Coach JJ Redick has seemingly exhausted all options trying to find usable players beyond the core stars on the Los Angeles Lakers roster.
Examples of this struggle include Jaxson Hayes, who despite playing only 26 minutes total in the first three games (during which the Lakers were outscored by 18 points) still started Game 4. Similarly, Jordan Goodwin, recently on a two-way contract, saw significant first-half minutes in Game 4 when Austin Reaves was in foul trouble. This highlights how Redick, in his rookie coaching season, is desperately searching for any signs of reliable depth or versatility from the bench.
By halftime of Game 4, Redick apparently decided to cut his losses. The starting five—LeBron James, Luka Dončić, Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves, and Dorian Finney-Smith—played the entire second half without substitution.
“It wasn`t the plan,” Redick later told reporters, indicating the drastic decision was made spontaneously at halftime.
The outcome was predictable. While the Lakers surged, dominating the third quarter 36-23 and building a 12-point lead in the fourth, their exhausted core five eventually faltered. Dončić, still recovering from a stomach virus from Game 3, shot just 1-of-6 in the final period. The 40-year-old James, tasked with anchoring the defense almost alone, failed to score. The team collectively managed only one 2-point basket in the entire fourth quarter.
They ultimately lost the game 116-113, falling into a 3-1 series deficit and facing elimination.
One might dismiss this as a rookie coaching error by Redick, particularly given a similar situation with the Denver Nuggets. Coached by first-year head coach David Adelman, the Nuggets held a 22-point fourth-quarter lead in their Game 4 against the Clippers, only for Adelman`s reliance on his exhausted starters (each playing over 42 minutes) to backfire. The Clippers mounted a 32-9 comeback, almost winning the game. If they had lost, Adelman would face the same scrutiny as Redick.
However, both Adelman and Redick faced limited options. Their rosters are so lacking in depth that relying on bench players often results in opponents extending their lead significantly. Adelman at least got a critical Game 1 victory thanks to Russell Westbrook off the bench. In contrast, Gabe Vincent is the *only* Laker *not* among the five who finished Game 4 to score in double figures this series (14 points in 73 minutes). The rest of the entire non-core roster has combined for just 20 points, including meaningless minutes. Their Game 4 contribution from reserves? A single dunk by Hayes.
These recent Lakers losses underscore a crucial lesson for NBA championship aspirations: the regular season highlights a team`s strengths, but the playoffs relentlessly expose its weaknesses.
Even With Superstar Power, Lakers Can`t Hide Depth Issues
The Lakers possess undeniable strengths, primarily the offensive firepower generated by having Dončić, James, and Reaves on the court simultaneously—a combination few teams can defend adequately on the perimeter. Defensively, this trio manages reasonably well even without a traditional rim protector, thanks partly to high basketball IQ and supplemental energy/size from players like Finney-Smith, Goodwin, and Jarred Vanderbilt. During the regular season, say on a typical Tuesday in March, this lineup can look formidable.
However, the dynamic shifts dramatically in a best-of-seven playoff series, where opposing coaches meticulously exploit every minor flaw. For the Lakers, these weaknesses are not minor; they are significant and widespread.
Players like Vanderbilt and Goodwin, vital defensive contributors during the regular season, become offensive liabilities in the playoffs. Their inability to consistently hit three-pointers means defenders ignore them, effectively turning the offense into a four-on-five situation. This negates the advantages created by James, Dončić, and Reaves and limits their ability to create shots or opportunities for others.
When Vanderbilt and Goodwin cannot contribute offensively, it increases the defensive burden on Dončić and Reaves. Opponents can more freely attack them one-on-one, knowing there`s less defensive help behind them. Minnesota exploited Dončić`s illness in Game 3 by repeatedly attacking him. In Game 4, attempts to hide Reaves defensively put him in vulnerable positions as the low-man in pick-and-roll actions, unable to stop Timberwolves players driving to the basket. Minnesota consequently outscored the Lakers by 18 points in the paint in Game 4 alone.
For the series, Minnesota holds a dominant 60-point advantage in paint scoring. Their eight-rebound edge in Game 4 also significantly impacted the result. A clear indicator of the Lakers` lack of a viable center is Dončić`s remarkably low assist numbers in the series: just one assist in Game 1 and two in Game 2. This is unprecedented for him, having only two games with two or fewer assists in his entire 50-game playoff career with the Mavericks previously.
The reason for this dramatic drop in assists? The Mavericks consistently provided Dončić with effective big men. Last season, in five Western Conference Finals games against Minnesota, Dončić tallied 41 assists, 22 of which were to centers Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II. Ten of those were lob passes, one of Dončić`s most potent offensive tools. The Lakers attempted to mold Jaxson Hayes into a lob threat for Dončić this season, but Hayes has proven too inconsistent and vulnerable in other crucial areas. His catching ability is unreliable, his defensive positioning is weak, and his overall basketball intelligence appears insufficient. A Finals-contending team like last year`s Mavericks likely wouldn`t have played him.
In their current configuration, the Lakers are clearly not built for the Finals. Their lack of options forced them to give Hayes an opportunity in this series, an opportunity he hasn`t seized.
Current Lakers Roster Wasn`t Built for Playoff Success
While the Lakers are a prime example, this issue isn`t unique to them. The Denver Nuggets face similar challenges. Consider how opponents defend players like Kris Dunn (vs. Denver) or Josh Hart (vs. Pistons). These are players who shoot around 33-34% from three, low enough for defenses to disregard them entirely, demonstrating that playoff offenses can be limited by their weakest shooter. The Cleveland Cavaliers, for instance, have publicly stated they designed their offense specifically to attack All-Star Tyler Herro due to his vulnerability in pick-and-roll. Modern playoff success hinges on a team`s capacity to conceal its own deficiencies while exploiting the opponent`s. Contrast this with the perceived favorites, like the Celtics and Thunder. A key reason for their strength is their apparent lack of significant weaknesses; they have multiple players capable of shooting, defending, and contributing in various ways.
The Lakers occupy the opposite end of this spectrum, possessing an abundance of certain skills but a glaring deficiency in others. This imbalance isn`t unexpected when a team is constructed rapidly, like at the trade deadline. While the Dončić trade was undoubtedly a wise long-term decision, it disrupted the roster`s immediate balance. The team was aware of this, evidenced by their significant attempt to trade for center Mark Williams. Had his physical cleared, the trajectory of this series and perhaps the entire season might be different.
He didn`t clear the physical. Whether that ultimately proves correct or incorrect in the long run is yet to be seen. However, currently, this roster is simply not built for a championship run. It`s not even close. While the Lakers might feel they were just a few fortunate bounces from being up 3-1, if winning feels like a coin flip against Minnesota, what are the odds against teams like Oklahoma City? If only five players are reliable in the first round, how many can be trusted in the Finals?
These issues are addressable in the offseason. The Lakers are likely to build a much deeper, more versatile supporting cast next season. The Dončić trade was fundamentally a long-term play, not focused on immediate 2025 success, but on future potential. While their strong performance in February and March might have suggested otherwise, that success was, perhaps accidentally, characteristic of a regular-season team. Now, in April, the true distance between this Lakers roster and championship contention is starkly apparent.
Jasper Hawthorne