The Lakers’ season ended in heartbreak, not just in defeat, but in missed opportunity. Their 103-96 defeat in Game 5 sealed a 4-1 series loss to the Timberwolves. Redick’s inaugural season bristled with challenges, none more glaring than Game 4 rotation calls. That’s when he decided to play the same five guys for the entire second half. The Lakers lost that one 116-113. LeBron went scoreless in the fourth, and fans immediately questioned Redick’s choices.
The NBA world didn’t hold back in its critiques. Magic Johnson immediately panned the lineup gamble. He questioned Redick’s strategy, pointing out how fatigued the team’s stars were, especially LeBron, who struggled in the fourth quarter. Johnson said, “When we needed LeBron to take over in the fourth quarter, he couldn’t – he scored 0 points in the fourth.” For the Lakers, a missed opportunity became a lesson in roster management.
As Dwyane Wade and co. recently sat down to discuss the conversation, they couldn’t help but notice Tom Thibodeau has a similar coaching style, but he doesn’t seem to get a lot of hate for this. Soon, Dwyane Wade ended up remembering his own days with the Miami Heat. He recalled how coach Erik Spoelstra once reduced his minutes, a decision that initially upset him. Wade explained, “I was hot because I’m thinking, ‘Oh, you f****ng with my numbers, my touches.’” But Spoelstra’s plan worked, and Wade’s efficiency improved.
In his words, “I became even more efficient, and my numbers didn’t really drop much at all because, you know, I had more energy to do things I needed to do.” This lesson in pacing could help Redick understand the importance of rest and its impact on performance, even for veterans like LeBron. Wright immediately backed Wade with his own anecdote—one that reinforced the power of planned rests.
He said, “Makes you more efficient in your movements, too. You know what I mean? When you know you’ve got a break coming, like, ‘Okay, I come out at 3 minutes, I got another minute and a half to go as hard as I can, defend, get to the rim.’” He explained how his former coach, Terry Stotts, ran things by a substitution card. It didn’t matter if he had it going—at certain minutes, subs came in no matter what. At first, Delon Wright hated it. But then his coach explained, “I look at my bench as relief pitchers. You guys are going in there to give the starters relief.” That stuck with him. It was about rhythm and trust in the system. The bench’s timely relief re-energized the starters. And in the long run, that made the whole team stronger.
LeBron James continues to defend JJ Redick amid criticism
Despite the strong criticism from fans and analysts, including a costly loss that put the Lakers in a 3-1 hole, not everyone saw it the same way. LeBron James, always a leader on and off the court, stepped up to defend his coach. After the game, when asked about the decision to play the same lineup the entire second half, LeBron made it clear:
“I thought he just learned every single day, held us accountable. He pushed us.” Even Luka had chimed in, “Yeah, I think he’s a hell of a coach. Not many coaches do the stuff he did in his first year.”
Interestingly, this wasn’t just a post-game comment. On his recent episode of the “Mind The Game” podcast, LeBron again stood by Redick, emphasizing that the decision was based on the flow of the game. He said, “It wasn’t a decision that was based on guys not being able to do the job. It was a decision based on the feeling of the game and the momentum of the game.” LeBron’s words were a clear indication that, despite the poor outcome, the team believed in their coach’s choice and understood it was a collective responsibility for the loss.
Oct 25, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) with Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick against the Phoenix Suns during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images
LeBron also took it a step further, acknowledging the exhaustion but reiterating his support. “I wasn’t looking for a sub. If it came, cool. I would have accepted it. We had an opportunity to tie the series at 2-2 on the road vs. a great team, and the coaches rolled the dice and we rolled with it.”
These comments show the trust and respect the locker room has for Redick, even after a tough postseason exit. While the decision may have been controversial, LeBron’s defense highlights the unity within the team, proving that, win or lose, they were all in it together.
While there are still voices of doubt about Redick’s coaching or Lakers’ future, it seems that LeBron is going to continue standing with Redick, as he doesn’t see a problem with the latter’s choice.
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