On Wednesday night, the Los Angeles Lakers will host the Minnesota Timberwolves for Game 5 of their first-round playoff series.
The Lakers are in a 3-1 hole, so they will need a victory to avoid elimination.
They are coming off a 116-113 loss in Game 4 (on Sunday).
Before Game 5, head coach JJ Redick made a clear statement when he met with the media (h/t Lakers Nation).
Redick: “You have to play with a sense of desperation. You can’t change what’s already happened, and you can’t feel sorry for yourself.”
In Game 4, Redick made the bold decision to not use his bench for the entire second half.
Redick is in his first season at the helm.
The Lakers were the third seed in the Western Conference with a 50-32 record.
They have gone 32-11 in 43 games at home.
Before his coaching career, Redick played 15 seasons in the NBA.
The former Duke superstar spent time with the Orlando Magic, LA Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks, New Orleans Pelicans and Dallas Mavericks.
If the Lakers can force a Game 6, the teams would return to the Target Center on Friday night.
