Lakers’ J.J. Redick on Suns: ‘If you don’t play hard … you’re going to get exposed’

Three minutes into Phoenix’s 125-108 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, Suns forward Dillon Brooks hustled down the middle of the court off a Lakers miss, received the pass from Devin Booker and finished between two Lakers defenders in transition.

It would become a familiar sight, as many times throughout the victory, Phoenix had players simply beating the Lakers down the court for looks in transition, including wide-open dunks.

The Suns outscored the Lakers 28-2 on the fast break, exacerbated by Phoenix forcing 22 turnovers.

After the game, it could not be clearer to Lakers coach J.J. Redick how the score became so lopsided after a back-and-forth opening quarter.

“If you don’t play hard against that team, you’re going to get exposed,” Redick told reporters, a comment that was assuredly music to the ears of Suns leadership.

“Multiple times in the first half, we have a numbers advantage in transition on defense and guys just run by us. We talked about matching their physicality, didn’t do that to any extent at any point in the game. Maybe there was brain fog from three (games) in four nights. … It’s like the Monstars taking over people you’ve grown to coach, and they’re not doing anything they normally do. It’s weird.”

Mark Williams beats Deandre Ayton down the floor and gets the easy dunk pic.twitter.com/lITjktc7bW

— Shane Young (@YoungNBA) December 2, 2025

There was a play late in the second quarter, when Suns two-way guard Jamaree Bouyea snatched the ball from Laker star Luka Doncic after a rebound and dumped a pass to center Mark Williams for the go-ahead dunk. The Lakers never got the lead back, and LeBron James said the Suns were a step ahead all night.

It was a team-wide performance that embodied the culture Phoenix head coach Jordan Ott, owner Mat Ishbia and general manager Brian Gregory have looked to implement, a style of play that pushes opponents with competitiveness and effort.

Doncic fell on the sword for committing nine turnovers, saying Phoenix’s defense was a bit confusing in how it prevented him from getting the rest of the team involved. The nine turnovers were a season high, but Doncic also finished with five assists, a season low.

“It was a different defense than other teams,” Doncic said.

The Suns are second in the NBA in forcing turnovers at 16.4 per game, only trailing the 20-1 Oklahoma City Thunder. Phoenix also leads the league in steals per game at 10.9.

Redick explained the Suns did not blitz, but their players executed their roles.

“Mark Williams did a great job of just being big, he’s got the second-highest standing reach in the NBA,” Redick said.

“Whether it was a post-up, whether it was an off-ball thing, a pick-and-roll, he was just in the middle of the paint the whole time. Their guards did a good job of just being physical and forcing us down there, and once you’re down there in a tight space, you’re not going to get the ball through and that led to a lot of turnovers.”

JJ: "If you don't play hard against that team, you're gonna get exposed…It's like the Monstars taking over the people that you've grown to coach." pic.twitter.com/pymDTsJFVh

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) December 2, 2025

The Suns were able to make up for the production they did not receive from Booker in second half, as he exited in the second quarter with a groin injury. Phoenix already did not have Grayson Allen for Jalen Green going up against a Lakers squad that entered Monday on a seven-game win streak.

Brooks was a catalyst with 33 points and has continued to personify the grit Phoenix has wanted to play with, while Collin Gillespie added 28 points in a scorching shooting performance for Villain and Villain Jr.

Redick singled out defenders going under screens and giving Gillespie looks from deep, which he cashed in. Gillespie hit eight of 14 triples, and his 44.2% clip from deep is sixth in the NBA among 77 players who take at least five per game.

COLLIN GILLESPIE WITH A CAREER NIGHT!

28 PTS (Career-high)
5 AST
8 3PM (Career-high) pic.twitter.com/Zov3kMLfGn

— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) December 2, 2025

The 13-9 Suns are in the midst of a difficult stretch having just played three of the top four teams in the Western Conference.

They have a date with the third-seed Rockets on Friday, a rematch after Houston beat Phoenix handily without Kevin Durant on Nov. 24. Durant has since returned to action, setting up his first game against his previous team.

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