JJ Redick didn’t hide behind clichés after the Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated by the Oklahoma City Thunder, choosing instead a press conference filled with reflection, honesty, and emotional clarity following a 115-110 Game 4 loss on Monday night at crypto.com Arena.
“I think when the season ends, there’s always a whirlwind of emotions,” Redick said, immediately framing the moment through perspective rather than frustration. He added, “Certainly feeling a sense of gratitude for our players, the Lakers, our fan base.”
The Lakers’ head coach pointed to resilience as a defining trait of his team in the series, even as the defending Western Conference powerhouse closed the matchup. “I thought there were two different times during the game where our team could have gave in, could have let go of the rope. We didn’t,” Redick said.
Los Angeles forced Oklahoma City into its first real fourth-quarter pressure of the postseason, but the Thunder still completed the sweep behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 35 points and Chet Holmgren’s late-game execution.
Redick praised the home environment and the emotional weight of the contest. “I thought the crowd was awesome tonight and our fans are awesome,” he said, recognizing the atmosphere despite the series outcome.
From a tactical standpoint, Redick highlighted how the Lakers consistently tested a championship-level opponent. “That’s what we got to figure out this offseason,” the coach said when asked what is the gap between his team and champinship.
Still, he emphasized structural progress within the team’s identity. “I thought we were darn close to doing that,” Redick said, referring to championship habits, communication, and team shape. “You don’t know on day one of training camp what you’re going to turn out to be. And just proud of who we are.”
He repeatedly returned to the emotional instability of an NBA season, describing the league’s human side. “There is highs and lows and frustrations and moments of triumph and joy and belief and doubt,” Redick said. “You’re one game, you’re one quarter, you’re one play away from supreme confidence or a little bit of doubt creeping in.”
Redick also rejected the idea of “moral victories” but acknowledged incremental progress. “I don’t believe in it. But I look at all the small wins along the way as part of the journey,” he said.
When asked about identity, he was direct. “I think it ended up being a really hard playing team, a really together team, and a team with a lot of heart.”
He closed with a blunt assessment of where the franchise stands. “We’re not good enough right now,” Redick said, adding that roster decisions will follow in the offseason. “There probably will be some continuity. There probably won’t be, but that’s what the next two months are for.”
The Lakers finished the postseason after losing six of their final seven playoff games, while Oklahoma City advanced to its sixth Western Conference Finals appearance in the last 16 years.
