JJ Redick once again guarded the selection when scrutiny was under scrutiny, but Jaxson Hayes brought about a major rebuttal.
The Los Angeles Lakers season is over. The third seed of the Western Conference lost Game 5 at home to Minnesota Timberwolves, closing the series 4-1.
Playoff stage pressure began to reach JJ Redick. Before the game, Reddick came out of the press conference, where reporters questioned his tactics.
Lakers fans are naturally upset by the way the team plays. Magic Johnson claimed the lack of center gave the Lakers a victory.
The Lakers tried to land the center on Mark Williams, but after medical care failed, they retreated from the deal. Williams got his final laugh with the Lakers. However, Reddick is not yet ready to admit his mistake.
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After Game 5, JJ Redick was asked by a reporter about his decision not to play Jaxson Hayes. Hayes was doing well after Anthony Davis’ departure.
However, in the playoffs, Redick chose to play without center. Because Hayes felt there was no offensive tool to help them.
He then said that there is a trade-off to playing without center after the game, but he hasn’t elaborated on what he means.
“There’s a trade-off. There’s always a trade-off. You can say, ‘Oh, play center’. We couldn’t score.
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Jaxson Hayes also talked about not having many minutes during the playoffs. Rather than dig Reddick, Hayes wanted to play the Good Soldier and get ready for coaching.
“They told me straight, straight to get ready. They were trying to try something else. It’s a coach’s decision, so I’ll always respect that.”
Hayes gave far more diplomatic answers than LeBron James, who nurtured Anthony Davis’s previous demands for centers.
The Lakers’ lack of centers was a clear weakness. And then he faced four defensive players of the year with Rudy Goatbert, whose weakness turned out to be the last nail in their cos.