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JJ Redick names LA Lakers’ best off-ball player who changes how LeBron James and Luka Doncic play

Originally posted on NBA Analysis Network
By Bergas Agung | Last updated Dec 19, 2025 9:22 PM ET

The Los Angeles Lakers are continuing their impressive run this season.

Following a high-scoring 143-135 victory over the Utah Jazz, the LA Lakers now sit third in the Western Conference with a 19-7 record.

In that win, the superstar duo of LeBron James and Luka Doncic was spectacular.

James posted a double-double with 28 points and 10 assists, while Doncic exploded for a triple-double, tallying 45 points, 14 assists, and 11 rebounds.

JJ Redick forces LeBron James and Luka Doncic to change their game because one player is absent

After the game, head coach JJ Redick revealed an interesting catalyst for this success: the absence of Austin Reaves.

With Reaves sidelined, Redick challenged his two ball-dominant stars to fill that void by being more active without the ball in their hands.

“Part of the struggle as a coach is getting guys to buy into doing something that they’re not comfortable with. It’s easy to just want to run pick-and-roll. It’s easy,” Redick explained.

“That isn’t always the right thing to do versus a defense. And I felt Luka and LeBron really just bought into the off-ball stuff, and we milked a couple of plays over and over again.”

“They ended up getting the ball and either having open shots or diving. Obviously, when you miss Austin, he’s actually our best off-ball player, so getting those guys to buy in has been good.”

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LeBron James and Luka Doncic successfully fill in Austin Reaves’ off-ball task

The tactical shift was evident on the floor. Seven of LeBron’s eight made field goals came from drives or cuts to the rim, some resulting from his activity away from the ball.

Meanwhile, while Doncic still operated as the primary ball-handler, his movement created openings for teammates, and he capitalized on the spacing created by the team’s collective motion.

Missing Austin Reaves, who is averaging a stunning 27.8 points per game this season, would normally be a cause for panic.

However, Redick seems to have found a formula to compensate, with LeBron and Luka successfully adjusting their games to thrive even without their best off-ball teammate.

This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

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