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Lakers’ JJ Redick is getting slammed online for mistake in season-ending loss

Nypost · · 382 words · By Ryan Kostecka
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What to know about Coaching Strategy

It’s rare that one moment in a game can end an entire season.

Claims checked 6
Techniques found 2
Topics 2

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center75%
Right25%

4 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

It’s rare that one moment in a game can end an entire season.

Why it matters

But for frustrated fans of Lakers Nation, they’re taking out their anger on head coach JJ Redick.

Common ground

With 12.2 seconds remaining in Game 4, the Lakers were trailing 113-110 when Redick called a timeout.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Oversimplification: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/05/12/sports/lakers-jj-redick-getting-blasted-after-seas…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 2 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 70% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Oversimplification 60% confidence
Reducing a complex issue to a simplistic framing that distorts understanding.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing oversimplification helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 6 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

cancel Disputed 2
info Single Source 1
verified Verified 1
check_circle Corroborated 1
verified Verified By Reference 1
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Claim 1: “Maxi Kleber — the same Maxi Kleber who spent the previous 47 minutes and 48 seconds of game time sitting on the bench — took off his warmups and trotted out to take his place among the four others.”
DISPUTED
One source states Kleber entered the game in the first quarter and played five minutes total, which directly contradicts the claim that he sat on the bench for 47 minutes and 48 seconds before entering for the final sequence.
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web search NEUTRAL — Kleber was part of the blockbuster Luka Doncic trade, but didn’t immediately play for the Lakers due to injury. However, Kleber entered the 2025-26 season fully healthy after spending the offseason ge…
https://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/maxi_kleber_feels_en…
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web search NEUTRAL — Announced to be available before the game, Kleber entered the game in the first quarter, with his team down double digits in an elimination game. He finished the game with two points in five minutes.
https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/nba-playoffs-2025-timbe…
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web search NEUTRAL — Maxi Kleber's performance in the first four games of the 2024 NBA Playoffs had been underwhelming from an offensive perspective. Despite playing 23 minutes on average, he had only managed to score 3.8…
https://athlonsports.com/nba/dallas-mavericks/maxi-kleber-ho…
info
Claim 2: “LeBron James, Austin Reaves, Luke Kennard and Marcus Smart take the court.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The evidence confirms these players are on the Lakers, but there is no independent source corroborating that this specific quartet was on the court for the final sequence of Game 4.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026 NBA playoffs is the ongoing postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2025–26 season. The playoffs began on April 18 and will end with the conclusion of the 2026 NBA Fina…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_NBA_playoffs
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — LeBron Raymone James ( lə-BRON; born December 30, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "King James", h…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LeBron_James
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Luke Douglas Kennard ( kə-NARD; born June 24, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luke_Kennard
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
Claim 3: “Kennard, who led the league after knocking down 47.8% of his threes”
VERIFIED
Wikipedia and a news report confirm Luke Kennard is a league leader in three-point shooting percentage and was traded to the Lakers while having the best shooting season of his career.
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web search NEUTRAL — Luke Kennard leads all active players in three-point shooting percentage.Tony Snell, who is not included on the list, shot an all-time high 56.9% from beyond the arc (min. 50 attempts) in the 2020–21 …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NBA_career_3-point_fie…
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web search NEUTRAL — Ex-Detroit Pistons guard Luke Kennard is on the move amid the best shooting season of his career, heading to the Los Angeles Lakers in a reported trade on Thursday.If he finishes atop the league, it w…
https://www.mlive.com/pistons/2026/02/former-pistons-lottery…
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web search NEUTRAL — View the profile of Los Angeles Lakers Guard Luke Kennard on ESPN. Get the latest news, live stats and game highlights.
https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3913174/luke-kennard
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Claim 4: “Meanwhile, Rui Hachimura — who 25 points on 4-of-8 from three, including a four-point play a minute earlier — took Kleber’s spot on the bench.”
CORROBORATED
Two independent sources confirm that JJ Redick substituted Rui Hachimura for Maxi Kleber for the final set and that Hachimura had scored 25 points (including a four-point play).
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web search NEUTRAL — Hachimura scored a game high 34 points in a loss to Slovenia during the preliminary round of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rui_Hachimura
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web search NEUTRAL — Instead, Redick made a game-time decision to substitute Hachimura for Maxi Kleber for the final offensive set.In the second round, Hachimura averaged 20 points per game in the series. In Game 4, he sc…
https://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/weve_got_to_figure_o…
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web search NEUTRAL — With the Lakers trailing by three points, Redick chose to put Maxi Kleber and Luke Kennard on the court instead of Hachimura, who had just executed a significant four-point play.
https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-…
verified
Claim 5: “With 12.2 seconds remaining in Game 4, the Lakers were trailing 113-110 when Redick called a timeout.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
While evidence confirms JJ Redick is the coach and that the Lakers played Game 4 against the Thunder and called timeouts, there is no specific evidence in the provided text confirming the exact score of 113-110 or the exact time of 12.2 seconds for that specific timeout.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2024–25 Los Angeles Lakers season was the 78th season of the franchise, its 77th season in the National Basketball Association (NBA), its 65th season in Los Angeles, and its 26th season playing ho…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024–25_Los_Angeles_Lakers_sea…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Jonathan Clay "JJ" Redick ( RED-ik) (born June 24, 1984) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Assoc…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JJ_Redick
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Wes…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_Lakers
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 6: “Reaves got a good look at a deep three — off a screen by Kleber — that clanged off the rim and ended the Lakers season.”
DISPUTED
The claim states Reaves missed a shot ending the Lakers' season in a game against the Thunder (implied by context of Game 4). However, another source describes a different game where Reaves missed a shot to lose 113-110 to the Phoenix Suns, creating a contradiction in the opponent and context of the elimination.
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web search NEUTRAL — Austin Tyler Reaves is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association. He played college basketball for the Wichita State Shockers and the…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_Reaves
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web search NEUTRAL — The Lakers fell to the Phoenix Suns 113-110 on Thursday after Austin Reaves missed a three-point shot as time expired. The injury-depleted Suns earned the win on a three-pointer by Royce O’Neale with …
https://pagegoo.com/2026/02/luka-doncic-and-lakers-lose-thir…
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web search NEUTRAL — View the profile of Los Angeles Lakers Guard Austin Reaves on ESPN. Get the latest news, live stats and game highlights.
https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4066457/austin-reaves
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.