JJ Redick Sparks Concern With Blunt Comments Ahead of Lakers-Thunder Game 1

The Los Angeles Lakers nearly let a first-round series slip through their fingers against the Houston Rockets.Despite jumping out to a 3–1 lead, L.A. lost momentum late before regaining control with a 98–78 Game 6 blowout on Friday, powered by a vintage 28-point performance from LeBron James.The win pushed them into the second round and briefly restored belief that a deep playoff run was still within reach.That optimism didn’t last long.On Sunday, head coach JJ Redick offered a sobering assessment of their next opponent, the Oklahoma City Thunder."We saw a stat in our morning meeting, teams that have had back-to-back, 10 or more better net ratings in consecutive seasons, you're talking about the '95-'96 Bulls and '96-'97 Bulls and the '15-'17 Warriors. You're literally talking about two of the greatest teams of all time," Redick said. "I said to a bunch of people yesterday, off-site, talking about this series, to me, the Thunder is one of the greatest teams ever in NBA history. It's just the reality. They're that good. I think our guys recognize that and respect that, and we know what kind of task we have in front of us." More news: Anthony Edwards Injury Update Emerges Before