"He played a guy who hadn't played in three months" - Windy says Redick's 'immature' coaching cost the Lakers this season

Yahoo

22-05-2025

There's plenty of blame to go around when it comes to the Los Angeles Lakers' failed postseason run. Some pointed to Luka Doncic's matador defense. Some cited LeBron James' fourth-quarter shortcomings, especially in Games 4 and 5, when Bron totaled a mere three points in the final periods of those games.
However, ESPN's Brian Windhorst emphasized that the bulk of the blame must go to the team's head coach, JJ Redick, for the way he led the team this postseason.
Redick's not there yet
While the former NBA sharpshooter-turned-head coach did well in steering the Lakers to the third seed after the regular season, everyone knows the postseason is a different animal. And while the former Duke Blue Devil has experience, it came as a player, not a coach.
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Redick's lack of experience in leading a team through the playoffs was evident in his questionable rotations and inability to make adjustments when things weren't going well. This became especially apparent in the series' last two games, wherein Windhorst noted JJ coached "immaturely."
"I don't mean this in a personal way—JJ Redick coached very immaturely in this series. He was still seething and upset about the previous games, to the point where Reggie Miller said on the broadcast last night he had to try to calm him down in the pregame meeting because JJ was acting, you know, frankly, childishly," Windy stated on "Get Up."
Redick looked troubled long before Game 5 even tipped off when JJ stormed off his pre-game presser after being asked whether he would rely on his assistants to help him with his player rotation decisions. This came on the heels of his bizarre decision to play only five players in the entire second half of Game 4.
However, his most head-scratching coaching decision came in the fourth quarter of Game 5. With the Purple & Gold's season hanging in the balance, down by three with only 5:36 left, Redick inserted big man Maxi Kleber — who was playing in his first game back after missing 43 straight games because of foot surgery — into the game.
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"And then in this game, he played a guy who hadn't played in three months ahead of centers that he had on his roster. He played Maxi Kleber. He had never even practiced with the Lakers. Maxi Kleber's on the court with five minutes to go in, like, a two-possession game. That is not a rational decision," Windhorst noted.
Related: "Kevin's counter to that was Larry needs to get a life" - Why Kevin McHale never appreciated Larry Bird's outlook on his pre-game approach
Minimal to no adjustments
Kendrick Perkins criticized Redick, accusing him of being stubborn and fixated on proving that his approach was the right one. From failing to formulate a suitable defensive game plan to playing a 40-year-old LeBron at five, it was clear that the rookie head coach wasn't ready for the moment.
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"Did JJ Redick make any adjustments in this series to adjust to the Minnesota Timberwolves? No. To the size, the athleticism, the length? No, absolutely not. He was stuck in his ways and harped on playing this small ball lineup and leaving LeBron James, a 40-year-old senior citizen, at the five position to battle with Rudy, Julius Randle, Naz Reid, and Jaden McDaniels," Perk stated.
"At what point are you, as the head coach, going to make adjustments, especially when you're down in the series? But instead, you're trying to prove to the rest of the world that your way is going to work, and it didn't," the former NBA champion added.
Experience is invaluable, especially on a stage as pivotal as the NBA Playoffs. For JJ, his inexperience was evident. Redick's lack of familiarity with high-stakes situations, combined with his stubborn approach, ultimately denied the Lakers the opportunity to advance in the playoffs.
Related: "I didn't play good enough to help us be successful" - Austin Reaves shoulders blame for Lakers' first-round exit