Imago
Nov 26, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick reacts against the Phoenix Suns during an NBA Cup game at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Imago
Nov 26, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick reacts against the Phoenix Suns during an NBA Cup game at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
All week, LakeShow has been questioning the different mood switch-ups of JJ Redick. From yelling on the sidelines and calling out players to a speech on empathy, he’s given more whiplash than two blowout losses have. Right after a 101-73 victory over the Phoenix Suns secured the fourth seed and home court advantage for the first round, the Los Angeles Lakers’ head coach had a different mood. Instead of celebratory, he sounded more defeated to the fans.
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Any relief from the Lakers’ playoff positioning was short-lived following Redick’s latest press conference. Before the final game of the regular season, Redick took a defensive stance regarding the team’s performance in this late-season injury crisis.
“Let’s not discredit what this group did for the regular season, you know, regardless of what happens in the playoffs,” Redick stated, a slight deviation from the Purple & Gold’s signature “championship or bust” rhetoric.
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With Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves sidelined, Redick sounds like he’s already preparing fans for disappointment. He highlighted the adversity the Lakers faced throughout the year, through injuries and the constantly changing rotations, while attempting to credit his players for persevering through 52 wins.
On one hand, it could sound like he’s apologizing for his scorching criticism on Tuesday. But today, a speech about counting the regular season as a standalone symbol of success right before the playoffs makes fans feel the coach has virtually thrown in the towel.
Lakers fans don’t accept JJ Redick’s consolatory offering
As with anything JJ Redick does, the reaction to his comments was unforgiving. Many quoted his statement and interpreted it as a sign of defeat. One Lakers fan lamented that “JJ Redick is already acting like the season is over 😭 ‘Let’s not discredit what this group did in the regular season regardless of what happens in the playoffs.'”
JJ Redick is already acting like the season is over 😭
“Let’s not discredit what this group did in the regular season regardless of what happens in the playoffs”
— Lakers Daily (@LakersDailyCom) April 11, 2026
After the week the Lakers have had, the optics in such a statement raised questions like, “yeh, that statement was disappointing. looking to lose?”
The shift away from a title-centric focus is a rare sight in Hollywood, leading one frustrated follower to exclaim, “Oh LORDT.. He already got the excuses ready! 🤦🏿♂️”
However, a segment of the fanbase argued that Redick is merely being a realist given the devastating injuries to the Lakers’ backcourt. LeBron James is firing on all cylinders, but fans don’t think it will take them very far, while Marcus Smart and others are also injured.
“Probably knows Luka isn’t coming back or just won’t be healthy if he comes back, can’t expect the team to win with their 1st and 2nd option out…” one rare supporter of the coach said.
Some even called out those who were reading too much into it, saying, “Do you expect him to gaslight you into thinking the Lakers are going to win the championship? Lol”
Some saw the comments as a calculated PR move to shield his players from a toxic media cycle, suggesting, “I think he’s just cognizant of the media/fan outcry this past week over everything and he’s trying to put some positivity out there about his team and the season they’ve had instead of just being seen as critical of the players.”
Ultimately, it boils down to whether the Lakers’ current roster, without their primary playmakers, can survive a Western Conference targeting them.
“I think he’s just lowering expectations I also thinks he realizes even if the lakers get to the second round they don’t have a chance with Luka or ar especially if bron is delegated to corner bron ar and Luka can’t handle physical teams bro,” as one fan noted following David Adelman’s decision to bench his starters and gain an advantage over the Lakers in the first round. (It was pointless, the Nuggets beat OKC 127-107.)
But it’s also the nature of LakeShow to only count banners as the ultimate prize. Their head coach saying, out loud, that the regular season’s 52 wins may be the only hardware the Lakers see this year is not an acceptable compromise.
