Former LeBron James teammate makes telling JJ Redick statement as Lakers’ struggles laid bare in Game 3 loss vs. Timberwolves

In his first playoff run as head coach of the LA Lakers, JJ Redick is on the brink of being upset in round one. Following their latest defeat, one former teammate of LeBron James sounded off on his bold decision.

When the postseason rolls around, coaches typically shorten their rotations to make sure their key players are in longer. However, Redick pushed this to the limit in Game 4. Coming out of halftime, he didn’t make a single substitution. Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, LeBron James, Rui Hachimura and Dorian Finney-Smith logged every minute of the second half. This gamble did not end up paying off, as the Lakers suffered a 116-113 defeat.

During Monday’s episode of First Take, Kendrick Perkins gave his thoughts on JJ Redick’s decision to leave the starters in for 24 straight minutes. He feels it was a bad move to overextend veteran players like LeBron to this degree, and blamed him for losing Game 4.

“You mean to tell me the time that you went up 10 points that you couldn’t find time to rest those guys and get those guys a breather,” Perkins said. “And you’re going against a young athletic squad in the Minnesota Timberwolves who are a bunch of dawgs.”

“I got to blame this loss on JJ Redick. He got to take accountability on this.”

Following this extended workload, the Lakers’ starters will now attempt to quickly regroup before taking the floor again Wednesday for Game 5.

Lakers legend Magic Johnson also critical of JJ Redick’s lack of substitutions in Game 4

Kendrick Perkins was not the only one who spoke out on JJ Redick opting not to make any subs in the second half. Lakers legend Magic Johnson took to social media after Sunday’s Game 4 loss to chime in on the decision.

Johnson has been critical of Redick all postseason and was at it again when LA came up short Sunday. He too felt it was unwise to leave a player like LeBron out there for so long without some form of rest. He felt this overexertion is why the 21-time All-Star had such a minimal impact in the fourth quarter.

LeBron produced in other facets of the game in the fourth, but he failed to record any points. As one of the top options in the offense, LA can’t expect to win when he can’t get going down the stretch of games.

Following this risky gamble, Redick now has to go back to the drawing board in hopes of keeping the Lakers’ season alive.

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Kevin McCormick is a basketball writer at Sportskeeda with over four years of experience in journalism and a bachelor’s degree in Sports Management Marketing from Holy Family University.

Kevin has worked with various notable outlets throughout his career, including 97.3 ESPN, ClutchPoints, Heavy Sports, and Sports Illustrated/FanNation, before joining Sportskeeda in March 2022.

Specializing in NBA and WNBA coverage, Kevin’s passion for basketball stems from his hometown team, the Philadelphia 76ers. Among his favorite players are Kevin Durant, Chet Holmgren, and Steph Curry, while his all-time favorites include Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.

Kevin holds Coach K in high regard for the large input he’s had on the game helping mold players across multiple generations. Kevin believes the iconic rivalry between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson helped elevate the league to its current status.

Through his writing, Kevin provides in-depth analysis and insights into player and coach quotes. He prioritizes sourcing information from credible and reliable outlets.

Kevin enjoys reading, aiming to finish at least one book per month, and he is a big fan of music.

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