Going into Game 4, the Los Angeles Lakers should’ve known nothing was going to be as planned. Taking a 10-point lead in the third quarter could have solved the problems. Moreover, LeBron James was explosive on defense. However, one misstep from JJ Redick and everything shattered before their eyes. Sunday brought a 113-116 loss, pushing LA 1-3 in Round 1 of the Playoff series.

JJ admitted that he hadn’t planned his no-rotation strategy for the second half of the game. The question is, why did he feel the need to do so? You have a player playing at 40, and Luka Doncic was suffering from a stomach bug. The starting lineup looked worn out by the time Q4 began! However, LeBron James went all-defensive, not just on the court, but also for his head coach.

LeBron James’ physical gameplay couldn’t save the Lakers, and JJ Redick’s flaws in Game 4

“You know, we had a couple of opportunities. I don’t think fatigue—fatigue had anything to do with that,” the Akron Hammer told the media after the game at Target Center on Sunday. “We just missed some point-blank shots. You know, we were getting into what we wanted to get into, and we just weren’t able to convert.” Despite a very powerful game, why did the Lakers meet with such a poor fate? Why is it that they once again failed to bypass Anthony Edwards & Co. when there was no fatigue, as Bron claimed?

On the Hoop Collective Podcast, Brian Windhorst criticized JJ Redick. He said, “He coached this game like it was Game 7 of the Finals, not like it was, you know, Game 4 of the first round.” Chipping into the conversation, Tim Bontemps added, “The most remarkable thing was him saying they decided this in the locker room at halftime.” The analyst said that had Tom Thibodeau done the same with the Knicks, the entire city of New York would wait for him with a pitchfork!

Now, handing a reality check to LeBron James & Co., Bontemps sharply remarked: “The Lakers roster is not good. It’s the reason I picked Minnesota to win the series. They’re the deeper, better team outside their top couple of guys. You cannot play those guys the entire second half without a break.” In Sunday’s game, the Lakers were dominant in the third quarter, leading by 10 points. There was LeBron with 27 points and 12 rebounds, playing an aggressive game on a 36-hour turnaround. Then, Luka Doncic was coming off food poisoning and throwing up in the locker room, and came out late from the locker room to start the second half on Friday.

“Play Gabe Vincent for a couple of minutes. Play Jarred Vanderbilt for a couple of minutes; play Jordan Goodwin for a couple of minutes,” Bontemp thrashed JJ Redick. “You gotta give these guys a break, especially when you’re up. In this situation, the Lakers had a dominant third quarter. They had the lead. You have to give these guys a break. And you could see as the fourth quarter went along, I thought Chris Finch played it perfectly.”

Chris Finch brought in Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo, both of whom provided fresh energy and made impactful plays. Minnesota’s bench, including Nickeil Alexander-Walker, outperformed the Lakers’ bench. JJ’s strategy of not rotating players became a key issue. It was crucial to give other players some minutes for balance.

Amidst all the debacle, there’s another issue staring into JJ Redick’s eyes. Most importantly, if this trouble isn’t resolved soon, even LeBron James’s defensive play won’t be enough to back the Los Angeles Lakers.

One Lakers star’s performance after four games comes under the microscope

Look, in Game 4, Luka Doncic scored 38 points, but defensively, he was weak. However, according to Tim Bontemps, Jaden McDaniels has been the star of the series. “The three games he’s played well, the Wolves have won. He has been unbelievable in the series, and it has been a huge moment for him,” ESPN reporter stated, “A guy who’s been up and down, I think, to be charitable at times during the regular season. He has been unbelievable in the three wins in this series.”

However, it’s Austin Reaves, whose performance has been troubling. “Reaves hasn’t been great. No. I mean, he’s only a day, but coming into this series, the Lakers needed their three stars to be top five, preferably top four.” On Sunday, AR scored only 17 points, and in the previous three games, the forward chipped in 16 points twice and 20 points in Game 3. But on the other hand, it’s Anthony Edwards who has dominated the series like he owns it. “I think Ant has been better than Luka. Ant’s been the best out of the series.”

In the end, JJ Redick’s bold no-rotation gamble unraveled faster than a bad thread. LeBron played like a legend, but even his brilliance couldn’t outrun Minnesota’s depth. With Anthony Edwards leading the charge, the Lakers’ strategy was exposed. Austin Reaves fumbled, and so did Luka. Now, it’s time for Game 5, and the stakes are skyrocketing. Can LA bounce back?