JJ Redick press conference: Lakers coach storms out of pregame presser after question about lineup decisions

JJ Redick took some heat from fans for his lineup decisions in Game 4 of Lakers vs. Timberwolves.

In a 116-113 loss, Redick's starters, including LeBron James and Luka Doncic, looked gassed by the end of the matchup. The first-year head coach didn't make a single substitution over the final two quarters of the game, playing the same five players heavy minutes.

He became the first coach in the play-by-play era (since 1996-97) to keep a lineup on the floor for an entire half. Postgame, Redick said he offered his players chances to sub out, but it never happened. Prior to Game 5, he received a fairly straightforward follow-up question to his subbing decisions: Would he now lean on his assistants to help him make lineup decisions?

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Redick didn't take the question kindly, storming out of the press conference.

Here's how Redick responded to more questions about his lineup decisions before Game 5 of Lakers vs. Timberwolves.

MORE: Why didn't JJ Redick make a second half substitution in Game 4?

JJ Redick storms out of press conference before Game 5

Redick played James, Doncic, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, and Dorian Finney-Smith for all 24 minutes of the second half against a deep Minnesota squad in Game 4. While the decision certainly looked worse because of the loss, he still took some criticism from Lakers fans for failing to make even one substitution and preventing fatigue for his players. 

With Los Angeles down 3-1 in the series and facing elimination Wednesday, Redick received a pregame question about his subbing decisions.

He was asked his thoughts in hindsight about keeping the same players in throughout the second half of Game 4 and also whether he'd lean on his assistants to make subbing decisions "to try to get some other guys involved" in Game 5.

The first-year head coach cut the person asking the question off, saying, "Are you saying that because I'm inexperienced?"

JJ Redick did not like this question about sticking with his starters for the entire 2nd half of Game 4 pic.twitter.com/Z9wX8TjbS3

"That was an inexperienced decision that I made? You think I don't talk to my assistants about substitutions every single timeout?" Redick asked, clearly irritated by the question.

He added that like every other coach, he takes advice from his assistants "every single time," then said "that's a weird assumption" before getting up and leaving the press conference.

JJ Redick’s heated response when asked if he will lean on his assistants when it comes to fourth quarter substitutions tonight. pic.twitter.com/hN44XHLf3E

The Lakers are facing elimination in Game 5 of the first round, just months removed from acquiring Doncic. Their lineups will be under a more watchful eye after Redick's Game 4 decisions, as will the minutes totals for James and Doncic.