The Lakers are undefeated in the JJ Redick era! Yes, with all eyes on the rookie head coach, he picked up his first regular season win on opening night, and that too against a solid Timberwolves squad. While the offense looked extremely fluid in JJ’s new system, the Lakers showed major weakness in one key area: their three-point shooting. However, Redick was adamant that it may not have been entirely the team’s fault and plans to escalate his concerns to Adam Silver.

While LeBron James and Co. shooting an abysmal 5-of-30 from long range, Redick believed their poor shooting was partly due to the fact that the ball used in the game was brand new and not worn in at all. Obviously, players are used to shooting with a ball that has been used before, as it is usually more difficult to get a good grip on a new ball. Sure enough, JJ plans to file a complaint with the league office about this. And while many thought he was joking, Redick said with a smile: ‘Do you think I’m joking? I’m neurotic.”

It is clear that JJ is obsessed with every little detail regarding the game, which became evident when he was a player and later when he became an analyst. So it’s not surprising that if there really was a problem with the ball, JJ would address it. Even the Wolves only shot 13 of their 41 long-range attempts all night. However, this could also be because players are still having to get used to the flow of the game after a long summer break.

But even with the shooting, he was able to accomplish what no Lakers head coach had accomplished in the past eight years. He finally ended the curse for Jeanie Buss by earning their first opening night victory since 2016. Yes, the last time the Lakers won their opening game was eight years ago, on October 26, when they defeated the Rockets. Just to see how long ago that was, LeBron was still playing for the Cavs and the Lakers were led by a young core of Julius Randle, Brandon Ingram and more. What changed tonight?

LeBron James revealed a major reason behind the Lakers’ success on opening night

And sure enough, JJ’s new system seems to be a breath of fresh air for the Purple and Gold franchise. From the moment the game started, the rookie head coach executed several set plays that led to easy buckets for them. And while their shots weren’t falling from long range, their high IQ play allowed them to penetrate the defense.

After the game, LeBron even revealed the main reason behind the team’s success: “I think it was our attention to detail. We had a great game plan and our attention to detail over 48 minutes was at an all-time high. So that led to us achieving this victory.” Then there was Anthony Davis’ dominant 36-point performance that set the tone for the rest of the team. Now that the curse has been broken, JJ has had a great start to his coaching career. And once the three-point issue is resolved, the Lakers can become a legitimate threat in the West.