After only five players played in the second half of Game 4, JJ Redick talked to the benched Lakers to ensure their readiness for Game 5.
The Lakers not only lost Game 4 on Sunday, but they did so with a new and frustrating twist.
At the start of the second half, JJ Redick decided to bench Jaxson Hayes for Dorian Finney-Smith. He never made another substitution for the rest of the game, becoming the first coach to play just five players for an entire half of a playoff game in the play-by-play era.
Not only was this decision conversational, to say the least, but it also didn’t lead to a win.
How do players like Hayes, Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent and Jordan Goodwin feel after being snubbed in a big game? Will they still be mentally all in for Game 5?
Redick addressed these concerns after Tuesday’s practice.
“I spoke to everyone yesterday that would have potentially played the second half,” Redick said. “They all understood it. There was no issue with that.”
Chemistry and camaraderie are difficult to obtain, but they can vanish in a flash. Redick’s decision to bench these guys tells them he doesn’t trust them in a must-win scenario, even if that wasn’t his intention.
It’s reassuring to hear that the players understand and will remain professional. Hopefully, following Redick’s conversations with the guys, they’ll be ready for the challenge ahead.
Late in Game 4, the Lakers were obviously gassed and blew a double-digit lead. Had Redick used a couple of his reserves to give his main guys a break, perhaps they would’ve been fresh enough to attack the basket, get some defensive stops and earn the win.
Instead, they are now back in Los Angeles, just one loss away from ending their season.
This Wolves team is tough and if the Lakers are going to extend their postseason, it will take an all-hands-on-deck approach, as the second half of Game 4 clearly showed. They’ll need players like Vincent, Vanderbilt, Goodwin and even Hayes ready to make an impact.
Actions speak louder than words, so we’ll see how Redick uses his substitutions in Wednesday’s elimination game and how those bench players respond to seeing the court again.
Hopefully, for Lakers fans’ sake, Redick is right and everyone is still all in on the task at hand.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.