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Around the NBA, one thing that was concerning about Lakers coach JJ Redick here in his first year at the helm in L.A.--his first head-coaching gig at any level--was the way that he handled criticism, especially in pressure situations. Before becoming a coach, Redick had forged a reputation as a shrewd and intelligent podcaster/analyst, but also had a penchant to display a sharp tongue.
That's really come into focus in the last two days, since Redick made the decision in Game 4 in Minnesota to play all five players in his lineup for the entire 24 minutes of the second half, including 40-year-old LeBron James and guard Luka Doncic, who was still recovering from a nasty stomach virus.
The Lakers blew a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter of that game.
As one league assistant coach said of Redick recently, "It's a job where you have to keep a level head no matter what the noise coming at you is. And JJ never really had to do that. He was pretty outspoken in the locker room when he was a player and he has been outspoken since he retired. And you can't be like that all of the time.
"When you are a head coach, you have to be the fire extinguisher not the flamethrower."
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
That quote came to mind when watching Redick deal with the second-half criticism from Sunday. He was snippy with reporters on Tuesday when discussing the subject. And it blew up before Game 5 in Los Angeles when Redick was asked if he leans on his assistant coaches in making those decisions.
Redick took the question personally. He furroed his brow and said: "Are you saying that because I'm inexperienced and that was an inexperienced decision that I made? You think I don't talk to my assistants about substitutions every single timeout?"
When the reporter said that, often, coaches lean on their assistants to help with substitutions, Redick again fired back, "As do I. That's a weird assumption."
And then he stormed off the podium.
While some fans backed Redick's disdain for the question, others worry, as the assistant coach did, that he's taking things too personally.
"Reporter cooked this fraud of a coach," one wrote on Twitter/X.
"Mad cause he can’t coach lmao," another noted.
"Guy thinks he’s the greatest coach, he sucks," one added.
And there was, "Ego maniac."
Redick did have his supporters, like this one who wrote, "JJ is right, this such a bs question."
But in the end, creating a sideshow before the biggest game of the season was not a good look for Redick, even if the question was, well, questionable.
As a user named MrBuckBuck wrote: "That was a silly question. Storming out though... Show some restraint JJ."
Indeed, like the question or not, a head coach needs a bit more restraint.
Continue reading...
That's really come into focus in the last two days, since Redick made the decision in Game 4 in Minnesota to play all five players in his lineup for the entire 24 minutes of the second half, including 40-year-old LeBron James and guard Luka Doncic, who was still recovering from a nasty stomach virus.
The Lakers blew a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter of that game.
As one league assistant coach said of Redick recently, "It's a job where you have to keep a level head no matter what the noise coming at you is. And JJ never really had to do that. He was pretty outspoken in the locker room when he was a player and he has been outspoken since he retired. And you can't be like that all of the time.
"When you are a head coach, you have to be the fire extinguisher not the flamethrower."
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Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
That quote came to mind when watching Redick deal with the second-half criticism from Sunday. He was snippy with reporters on Tuesday when discussing the subject. And it blew up before Game 5 in Los Angeles when Redick was asked if he leans on his assistant coaches in making those decisions.
Redick took the question personally. He furroed his brow and said: "Are you saying that because I'm inexperienced and that was an inexperienced decision that I made? You think I don't talk to my assistants about substitutions every single timeout?"
When the reporter said that, often, coaches lean on their assistants to help with substitutions, Redick again fired back, "As do I. That's a weird assumption."
And then he stormed off the podium.
While some fans backed Redick's disdain for the question, others worry, as the assistant coach did, that he's taking things too personally.
"Reporter cooked this fraud of a coach," one wrote on Twitter/X.
"Mad cause he can’t coach lmao," another noted.
"Guy thinks he’s the greatest coach, he sucks," one added.
And there was, "Ego maniac."
Redick did have his supporters, like this one who wrote, "JJ is right, this such a bs question."
But in the end, creating a sideshow before the biggest game of the season was not a good look for Redick, even if the question was, well, questionable.
As a user named MrBuckBuck wrote: "That was a silly question. Storming out though... Show some restraint JJ."
Indeed, like the question or not, a head coach needs a bit more restraint.
Continue reading...
