Redick lacks experience, but his coaching performance has exceeded expectations

With the lead multiple times to double digits, the Lakers still lost to Minneapolis. After losing the G4 series, the Lakers did step on the edge of the cliff with one foot. Although the series has not ended yet, the Timberwolves can end the Lakers' 2024-25 season as long as they win any game in the future. For the Lakers, they have no way out. In every game next, the Lakers need to view this as the last game of the season. Whether a miracle can be created will not only test their mentality, but also test their ability to withstand pressure. 32 million, prove yourself in the Lakers, and you are a little immature in the playoffs, but you have proved your ability.

1-3, I think it is their coach JJ Redick. Because so far in this round of series, James has done his best, and Doncic has always been able to hand over a stable data sheet when he is in good health. Reeves' average of 17+5+4 per game is not that embarrassing, and the burden on other role players is not that good either. But for Redick, his first playoff journey as the NBA coach is a bit embarrassing. At least his coaching performance in this round of the series, his ability and courage shown in the regular season, gives people the feeling that he is completely different. I even kind of think Redick is overwhelmed by the pressure, and he doesn't make the right choice in many cases.

For example, when the third place in the West was determined, Redick had no problem choosing a resumption in the last game. However, after the regular season, when it was obvious that the Timberwolves were their first-round opponent, Redick showed that they would let the whole team watch the playoffs, and then give the team a day off before they could study preparing for the Timberwolves. This is very puzzling. What happened to the Lakers in the playoffs? At the same time, after the end of G1, Reddick took the blame. He believed that the team was prepared in terms of mentality, but physically did not match the strength of the opponent. This was because of his training arrangements. Unfortunately, the Lakers have lost their hard-won home court advantage. Moreover, when the G1 Lakers were passive, Redick kept pausing, and he could also see his panic.

Since the first game of the series, Reddick seems to have rotated 8 people, but in fact, as the starter, Hayes averaged less than 10 minutes per game, and Goodwin only came up to support for a few minutes. Vanderbilt and Vincent don't play much together, and the Lakers are basically in a rotation of 6 people. After playing in G4, Hayes was even abandoned in the second half. Not only him, Vincent and Vanderbilt did not get a chance to play, and the Lakers only played a small lineup from beginning to end. At some point, I even hope that the Lakers will have some foul crisis so that Vincent or Vanderbilt sitting below will come up and push them up. With their physical fitness, they can definitely bring vitality to the team when the Lakers' momentum is declining. In this round of the series, Redick completely exposed his young and inexperienced side as the head coach. Even if you still believe that the Lakers are better teams, they are not prepared for G1, G3 Doncic has gastrointestinal problems, and G4 lacks physical fitness in the final quarter, resulting in a reversal. But the series is so nervous, with a low tolerance rate. Once you give your opponent a little chance, you will be trapped in unjust. But then again, even if the Lakers were eliminated, from the perspective of the whole season, Redick's coaching performance was far beyond expectations. 32 million in four years. When the Lakers were rejected by Dan Hurley and signed Redick at a relatively low price, the outside world was basically skeptical about Redick's coaching ability.

Even most people think that Redick may be inferior to Ham, and he will be the Lakers' next "puppet coach", and it is only a matter of time before the get out of class is over. But the reality is that Redick did not strengthen the team's lineup during the offseason, but instead left the two key substitutes in the playoffs, Prince and Dinwiddie. He led the team to help the Lakers stabilize a playoff spot. Even though the team's performance and record fluctuated due to injury, and even after the Davis was injured and traded, the team's remaining team could only focus on James, Redick still came up with a good offensive and defensive system to help the Lakers stabilize their seats in the top 6 in the Western Conference. After the trade, the Lakers' ranking was very stable, and the final ranking of third place in the Western Conference was already much better than expected. Redick has proved that he is an excellent coach from planning and arrangement to controlling the timeout, controlling the locker room and adjusting ability throughout the regular season. But it is obvious that when entering the playoffs, Redick's lack of experience made him panic, which puts pressure on the Lakers' coaching and will make Redick feel uneasy in his ideas, including that he is the first coach in history to let the same lineup play for the second half of 24 minutes without rest. However, as far as this season is concerned, the Lakers' center position has always been a problem of clear cards, and this problem is unsolvable. After Reddick accumulates experience, he believes he can do better next season.