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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 28: JJ Redick of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts against the Sacramento Kings during the first quarter at Crypto.com Arena on December 28, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Ahead of their NBA playoffs clash in Round 2, LA Lakers coach JJ Redick received high praise from OKC Thunder’s champion coach Mark Daigneault.
According to Daigneault, Redick has been doing a great job as the Lakers’ head tactician for two years since transitioning from an NBA analyst to a head coach with the most glamorous franchise in the NBA.
Daigneault and Redick had each other’s contacts after knowing each other when the current Lakers head coach was still doing TV work as an analyst.
“I first got to know him when he was doing TV, because they’ll do production meetings,” Daigneault said. “So I’ve had sit-downs with him. I’ve enjoyed my time with him. I have kept in light contact with him since he got the job.”
“But I think he’s done an exceptional job in, obviously, a high-profile market, with a high-profile team. He has just put his head down and put his team in positions of advantage on both ends of the floor. He has done a great job navigating a lot of different situations. And I have high respect for his coaching.”
Mark Daigneault on JJ Redick: “I first got to know him when he was doing TV because of production meetings. I’ve had sit downs with him and enjoyed my time with him. Have kept in light contact with him since he was given the job. I think he’s done an exceptional job in a
Redick is coming off his first-ever playoff series win as a coach after beating the Houston Rockets in six games in the first round.
Redick has also been a fan of Daigneault’s coaching since his days as a podcaster with Lakers star LeBron James on their Mind The Game podcast three years ago.
Daigneault’s Thunder, the defending champions, and Redick’s Lakers will now face off in a high-stakes Round 2 series.
The Thunder breezed through the first round of the playoffs, sweeping the Phoenix Suns, despite missing secondary star Jalen Williams in the latter stage of the series. Meanwhile, the Lakers won the first three games against the Rockets, without Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic, before wrapping it up in Game 6.
GettyJJ Redick on Thunder Before Lakers’ Second Round Series
JJ Redick has high regard for the Thunder’s brilliance after winning the 2025 NBA championship.
In an interview with reporters on Sunday, Redick said the Thunder is one of the best teams in NBA history, comparing them to the Chicago Bulls of the 1990s and the Golden State Warriors in the late 2010s.
“We saw a stat in our morning meeting this morning, like teams that have had back-to-back or even more than that, 10 or more better net ratings in consecutive seasons,” Redick said. “You’re talking about the ’95-’96 Bulls, the ’96-’97 Bulls and the ’15-’17 Warriors. You’re literally talking about two of the greatest teams of all time.”
“The Thunder is one of the greatest teams ever in NBA history. That’s just the reality. They’re that good. I think our guys recognize that and respect that, and we know what kind of task we have in front of us.”
The Thunder finished with the top seed for the third straight year. In the regular season, they won 64 games and have yet to lose in the playoffs so far.
In the four games between the Thunder and the Lakers this season, OKC has won by an average of 29.3 points.
GettyThe Lakers play the Thunder in the next round of the NBA playoffs.
The Lakers will have a tall task against the Thunder, especially as they will be without their star, Luka Doncic, for at least the first few games of the series.
Game 1 will be on Tuesday, May 5, in Oklahoma City with a start time of 8:30 p.m. Eastern time.
Game 2 will then be on Thursday, May 7, before the series shifts to Los Angeles for Games 3 and 4 on May 9 and May 11, respectively.
If necessary, Game 5 would be on Wednesday, May 13, while Game 6 is on Saturday, May 16. Game 7 would be on May 18.
Rob Andrew Lo Rob Andrew Lo is a writer at Heavy Sports and is covering the NBA. He has covered local, collegiate, professional and international sports in various sites. He was the sports editor of The Varsitarian, the official student publication of University of Santo Tomas, and a sports, entertainment, and lifestyle writer for Rappler. A Journalism graduate from the University of Santo Tomas, he has built his voice across both collegiate and international platforms, previously contributing NBA coverage to Fansided and Sportskeeda. More about Rob Andrew Lo
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