JJ Redick caught himself Sunday night for the tenth game of his coaching career.

The young Lakers coach was about to use a well-worn coaching adage, chuckling at the absurdity of offering a “back in my day” to anyone listening.

“There’s an old saying in coaching: ‘You are what you emphasize,’” he said before the Lakers played the Toronto Raptors. “’Your team becomes what you emphasize.’”

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Since taking the job, Redick has repeatedly emphasized the importance of certain things. Crash the glass. Get back on the defensive. Stay in rhythm during the attack.

And after returning from a 1-4 trip, those important aspects have once again become a focus for the Lakers. But against the Raptors, that version of the Lakers didn’t arrive — at least not on time. They were crushed on the glass. They were defeated in transition. And they stagnated on offense.

Fortunately, this happened early in the match.

After a slow first quarter, the Lakers started to do the things the coaching staff emphasized, zooming past the Raptors for a 123-103 victory to remain undefeated at Crypto.com Arena.

The team found full traction midway through the third quarter, with LeBron James driving in transition, Anthony Davis anchoring the defense and Austin Reaves cutting through the paint.

“We got back into transition,” James said. “And then we executed offensively. We got the shots we wanted. And that helped build a lead.”

James finished with 19 points, 10 rebounds and 16 assists, his third triple-double of the season and his second in as many games. Davis scored 22 points in 26 minutes and Reaves led the Lakers with 27 points while dishing out six assists.

“It has always been my biggest threat. I always get a kick out of seeing my teammates succeed and being able to engage defenses and being able to read and just trying to put the ball on time and on target,” James said. “That’s always been my joy in basketball, because I could read the play and, like I said, place the ball so guys could just catch, shoot, layup, dunk, whatever it is.”

Davis, who made much of the run in the third quarter, made the biggest defensive play of the game when he met Raptors 7-footer Jakob Poeltl in front of the rim, emphatically rejecting a one-handed dunk.

But after the play, Davis fell to the court and writhed in pain while holding his face. Replays showed Poeltl stabbing Davis in the left eye with his hand.

Davis did not return to the game.

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Redick said Davis had trouble seeing after he was hit.

“All I know is he got poked in it,” Redick said. ‘He had trouble seeing. Obviously it takes a little trauma to the eye, but it takes some time to get your clear vision back. But other than that, no update.”

Davis had to leave several games last season after being hit in the eye, and even missed the next game once.

The Lakers have two days off before hosting Memphis on Wednesday night.

“What’s promising is…things that we’re emphasizing, they’re really responding,” Redick said after the win. “I think there is a trust built between each other as players and a trust is built between the players and the staff. Holistically, in terms of our offense, our defense, look, there’s a long way to go with all that stuff. I find that more exciting, I think.”

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This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.