JJ Redick Benched His Best Player in the Final Possession and Lakers Fans Are Still Mad About It

The Lakers got swept. Zero wins. Four losses. Game 4 against Oklahoma City ended 115-110, and now everyone's picking apart the decision that might've mattered most: why was Maxi Kleber on the floor instead of Rui Hachimura when the game was on the line?

JJ Redick has had a rough postseason already. Back in Game 2 against the Thunder, he got into it with referee Ben Taylor. Complaints about the officiating kept piling up through Game 4. But this substitution call? This one got a different kind of heat.

The Call That Started the Fire

During the Lakers' final possession, Redick pulled Hachimura and brought in Kleber. Fans lost it. Hachimura was playing lights out all night, so why bench him in crunch time? The blowback was instant and brutal.

ESPN insider Ramona Shelbourne jumped in with an explanation: "The explanation I've heard is Kleber was in as a screener. Kennard a decoy (third option). AR or Bron was getting the shot. Smart was the passer. Kleber is a good screener and good with execution. Hence, he was in there over Rui. Neither was getting the ball."

So the thinking was spacing and execution. Kleber's job wasn't to score, it was to set screens and create space for whoever was taking the shot. LeBron or Austin Reaves. That was the plan. But in a Game 4 elimination game, pulling a 25-point guy to hide a role player? Yeah, that's gonna spark a debate no matter how sound the reasoning.

The Numbers Don't Soften the Sting

Look at what the Lakers got anyway. LeBron played 40 minutes and dropped 24 points. Hachimura shot 9-of-15 overall and 4-of-8 from three, finishing with 25 points. Austin Reaves led the team with 27 points. Three guys balling out, and it still wasn't enough.

The Thunder were just too much. Despite the valiant effort, Oklahoma City handled them in four games straight. Back-to-back NBA rings are in their sights now. Meanwhile, the Lakers head home asking what-if questions about a final possession that will live rent-free in fan forums for the rest of the offseason.

What's Next

As the Lakers reflect on missed opportunities and controversial calls, one thing's clear: this sweep stings, and Redick's decision in Game 4 will be dissected frame-by-frame for weeks. Sometimes the right basketball decision doesn't feel right when the season ends like this.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.