“Magic Johnson leads JJ Redick criticism over LeBron James decision that burned Lakers”
There is perhaps such a factor as an excessive amount of LeBron.
Unable to belief any of his reserve gamers in Sport 4 of a best-of-seven collection towards the Timberwolves, Lakers coach JJ Redick opted to play the identical 5 gamers for all the second half — slightly than play any of his bench gamers — in a crushing 116-113 defeat to go down 3-1 within the collection.
It maybe led to a scoreless fourth for LeBron James when the Lakers wanted their 40-year-old star essentially the most.
Lakers legend Magic Johnson let Redick hear it for the choice that will have value the Lakers their season.
“I don’t know if it smart to play LeBron and Luka the entire second half after only having one day of rest between Games 3 and 4,” Johnson said in a post on X. “When we needed LeBron to take over in the fourth quarter he couldn’t – he scored 0 points in the fourth.”
ESPN character Kendrick Perkins echoed comparable sentiments in a post on X.
“Rookie Mistake by JJ!!! Bron and Luka [Doncic] were dead tired… you’ve have to find time to get them some rest. Especially a 40-year-old Lebron James who’s in his 100th season.”
Playing all 24 minutes of the second half was certainly a strange choice for the same five-man lineup, but especially for James, who was tasked with being the central defender on Anthony Edwards as well as a primary source of offense for Los Angeles.
James ended the game with 27 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists with an impressive three steals and three blocks in 46 minutes.
Los Angeles passed on the chance to rest either of their stars at the start of the fourth quarter when they were leading by 10 points.
Instead, Redick took a chance that they could build on the lead to carry them through the finish line.
That would be for naught as Edwards nailed back-to-back 3-pointers to open the fourth quarter, as the double-digit lead had nearly evaporated by the five-minute mark.
After the game, Redick was asked whether or not he second-guessed not giving James a minute or two to relaxation for the tip of the sport stretch run.
“Not on that one,” Redick stated, including that he requested these 5 gamers in the event that they have been capable of go all the fourth quarter. “Once you’ve kind of made that decision, you just got to trust them.”
Redick additionally blamed the referees for a “blatant trip” on star Luka Doncic with just below two minutes remaining, which led to a essential turnover by James on an ensuing inbounds play.
Los Angeles is competing for a championship with a makeshift roster after failing to accumulate a middle after Anthony Davis was despatched to the Mavericks within the Doncic deal.
They’d an settlement in place to accumulate Mark Williams from the Hornets in trade for rookie Dalton Knecht and draft picks, however the Lakers’ workers failed Williams’ medical examination, leaving Los Angeles bereft of the scale wanted to compete on the highest degree.
Johnson, who beforehand operated because the Lakers’ president when James signed with the staff in 2018 earlier than quitting and handing the job over to rival Rob Pelinka, is arguably partly in charge for the Lakers’ lack of depth at middle to start with.
Johnson traded away Ivica Zubac to the Clippers for Mike Muscala, who’s now out of the league in 2019, simply two months previous to resigning from the Lakers entrance workplace in 2019.
Zubac, a Defensive Participant of the 12 months candidate, has blossomed right into a star throughout city.
Los Angeles will get an additional day’s relaxation as they head house, licking their wounds, as they put together to defend their house court docket on Wednesday in a must-win elimination sport towards the Timberwolves.
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