Redick takes responsibility for a critical error in the final seconds of Friday's loss to Milwaukee.
The Los Angeles Lakers were expected to cruise past the Milwaukee Bucks at Crypto.com Arena on Friday night, but a late-game collapse and a coaching misstep resulted in a heartbreaking 105-101 defeat.
Despite entering the fourth quarter with momentum and holding a lead in the final minutes, the Lakers watched it all slip away, and head coach JJ Redick didn't shy away from taking the blame.
Redick Admits to Critical Error
Following the loss, Redick was candid about what went wrong in the final seconds, explaining how a missed step in his process led to confusion when the Lakers needed a timeout most.
"There's a process you follow in those end-of-game situations," Redick said. "The first thing is you always tell the referee, make or miss, I'm going to call timeout. They miss, and I jump up and call a timeout. They didn't hear me. I skipped a step there. The reality is the one step of the process, so I'll take the blame on that."
The moment Redick referenced came after Kevin Porter Jr. missed a free throw with just seconds remaining, and the Lakers grabbed the rebound but were unable to get a timeout called.
What followed was Giannis Antetokounmpo locking down LeBron James and stripping the ball from him to seal the game for Milwaukee.
Strong Performances Go to Waste
The loss was especially tough because both James and Luka Doncic turned in solid performances.
James finished with 26 points, nine rebounds, and 10 assists, while Doncic added 24 points and nine assists before fouling out late in the fourth quarter.
Antetokounmpo, who scored 21 points on efficient 9-of-11 shooting, came up with two huge defensive plays on James in the final minute to swing the game in Milwaukee's favor.
The Lakers had rallied from an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit and looked poised to close it out, but the Bucks (17-21) managed to pull out their fifth win in seven games.
For the Lakers (23-13), it marks back-to-back losses after dropping a game to San Antonio earlier in the week.
What's Ahead for the Lakers
The Lakers now turn their attention to a pair of winnable home games that could help them get back on track.
On Monday, they travel to face the struggling Sacramento Kings (8-30), who have been among the worst teams in the Western Conference this season.
After that, they return home to host the Atlanta Hawks (19-21) on Tuesday and the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday.
With Doncic averaging 33.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 8.8 assists per game this season and James continuing to play at a high level despite dealing with foot and sciatica issues, the Lakers have the firepower to bounce back quickly.
Redick's willingness to take accountability rather than point fingers at his players could also go a long way in keeping the locker room together as they push toward the postseason.