Dwyane Wade explains where JJ Redick went wrong in using LeBron James and Luka Doncic during the Lakers’ gentleman sweep at the hands of the Timberwolves.
The Los Angeles Lakers‘ season came to an abrupt end in the first round of the NBA playoffs. It took the Minnesota Timberwolves all of five games to send LA packing.
A lack of size and poor displays in key moments by LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves led to this early Lakers’ exit. Anthony Edwards and his teammates also played out of their minds, but more was expected from the 3rd seed.
Head coach JJ Redick has been at the receiving end of serious criticism. Kendrick Perkins blasted him for playing Maxi Kleber despite the big man having barely returned from injury.
Brian Windhorst shared a Reggie Miller moment with Redick that also led to the rookie coach being accused of ‘childish behaviour.’ And while these criticisms have certainly been colorful, Dwyane Wade has provided some constructive insight.
JJ was widely called out after Game 4 of the series, during which he made NBA history. He played the same 5-man lineup for the entirety of the second half.
Predictably, the Lakers ran out of steam by the 4th quarter. LeBron had zero points and Minnesota managed to seal a clutch win and put the series out of the Lakers’ grasp.
Speaking on The Timeout, Wade said, “I think you got LeBron and Luka to be able to rest them at different times.
“LeBron ‘take two or three, you don’t need much’, ‘Luka take five or six’, but you have two of the greatest playmakers and great conductors.”
Wade also had something to say about Anthony Edwards, adding, “Ant made me go in the mirror and think I could start hooping.”
When it rains it pours, and it seems like JJ cannot catch a break at the moment. He received a lot of praise for the Lakers finishing with the 3rd seed but that now seems like a distant memory.
Magic Johnson made a smart point about Redick’s decision-making during the series, and now former Denver Nuggets coach George Karl has taken a direct shot at him.
“Maybe previous coaching experience does matter to be a head coach in the NBA,” Karl posted on X.
The season is over and as the NBA playoffs carry on, the noise around Redick and the Lakers will dwindle. It’s safe to say though, that his first postseason experience will have left JJ with some significant experiences to move forward with.
