JJ Redick speaks out on $32 million guard's late foul in Lakers' loss against OKC
Going into Friday's NBA Cup matchup against the OKC Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers' head coach JJ Redick knew that nothing short of a win would suffice. The Lakers battled hard in a closely contested game, but a brain-fade from Max Christie at a critical stage cost the home team any realistic chance of a late game comeback.
With 45 seconds remaining in the fourth, Christie drilled a clutch mid-range jumper to cut the Thunders' lead down to 2 points. The momentum seemed to be in favour of the Lakers, but Christie then proceeded to foul Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with plenty of time on the clock in a move that baffled fans. The young guard likely thought his team had a foul to give. After the Thunder star converted both free throws, any chances of a rally evaporated.
Following the game, NBA reporter Jovan Buha shared Redick's comments about the miscommunication and what went wrong. Redick confirmed that he shared the defensive coverage with Christie, but his signal may have been misinterpreted as a sign to foul.
Max Christie will be disappointed after a costly error at a vital stage of the game. The third-year guard showed promising signs last season and has developed into a day-to-day role player for the organization. The Lakers signed the 21-year-old to a four-year, $32 million deal in July. Christie is contracted to the Lakers through the 2026-27 season and has a player option for the 2027-28 season.
Newly appointed head coach JJ Redick is still finding his footing. The Lakers lineup have shown some promising signs but Redick will be looking for more consistency from his talented lineup. This is the 40-year-old's first coaching job in the NBA and he will be under pressure to find a winning formula in the coming weeks.
After winning the inaugural edition of the NBA Cup in 2023, the Lakers were looking to defend their crown this year. The loss to to the OKC Thunder means Los Angeles are officially eliminated from the competition. The format for the tournament sees six group winners along with two wild card teams progress to the quarterfinal round. The Lakers finished with an overall 2-2 record in the group stage.
JJ Redick will look to make adjustments as the Lakers prepare for a tricky four-game road trip
Rookie coach JJ Redick is still in the early stages of his coaching career and there will obviously be some growing pains along the way. The Lakers have started the campaign with a 11-8 record but Redick will be looking for some consistency from a talented roster that includes the likes of LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
The Lakers have a few days off to dissect their recent loss to the Thunder but their upcoming four-game road trip will be a major test for Redick. The tricky run of games includes the Utah Jazz (Dec. 1), Minnesota Timberwolves ( Dec. 2), Miami Heat (Dec. 4) and the Atlanta Hawks (Dec. 6).