JJ Redick Emphasizing "Championship" Fitness, Plus Preseason Game 1 Preview

It's been a mantra for JJ Redick since the Lakers lost Game 5 against the Timberwolves in the first round of last year's playoffs—everyone needs to come back with championship level fitness. 

At the time, while people certainly applied it to the team at large, it was also seen as a message for Luka Dončić. To whatever extent it was, it's pretty clear Luka took the message to heart, given what he did with his body this offseason. But the Summer of Luka hasn't done anything to change Redick's emphasis on fitness as the Lakers have entered training camp. Wednesday's practice ended with a bleep-ton of sprinting. 

But the fitness kick isn't cosmetic. The Lakers have lost a lot of games, particularly playoff games, late in fourth quarters over the last couple of years. That's physical fatigue, potentially, but it's also mental. Defensive communication gets less robust, decision-making and execution suffer offensively. The Lakers aren't going to build more depth than the Thunder, or likely the Nuggets. They are an upper tier team in the West, but need to find any edge they can. Any way possible to boost their ceiling. That can be fitness, and the ability to execute through fatigue. 

Meanwhile, the Lakers are kicking off the preseason slate of games tonight out in the desert against the Suns. 

LeBron James and Marcus Smart won't play, but there will still be plenty to watch. How fast do the Lakers get into their offense? How well do guys chasing rotation roles (say... Dalton Knecht) play? What about the Lakers debut of Jake LaRavia? 

 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: JJ keeps emphasizing fitness. 

 

SEGMENT 2: Why fitness is such a critical point. 

 

SEGMENT 3: What to watch for in tonight's preseason opener vs. Phoenix. 

 

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