Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick is more than comfortable walking in the shoes of his alternate persona, known only as a “sicko.” If you didn’t know Redick loves the term and embraces it for himself, as well as shelling the persona out to specially appointed others, you haven’t been paying attention to him since he retired from the NBA. Of course, it’s entirely possible that “sicko” isn’t Redick’s alternate persona at all. You have to wonder if he’s just a plain sicko at heart, and it’s his usual, everyday self. Alternate persona or not, Redick is showing his “sicko” mode early in these playoffs, and it’s adding more spice to a hard-fought series.
The Lakers lost Game 3 despite a heroic performance from LeBron James but aided by a down performance from Luka Dončić. Dončić was hampered by a stomach issue that affected him leading up to the game and throughout. Minnesota ended up taking the game, going up 2-1 in the series. However, for his first playoff test as a first-time head coach, Redick is doing reasonably well after a solid rookie season as the Lakers bench boss. He got his team to bounce back after losing Game 1 to take Game 2. Now, he will try to do the same in Game 4 Sunday afternoon. Provided Luka is feeling better, and his stomach bug has subsided, the Lakers will be right back in the series.
As for Redick and his sicko-ness, it’s popped up here and there already. From his time-out blowup in Game 2 to his Game 3 pre-game press conference, Redick is acting and talking like a sicko. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin received an incredible explanation from Redick about what it’s like to play on the road in the playoffs.
“Just the feeling you get of people hating you and yelling at you. And then the opportunity to silence them—but also kind of ruin their day. They paid all that money, they wore their T-shirt, grabbed their towel.” Redick continued, “There’s just something awesome about winning on the road in the playoffs. … You got to really embrace it. And if you embrace it, whatever dopamine hit you could ever want in your life, you get it.”
What a quote, and closely similar to something you might hear Boston Celtics‘ Joe Mazzulla say, except he would find a way to plug a blood reference.
Unfortunately for Redick, the Lakers first road game in Minnesota resulted in the home crowd fans enjoying their t-shirts while refraining from silence. But LA has another road opportunity to steal the Timberwolves’ fans’ money. Judging by the pattern of this series up until now, the Lakers are expected to take Game 4 and even up the series at two games a piece.
It should be no surprise if Redick lets his sicko out again, whether it’s to fire up his team, enjoy a stand-alone furious cursing session after calling an angry timeout, or perhaps because some bold fan close to the bench yells in Redick’s direction how much Interstellar sucks. Nevertheless, this side of Redick makes him the perfect coach for the Lakers. It’s good for the franchise. It’s good for LeBron, Luka, and his team overall. Redick is a sicko because he cares. He’s a sicko because he wants to win, and he’s a sicko because he loves playoff road games, and a road playoff game is what’s up next.
