Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick wanted his team to be “on edge” heading into Wednesday’s elimination game. He gave his own edgy response when a reporter asked him a question he didn’t like.
JJ Redick abruptly left the press conference after being asked whether he plans to rely on his Lakers assistant coaches for fourth-quarter substitutions. pic.twitter.com/M9n8HGXH9Q
When asked if he would rely on his assistant coaches to help with substitutions late, the rookie head coach got, well, edgy. Redick, who played the same five players for the entire second half in Sunday’s Game 4 loss, seemed offended by the suggestion.
“Are you saying that because I’m inexperienced?” Redick asked, narrowing his eyes and shaking his head. “That was an inexperienced decision that I made? Do you think I don’t talk to my assistants every single timeout about substitutions?”
Redick concluded, “That’s a weird assumption” before abruptly walking out.
Perhaps Redick thought he’d inspire his team by his reaction, after talking up the team’s need to “play with desperation,” down 3-1 to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
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JJ Redick on LA trailing 3-1 heading into Wednesday’s Game 5:
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“I would describe us as ‘on edge’, as we should be. We have to play with a sense of desperation.”
Maybe Redick thought he conveyed edginess or desperation, but he mainly looked embarrassed to have his strategy questioned. When a first-year coach doesn’t make a single substitution in the second half, it’s reasonable to ask if he consulted with a more experienced coach about that bold decision, one that didn’t work.
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Redick has successfully led the Lakers to the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, but he’s also demonstrated a lot of insecurity about implied criticism.
The Lakers ended up suffering the season-ending loss, 103-96.
Sean Keane is a sportswriter and a comedian based in Oakland, California, with experience covering the NBA, MLB, NFL and Ice Cube’s three-on-three basketball league, The Big 3. He’s written for Comedy Central’s “Another Period,” ESPN the Magazine, and Audible. com
