingering left ankle soreness. Redick noted that the Lakers have a loaded slate this month, and cited that as a major motivation behind his caution. The Lakers were playing the first game of a back-to-back tilt on Thursday, L.A. faces off against All-Star point guard Trae Young, rising power forward Jalen Johnson, and the rest of their revamped Atlanta Hawks on Friday at 7:30 p.m. PT.

With Davis shelved on Thursday, Redick employed a big man-by-committee approach. He started reserve center Jaxson Hayes, who played for just 17:51 of action amid early foul trouble. He scored four points on 2-of-4 shooting fromt he field, grabbed six rebounds, and nabbed a steal and a block while playing physical defense against Portland starter Deandre Ayton. Redick actually played two-way center Christian Koloko more. The lengthy big man scored eight points on 4-of-8 shooting from the floor, grabbed eight boards, dished out three dimes and swiped one steal.

At 19-13, Los Angeles has risen to the Western Conference's No. 6 seed this year, just half a game behind the No. 4-seeded Denver Nuggets (19-13) and the No. 5-seeded Dallas Mavericks (20-14). Both clubs are theoretically very catchable, especially now that Los Angeles seems to have balanced out its roster a bit with its first trade in nearly two years. The team has gone 7-3 across its past 10 contests, and with the additions of 3-and-D small forward/shooting guard Dorian Finney-Smith and combo guard Shake Milton, it seems quite possible the club's ceiling has improved.

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Los Angeles now boasts a legitimately intriguing top seven. Its current first five comprises All-Stars Davis and LeBron James, point guard Austin Reaves, small forward Rui Hachimura, and shooting guard Max Christie (who enjoyed a career night against Portland). Finney-Smith is now effectively the team's sixth man, although it's certainly possible that he'll replace Hachimura or Christie in Redick's starting lineup. Sharpshooting rookie swingman Dalton Knecht is already a gravitational force.

Players like Milton, Cam Reddish and Jaxson Hayes currently round out the club's top 10.

The obvious spot to upgrade is Hayes, should Los Angeles want to give Davis a bit more support.

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