The Los Angeles Lakers have struggled on defense. However, they have managed to stay competitive in the playoffs. LeBron James has once again been crucial to this. Therefore, Lakers head coach JJ Redick took the opportunity to praise the veteran.

With the Lakers trailing 2-1 in their series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and facing a (probably insurmountable) 3-1 deficit in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, head coach JJ Redick made a decision: He was either going to sink or swim with the guys who got him to this point.

I don't really want to "pin" this loss on anyone, because it was a sensational game that Los Angeles was in until the final possession. But Redick played the lineup of LeBron James, Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves,