Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick figured something out during the second round of the playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the entire NBA took notice. Redick's defensive scheme against OKC did a pretty effective job of containing MVP guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, with SGA having multiple off-nights during the Lakers series.
Redick employed a shell-style defense that clogged the area around the paint (guarding against SGA penetration) along with timely double-teams, effectively forcing the other Thunder players besides their MVP to win the game.
Unfortunately for Redick and the Lake Show, that's exactly why guys like Chet Holmgren and Jared McCain did.
But that doesn't mean Redick's game plan for SGA was flawed; it just means that he lacked the depth and roster talent required to capitalize on Gilgeous-Alexander being neutralized.
Spurs are using JJ Redick's blueprint to contain SGA in the WCF
The San Antonio Spurs don't lack that roster talent, and they also happen to have a guy named Victor Wembanyama, whose presence around the basket defensively makes a shell-style defense (inspired by Redick's directive) even more effective than the defense the Lakers were putting out there against OKC.
By adopting Redick's defensive strategy, Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson is in a great position to quell the Thunder in this WCF and advance to the NBA Finals. And once again, the league is noticing.
During a Club 520 Podcast episode following Game 1, former NBA guard Jeff Teague gave Redick some love, suggesting that the Spurs are benefiting from what Redick discovered in the second round:
"Shoutout to JJ Redick," Teague said. "JJ’s a good coach. People are taking his blueprint on how to stop SGA and applying it. Great coaches learn from other coaches. But shoutout to JJ Redick. He changed the whole way of guarding OKC."
Jeff Teague gives #Lakers coach JJ Redick credit for the blueprint on how to guard SGA 🔥 and how that may impact the series with the #Spurs and beyond. pic.twitter.com/CztBHxJTmM
— GoodNightHarlem🎙 (@GoodNightHarlem) May 19, 2026
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hasn't figured out how to counter Lakers/Spurs-style defense quite yet
Gilgeous-Alexander struggled against the Spurs in Game 1, going 7-for-23 from the field in the loss. He did rack up 12 assists, which will be the key for the Thunder moving forward in this series. SGA will have to use his vision and basketball IQ to create opportunities for others whenever he is doubled. It's what Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault praised SGA for following the Lakers series, pointing out that Gilgeous-Alexander isn't forcing the issue when doubled, and that the rest of the Thunder thrive because of it, leading to wins.
But the Spurs are a completely different beast defensively than LA, mostly due to the alien around the rim. It'll be interesting to see if SGA, Daigneault, and the rest of the Thunder can figure out how to counter this incredible defense in Game 2.
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