After entering the fourth quarter with a ten-point lead, the Los Angeles Lakers ran out of gas against the Minnesota Timberwolves in yet another late-game collapse to fall to 3-1 in the series. Now facing elimination at home in Game 5, the Lakers have a mountain to climb against a younger, deeper, and more dynamic team.
One of the most controversial decisions of the series came when head coach JJ Redick only played five players in the second half of Game 4. In the first 24 minutes of the game, the Lakers used their usual 9-man rotation, with Dorian Finney-Smith, Gabe Vincent, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Jordan Goodwin coming off the bench.
In the second half, Redick finally benched Jaxson Hayes and inserted Finney-Smith into the lineup and didn't sub any of LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, or Finney-Smith the rest of the way. Considering how tired some Lakers, especially Doncic, looked down the stretch, this decision was scrutinized by fans and the media.
In his post-game presser, Redick responded to these criticisms.
JJ Redick Reveals How He Decided to Play Only 5 Players in the 2nd Half
The first-time head coach said that this move wasn't planned, and his coaching staff made the call at halftime.
Vincent, Goodwin, and Vanderbilt hadn't made a shot during their stints in the first half, and Hayes has been struggling all series. The best lineup for the Lakers have been playing five-out with Finney-Smith, James, and Hachimura in the frontcourt.
While this approach worked initially in the third quarter as the Lakers spread out the Timberwolves with their three-point shooting and won the quarter by 13 points, their lack of depth and defensive versatility proved to be too costly as the minute totals piled up.
After his controversial decision backfired, Redick now faces the biggest challenge of his young coaching career. Is he going to double down on a tight, centerless rotation? Or is he going to reverse course? Regardless of what he decides to do, the Lakers will have to mount an improbable comeback against a very good Minnesota team.