While it was an unprecedented strategy that did not work, LeBron James said there was no second-guessing from players about JJ Redick not making any subs in Game 4 against the Wolves.
It’s going to take some time for Lakers fans — and head coach JJ Redick — to move past these playoffs. It wasn’t a great showing by Redick, highlighted by his Game 4 decision to play the same lineup for the entire second half.
Not only was it detrimental in that contest, but it likely cost the team the series and their postseason hopes, as the defeat dropped them to a 3-1 hole in the series they didn’t get out of. The reactions from fans and analysts were strong, but at least according to LeBron James, the team did not share the same feelings.
On his latest episode of the “Mind The Game” podcast, LeBron was asked by co-host Steve Nash for his reaction to playing the entire second half. After discussing how he felt physically, he made sure to point out there was no second-guessing from the players.
“By the way, none of us questioned it. None of us questioned JJ and the coaching staff for what happened. Obviously, Gabe [Vincent] and [Jarred Vanderbilt], guys that have given so many great minutes, they definitely felt a way because they’re competitors. We all feel like we can get in and make a moment happen. It wasn’t a decision, which JJ told us, 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. None of us looked or the coaching staff any way for the decision that he made. S—, it was our fault that we didn’t come through.”
It certainly means something that LeBron is defending his head coach. And not only is he doing that, he’s deflecting blame from Redick. As always, LeBron knows the weight of his words and how much his words matter, so him backing his head coach and saying it was the players fault is not insignificant.
LeBron also spoke about how he felt during that second half and after, though he again defended Redick.
“I felt in the moment. I wasn’t tired. 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. We just didn’t make enough plays. I left that game extremely tired and extremely like, ‘Oh, s—’ because it was a postseason game, not because I played the whole second half. I was tired as hell because I gave my whole body, my mind, my soul to the game for 48 minutes. I was extremely tired but it wasn’t because, ‘Oh, well I played 24 straight minutes in the second half.’ No. We had an opportunity and we didn’t [take advantage of] it.”
To a certain extent, this is what you’d expect from LeBron overall in defending his coach. But considering he did this on his podcast, where he could control what was and wasn’t said, it feels notable that he chose to address it.
Obviously, this doesn’t change the past. But it does show how much the locker room believes in Redick, which is another good sign. Was it a mistake? Yes, a big one. But it isn’t one that looks like it damaged the locker room.
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