Los Angeles Lakers basketball is set to return on Sunday after the team got a four-day rest from a huge win on Lebron James’ return and head coach JJ Redick thought they needed those days off as his players are already getting on each other’s cases.
“I lived it as a player when you have these stretches when you’re competing against each other, it just naturally gets a little chippy,” Redick told reporters during Saturday practice.
“We got a couple of chippy practices this week. But my view is that it’s a really good thing.”
Although practice sessions get more intense, Redick also said that they used the time off to do many other things, including bond with each other.
“Getting through this week healthy and getting through this week where we feel like we got better on some stuff but also broke up the monotony a little bit. It was good.”
The Lakers got a rare 4-day break from games in between matchups against the Jazz.
JJ Redick on how it went: “Getting through this week healthy and getting through this week where we feel like we got better on some stuff but also broke up the monotony a little bit. It was good. pic.twitter.com/41WnfbC3ra
— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) November 22, 2025
JJ Redick said DeAndre Ayton fell sick
The four days rest should be a time for the players to re-energize but the opposite of that is what happened to DeAndre Ayton.
Redick said his starting center missed the practice after getting sick. He did not categorically say yet if Ayton will be able to play for them.
JJ Redick said Deandre Ayton missed today’s practice with an illness but will be meeting them for their flight to Utah.
Everyone else is healthy and good to go.
— Daniel Starkand (@DStarkand) November 22, 2025
The big man is not on the Lakers’ latest injury report.
Lakers’ injury report for Sunday. Bronny James and Adou Thiero will stay with South Bay and did not make the trip to Salt Lake City. Deandre Ayton, who did not practice Saturday because of an illness, is not on the report. pic.twitter.com/hefZ1k749g
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) November 23, 2025
Ayton has been huge for the 11-4 Lakers lately 20 points and around 15 rebounds in the last three games. It was his first time to play with Lebron James last week and the two showed great chemistry.
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