The Los Angeles Lakers’ defense exploded on Monday night, forcing an incredible 26 turnovers against the Sacramento Kings in a 127-103 preseason win. This kind of defensive disruption is something we haven’t seen from this squad in forever. Coach JJ Redick was absolutely ecstatic, noting they forced 16 turnovers in just the first half alone. Can you believe it? That’s the first time the Lakers have pulled off that many turnovers since the year 2000!
JJ Redick’s Defense: Disruption We’ve Been Waiting For
Look, we know it was just a preseason game against a Kings team projected to be one of the worst in the league. But seriously, the defensive energy was undeniable. Redick’s past two seasons saw the Lakers finish 18th (2024-25) and 15th (2025-26) in opposing turnover rate, never even hitting 14.6% according to Cleaning the Glass. Then Monday night happens, and suddenly our opposing turnover rate jumps to a ridiculous 25.2%! Redick himself said, “The defense carried over [from practice]. I think we had 16 turnovers forced in the first half…and [26] overall. I know it’s a preseason game, [but] first time since 2000 the Lakers have done that. Clearly, that disruption we talked about carried over.” This isn’t just talk, this is proof that the defensive mindset Redick has been pushing is actually taking hold.
Offense Looked Sharp, Too, Even Without Key Guys
It wasn’t just about the D, though! The offense got in on the action, scoring 127 points, with 73 of those coming in the first half. And get this: we did it without Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler even hitting the floor. Quentin Grimes dropped 16 points, Ziaire Williams added 13, and Jake LaRavia chipped in 12, combining for 41 points on just 19 shots. And, of course, Luka Dončić led the charge with 21 points on 5-of-12 shooting. Redick was pumped about the offensive flow, too, saying, “That first half, our organization was at 93%. Our advantage creation was at 65%. We were able to score the basketball. I thought we did a good job throughout the game of making the right play and passing the ball and not having it stick…Obviously, the defense being able to force turnovers helped our offense. Getting stops helped our offense.” He hit the nail on the head: the defense fueled the offense, leading to smart, quick decisions and the ball not sticking.
Can This Turn The Lakers Into a Defensive Powerhouse?
This is where it gets exciting. If the Lakers can actually make forcing turnovers a core part of their defensive identity, it could seriously boost their chances of having a good, maybe even a *great*, defense. Think about it: last season, five of the top 10 teams in defensive rating were also ranked sixth or better in opponent turnover rate. The year before, five of the top nine were seventh or better. It’s not the *only* way to be a great defensive unit, but it’s definitely a proven path. Redick wants this kind of disruption from his team, and in the first preseason game of the year, he got exactly that. We need to see if this trend continues, because if it does, it’s going to be a wild ride watching this team become the defensive force Redick envisions!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Silver Screen and Roll.
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