Lakers’ JJ Redick Awaits Pivotal Challenge Against Thunder

OKLAHOMA CITY — The annals of NBA history are filled with standout coaching decisions that have left lasting impacts on the game.

One such moment came when Rick Carlisle decided to start J.J. Barea for the Mavericks midway through the 2011 NBA Finals, a bold move against the formidable Heat’s “Big 3.”

Another notable strategic shift occurred during the 2015 NBA Finals, when Steve Kerr placed Andre Iguodala into the Warriors’ starting lineup, helping them recover from a 2-1 deficit against the Cavaliers.

However, for Lakers coach JJ Redick, his achievement of overcoming the defending champion Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals without the star presence of Luka Doncic is arguably even more remarkable.

In just his first two years of coaching at any level, Redick has demonstrated significant potential. He has managed to lead the Lakers to consecutive 50-win seasons. His ability to guide an injury-plagued team past the Rockets in the first round, even without his top scorers, speaks volumes about his coaching acumen.

But beating the reigning champion Thunder? This assignment is different.

For Redick to do the impossible, he must prove that he can outthink a machine. 

A cold, precise and relentless machine. 

But don’t take our word for it. Take Redick’s. He said it out loud. 

“The Thunder are one of the greatest teams ever in NBA history. That’s just the reality, they’re that good,” a brutally honest Redick said. “They are a well-oiled machine.”

Part of what makes that machine move is that the Thunder don’t just beat you — they suffocate you to death. They force turnovers, they clog passing lanes, they switch on the perimeter, and when you try to drive to the basket, they’ll block your shot back to last week. 

And as Redick pointed out, they do all of that without committing fouls. 

“They’re top five in every disruptive category … and they don’t foul,” Redick said.

Read between the lines, and that’s not analysis, that’s a warning flare to the officials. 

It gives off vintage Phil Jackson vibes. Say something to the media loud enough that it echoes into the officiating crew’s subconscious. Redick knows he’ll need every little edge he can get to beat OKC, and in the playoffs, edges don’t exist unless you manufacture them.

Because on paper, there isn’t a single area in which OKC is vulnerable. 

“They don’t have a weakness,” Redick admitted.

He’s right. The Thunder are young, fast and deep. They defend without fouling. They can kill you in the half court or in transition. They protect the rim. They shoot 3s at a high clip. They guard the perimeter. And they have the reigning MVP in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who can glide to the paint like a whisper and shoot free throws like clockwork. Around the league, they call him “the foul merchant.”

Redick sees it. Opposing coaches see it. But the question is: Can you stop it?

Redick was asked how the Lakers can win this series. His answer was plain and simple. 

“Belief, attention to detail and poise.” 

Simple words that hide an impossible assignment. For the Lakers to win this series, they need to shoot greater than 40% from 3. They have to defend at an elite level against the best offense in basketball. They need to limit their live-ball turnovers, and they need to stop the Thunder’s runs before they blink and are down double digits.

They failed at all three in Game 1.

“They’re really good at runs … limiting their runs is going to be really important,” Redick said.

Easier said than done. Like threading a needle in the middle of a hurricane.

Similar to his players on the court, there’s no margin for error for Redick when coaching. Everything he does must be perfect to beat OKC. The timing of his timeouts. His rotation gambles. Trusting the right player to stay on the court for one extra minute. Subbing out the wrong one a possession too late. To win the series, it won’t be about schemes or X’s and O’s. It’s about the little decisions he makes in short five-second windows that will come with consequences that will reverberate for quarters. 

Unfortunately for Redick, he could coach brilliantly and the Lakers will still lose in five. 

That’s not a failure, either. That’s reality. 

The Lakers were swept by the Thunder in the regular season by an average of nearly 30 points per game. It’s the largest margin of victory by any teams in a playoff series in NBA history. That didn’t magically disappear in Game 1 when they lost by 18.

So for Redick, what defines success at the end of this series?

Steal a game and you’ve disrupted the narrative for a day.

Win two and you’ve earned respect. 

Push it to seven and we might need to change the Coach of the Year Award winner this season. 

Win the series and we can enshrine him into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame tomorrow. 

Because if Redick upsets this version of the Thunder without Doncic, then it isn’t just an upset, it’s the best coaching performance of all time. It would be studied and analyzed forever.

Until then, Redick is staring straight into the eye of a storm, clipboard in hand, trying to outthink a well-oiled machine that crushes everything in its path. 

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters