The Los Angeles Lakers were up against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 2, trying to bounce back after a rough Game 1 loss. Things seemed to be going well, until chaos broke out on the court. Confusion during an inbound play led to a heated moment, and head coach JJ Redick completely lost his cool.
Cameras caught every word of his rant, and the clip quickly went viral. But despite the meltdown, the Lakers managed to pull it together when it mattered most. What looked like chaos, quickly turned into control, and L.A. evened the series heading into Game 3.
JJ Redick’s Timeout Tirade Shakes the Lakers Awake
With 7:59 left in the third quarter, the Lakers’ 22-point lead had been sliced in half and the Timberwolves, battered by a scorching Luka Dončić, were pushing back hard. While the Slovenian stood on the sideline ready to inbound the ball, confusion erupted on the court.
The Lakers weren’t set, and Redick was done waiting.
“Timeout. What the f*** is going on? Jesus f**** Christ, what the f*** are you guys doing? Come on!” he shouted, calling for a timeout with visible frustration.
JJ Redick fed up
pic.twitter.com/wESHr7BaHL— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) April 23, 2025
The rant was caught on camera and quickly went viral across social media. Needless to say, the NBA world isn’t used to seeing the normally composed Redick erupt like that.
After the timeout, the Lakers snapped back into form. The defense tightened, ball movement returned, and the lead started to climb again. It wasn’t pretty, but it was enough, as the Los Angeles team walked out of Crypto.com Arena with a 94-85 win and a tied series.
Despite the chaos, the star of the night was still Dončić. The Lakers guard had 16 points in the first quarter alone, which was more than the entire Timberwolves team. He finished with 31 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists in 42 minutes, shooting 45% from the field.
Redick Explains His Frustration After the Win
After the win, Redick was asked about his outburst during postgame availability. But instead of doubling down, he calmly explained the moment.
“Not frustration, just coaching,” Redick said. “I think when we were organized in the right spots, we ran some good stuff. And frankly, I thought we missed some open threes. AR [Austin Reaves] got some great looks … So I mean, other than just a couple, you know, disorganized plays, you know, we played good offense tonight.”
“We were physical tonight… playoffs require a different level.”
JJ Redick talks to the media after the #LakeShow evens up the series, beating the Timberwolves 94-85. pic.twitter.com/ZstGfGXGxa
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) April 23, 2025
The 40-year-old’s response made one thing clear though – his heated rant wasn’t about anger, it was about rallying the Lakers back into the game. Redick’s intensity indeed helped steer the Lakers out of a downward spiral and showed that despite being in his first season as head coach, he’s not afraid to hold his team accountable in big moments.
Now, the series shifts to Minnesota for Game 3 on April 25, and Redick’s fire might be just what the Lakers need to take control.
