Following the Lakers’ game 3 loss to the Timberwolves—one marked by a slew of turnovers and a 13-1 run in crunch time—head coach JJ Redick addressed a factor that’s plagued the team ever since the trade deadline: rim protection. Although Jaxson Hayes has struggled mightily for the Lakers this postseason, it may not be time to give up on him just yet.
Lakers-Timberwolves: JJ Redick Still Has Faith in Struggling Starter
Redick on Lakers’ Defense, Belief in Hayes
LA’s defense has fluctuated throughout the season, but particularly after the Luka Doncic trade. At one point, the Lakers found themselves among the top three in defense after moving on from their best rim protector, with Hayes looking like a serviceable five in the first unit. They finished the year 17th in defensive rating, and fans hoped the team’s newfound identity would take hold against the Timberwolves. However, the playoffs have quickly exposed Hayes’ (and the Lakers’) flaws on the defensive end.
Redick addressed the team’s “god awful” closeouts and acknowledged the lack of rim protection so far, especially on Anthony Edwards (29 points, eight assists) and Jaden McDaniels (team-high 30 points), who torched the Lakers Friday.
“The fact is we don’t have ‘rim protection,’” he told reporters. “You give up blow-bys, we’re gonna give up something. We’re gonna give up a three or a shot from [Edwards] at the rim.”
Hayes has yet to crack double digits this series, with Redick saying his usage is dictated by the matchup (e.g. Rudy Gobert vs. a combination of Julius Randle and Naz Reid). In Hayes’ third career postseason, he is averaging 1.7 points and 1.7 rebounds in 8.7 minutes per contest. He has also started in the playoffs for the first time since 2022 with New Orleans, when he put up 5.8 points and 2.5 rebounds per game on 56% shooting from the field.
When asked whether he’d consider benching the 24-year-old center, Redick told The Athletic’s Jovan Buha: “We’ll look at everything but we still believe in Jaxson.”
Lakers Have Limited Options Besides Jaxson Hayes
Instead of using Hayes, Redick has opted to go with his “lasers” lineup that typically boasts switchability and shooting. The group of James, Doncic, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and Dorian Finney-Smith has played 43 minutes and garnered a net rating of -13.4 (89.0 offensive, 102.4 defensive). The unit has also shot 26% from three, making an average of 2.7 threes out of 10.3 attempts.
The team’s supposed “death lineup”, which drew mixed results in the regular season, has all but killed them in the playoffs, particularly against a team with superior size and perimeter shooting. The group has been unable to counter Minnesota’s hot scoring streaks and overall physicality. As such, deploying Hayes against Reid and Randle could yield some benefits going forward, so long as Hayes shows his own commitment on the defensive end, which can open up looks for him as a lob threat on offense.
The Lakers’ reliance on Hayes may also show that some of their past decisions have backfired. The team could have certainly used two-way bigs Trey Jemison and Christian Koloko in this series. Instead, both were left off of the postseason roster in favor of veteran Alex Len, who has played in two of LA’s playoff games at a mere two minutes per contest.
LA must make several adjustments ahead of Sunday’s game four, but Hayes’ involvement is the biggest priority. The sixth-year center has played a key role in the Lakers’ past success. Redick and the Lakers must tap into his potential if they want to stay alive in the playoffs.
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