Game 5 is almost here, and if you’re a Lakers fan, your heart rate probably hasn’t been normal in days. The purple and gold are staring straight into the jaws of playoff elimination, and the guy in the biggest spotlight right now? None other than JJ Redick.

And oh boy, it’s been a week for Redick.

Let’s start with the fireworks. Just 30 minutes before tip-off, Lakers head coach JJ Redick walked out of a pregame presser after a reporter poked the bear with what sounded like a backhanded question about his coaching choices.

The question? Whether JJ would “lean on his assistants” more tonight after riding his starting five for the entire second half of Game 4. Redick wasn’t having it.

“Are you saying that because I’m inexperienced?” he shot back before calling the assumption “weird” and walking off. Boom. Mic dropped—literally. “You think I don’t talk to my assistants about substitutions every single time out?” He said. With all due respect to everyone, it can be seen that every time the starters sit, the score difference increases further.

Look, JJ Redick has been thrust into a trial by fire. From player to ESPN podcast host to head coach of the Lakers—that’s not a normal career arc. JJ was handed a very unstable team after the 2024 first-round playoffs exit. And yet, here he is, coaching LeBron James and Luka Doncic in a must-win Game 5 with the whole world watching. Not exactly summer league vibes. Reporters need to read the room before asking questions like this that can infuriate the speaker.

To be fair, Redick did lead LA to a solid 50-32 record and the No. 3 seed in the West. But postseason basketball is a different beast, and inexperience has reared its head—especially during LA’s brutal 116-113 loss in Game 4, when Redick left his starters in for the entire second half.

Even Stephen A. Smith, Redick’s old ESPN colleague, chimed in: “You’re not gonna win many playoff games if you don’t rest your starters.” Preach, Stephen A.

Game 4 wasn’t just a Redick misstep—it was an Anthony Edwards masterpiece. The 23-year-old Timberwolves star exploded for 43 points, including 16 in the fourth quarter alone. He bullied defenders, hit five threes, drew fouls like a magnet, and shut down LeBron with cold-blooded defense. “He looked tired,” Edwards said postgame. “So I kept my foot on the gas.” Ruthless.

And don’t forget Julius Randle, who chipped in 25 points of his own. This Minnesota squad isn’t just young—they’re relentless. Naz Reid, their bench spark plug, is quietly torching LA too, averaging 13.8 points on 55.9% shooting in this series. The guy is a walking bucket and a menace on defense.

LeBron and Luka can’t do it alone

Luka Doncic finished with 38 points in Game 4. LeBron James had 27, 12, and 8. But in the fourth quarter, Luka scored only seven, and LeBron didn’t make a single basket. Gassed? Maybe. Redick thinks not. Doncic says fatigue “shouldn’t play any role.” But the eyeball test says otherwise.

Also worth noting—Redick did offer his players a chance to sub out, saying they had “two extra timeouts” and told them to speak up if they needed rest. None of them did. But the cracks showed. Doncic slipped under pressure late, James threw a costly turnover, and Redick lost a pivotal coach’s challenge that flipped an out-of-bounds call into free throws for—you guessed it—Anthony Edwards.

Here’s something spicy: Maxi Kleber is officially available for Game 5. He hasn’t played since January 25 due to foot surgery, and Redick didn’t commit to playing him, but he’s a legit stretch big who could give LA some crucial depth. With Jaxson Hayes basically glued to the bench after struggling to handle Naz Reid, Kleber might be the unexpected X-factor.

Let’s be real. The Lakers are down 3-1. They’re playing against a Timberwolves team with a 95.5% chance to close this out tonight. The odds? Ugly. But if there’s any duo that can bend reality, it’s LeBron and Luka.

Still, they can’t do it alone. The supporting cast needs to step up. Redick needs to make the right moves. And maybe, just maybe, Kleber rises from the ashes to give this team a boost.

There’s no more time for “weird assumptions.” It’s time to ball. Tip-off at 10 p.m. ET on TNT. Let’s see if JJ Redick and the Lakers can flip the script and keep the dream alive. Let’s hope to see Luka with his black headband version and LeBron showing the world that even at the age of 40 he still bares the title of KINGJAMES