The Los Angeles Lakers led by former Duke star, JJ Redick were knocked out of the NBA playoffs on Wednesday night after they were properly defeated by the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of their first-round series.
Since the Lakers’ exit, Redick has come under a barrage of criticism for his perceived lack of experience or thereabout. Much has been made of the coaching decisions of Redick, who was leading an NBA team as a coach in the playoffs for the first time.
JJ Redick Gets Exposed for Lack of Accountability
Last year, Redick was an analyst on ESPN, and he had quite the comments for some NBA coaches, especially Doc Rivers. This time around, Redick is on the hot seat and people are pointing it out that he didn’t give Rivers the same leeway he’s asking for.
“There’s always an excuse… there’s never accountability from that guy,” Redick said when talking about Rivers last year.
JJ Reddick on Doc Rivers last year
“There’s always an excuse… there’s never accountability from that guy”
JJ Reddick after the Lakers were eliminated in the first round
“We played 13 games with our playoff rotation… these things take time. It doesn’t happen over night” pic.twitter.com/STKJbCtzLh
— SI (@SI_02_) May 1, 2025
Meanwhile, he asked for patience after the Lakers got gentleman’s swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
“We played 13 games with our playoff rotation… these things take time. It doesn’t happen overnight,” he said.
Despite an early playoff exit, the Lakers remain fully committed to the Duke legend and are confident in his leadership and long-term potential. Despite the manner of exit from the playoffs, the overall sentiment around Redick’s first season is a largely positive one.
The Lakers secured the No. 3 seed in the West and finished with 50 regular-season wins for the first time since 2020 when they won the championship.
KEEP READING: Evan Bradds Joins Jon Scheyer, Duke Basketball Staff: All You Need to Know About the Blue Devils’ New Assistant Coach
“Our level of confidence, my level of confidence, couldn’t be higher,” Lakers GM Rob Pelinka said on Thursday. “He’s a great partner to work with. He’s an incredible basketball mind, and I know that every year for him will be things to celebrate and learning lessons. That’s just who he is.”
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
