Redick Slams Lakers' Preseason Transition Defense — 21 Fast-Break PPG

JJ Redick didn't mince words — he called the Lakers' transition defense "dogs--t" after two preseason losses, with L.A. surrendering 21.0 fast-break points per game. Austin Reaves echoed the dilemma, saying the team is still figuring out "when to crash, when not to crash" after grabbing offensive boards. Missing stars like LeBron James and Luka Dončić explain some rust, but transition defense was already a weakness last year (25th in opponent fast-break points at 16.9). Merlin sees a familiar riddle: hustle versus haste. Redick has two weeks and four preseason games to teach quicker outlets, smarter rebounding decisions and rotation discipline before Oct. 21. Opponents are already scheming for slow closeouts — tighten the process now or watch fast breaks decide close games all season.