Regardless of previous tensions and public criticisms, Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers and Lakers coach JJ Redick mentioned there are not any dangerous emotions between them.
“We’re nice,” Redick mentioned earlier than Thursday’s sport. “I don’t carry beef with individuals. And I’m not going to get into the historical past of Doc and I’s relationship proper now. And I most likely gained’t ever. He’s nice in my ebook.”
Redick and the Lakers went on to beat Rivers and the Bucks 107-102 for his or her first win of the preseason.
Throughout a media look final season on ESPN, Redick pointedly questioned Rivers’ sense of accountability after the coach talked about difficulties in taking the Milwaukee job in the midst of the season.
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“I’ve seen the development for years,” Redick mentioned on “First Take.” “The development is at all times making excuses. Doc, we get it. Taking up a crew in the midst of a season is tough. It’s arduous. We get it. It’s arduous. … However it’s at all times an excuse. It’s at all times throwing your crew beneath the bus.”
Redick mentioned Thursday that he apologized for the tone of his feedback, which ESPN posted on YouTube beneath the headline “JJ Redick goes SCORCHED EARTH on Doc Rivers for making excuses!”
Rivers, who coached Redick for 4 seasons on the Clippers, mentioned the feedback aren’t a difficulty.
“It is by no means been actually for me,” Rivers mentioned, earlier than including that “coaches, they pour into gamers. They actually do. They pour in a ton of affection to gamers. And oftentimes that love is rejected, it is simply the way in which it’s.”
Rivers mentioned he anticipated Redick’s Lakers to be robust when it got here to “execution stuff, as a result of that is what we have been recognized for when he performed for me.”
“Ran a number of it,” Rivers mentioned. “As a matter of reality, I watched the primary two video games and lots of the units we ran with the Clippers, the Lakers are working now. … I did the identical factor as a participant. You run what you recognize nicely and what you want. … My guess is that JJ will most likely take from all of the coaches he performed for.”
Rivers mentioned that he’s empathetic for his prime assistant, former Lakers coach Darvin Ham, who has been considered by some as receiving oblique criticism any time a participant says one thing constructive in regards to the Lakers’ vibes this preseason.
“There’s heartbreak for coaches. Darvin’s coping with that just a little bit,” Rivers mentioned. “He sees guys make feedback now that he poured into. It is not proper. However that is simply what occurs on this a part of our job. We all know that going into it.”
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Thursday, the Lakers have been with out Austin Reaves due to ankle soreness. Redick mentioned the difficulty wasn’t a priority. The crew additionally stored minutes limits on Max Christie, Gabe Vincent and Cam Reddish.
LeBron James, like he did Sunday in Palm Desert towards Phoenix, performed solely the primary half. He scored 11 factors with six rebounds and 4 assists. Anthony Davis, who performed into the third quarter, had 11 factors, eight rebounds and three blocks.
The Lakers trailed by as many as 15 within the fourth quarter earlier than a 20-0 run by rookie Dalton Knecht and the Lakers’ deep bench pushed them to the win.
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This story initially appeared in Los Angeles Occasions.