JJ Redick stormed off when asked a question about using his assistant coaches for substitutions.
The Lakers are on the precipice of enduring a gentleman’s sweep at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves, with former Los Angeles star Shaquille O’Neal and NBA legend Charles Barkley ripping the franchise ahead of Game 5. At the same time, Jeff Teague, a rival of LeBron James, has accused the four-time NBA champion of not putting in full effort as the Lakers face a pivotal game.
As the Lakers look to make it a 3-2 series, Redick was questioned by a reporter for his decision to not use his substitutions in the fourth quarter. It was clear the 40-year-old did not appreciate being questioned on how he utilizes his assistant coaches during the game.
“Is there an assistant or someone that you’re waiting on tonight? Maybe to try and get some other guys involved if that opportunity presents itself?” Redick was asked before the game. Almost immediately after hearing the question, the Lakers’ head coach reacted defensively to his decision to play his starters the entire second half of Game 4.
“Are you saying that because I’m inexperienced and that was an inexperienced decision that I made? You think I don’t talk to my assistants about substitutions every single time out?” Redick replied. When told that other head coaches rely on their assistant coaches, the 40-year-old retorted: “As do I, every single time. That’s a weird assumption.”
Redick then stormed off to conclude his press conference before a pivotal game. As the Lakers look to chip into the Timberwolves’ series lead, it is clear that some who are familiar with the franchise are less than confident in Los Angeles’ ability to come back from a 3-1 series deficit.
On social media, Lakers legend Magic Johnson posted a message of just how confident he was of seeing his former team make a comeback. “I’m just sick to my stomach that the Lakers lost this game after being in control most of the 2nd half,” the legendary Laker began.
He added: “I don’t know if it smart to play LeBron and Luka the entire second half after only having one day of rest between Games 3 and 4.” Looking at Game 5, Redick admitted that game planning for the Timberwolves and trying to have a lineup set to help get them the proper boost they need is what makes the playoffs a completely different beast compared to the regular season.
“Yeah, I think it’s hard to play playoff basketball,” he said to reporters before the game. “The other team’s trying to take away your flow and rhythm, and you’ve got to sort of sometimes create stuff. So I like the way that we moved the basketball. There was probably, from that stretch in the third quarter, more connected plays.
“Even some of the shots we missed, the process was really good. There were multiple passes, bumps, body control, and it’s hard to do, and it’s hard to sustain.
“Whether you play five guys or not, it just is. And it requires multiple efforts on the defensive end, and everybody coming back to rebound. So that was a good stretch for us. You’ve got to be able to do it for a full game, whatever you’re supposed to be doing.”
Redick also praised the job Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards has done in the series. “Yeah, I just think he’s proven to be a very dynamic offensive player. Throughout his career, he continues to get better,” he said. “I think for a lot of young players, particularly guys that have the level of success he has and have the ball in their hands as much as he does, that’s a big attribute.”
