Lakers coach JJ Redick publicly acknowledged feeling like his team wasn’t physically ready for the start of last year’s first round playoff series against the Timberwolves , which ended in a five-game defeat for the Lakers . And the role his preparations from the week leading into Game 1 of the matchup played into that. Redick made it clear that won’t be the case again this year, with the Lakers playing against another physically imposing opponent in the Rockets to start the playoffs .