Rui Hachimura had already buried four three-pointers and scored 21 second-half points when the Lakers got one final possession to tie Game 4 against Oklahoma City. Yet with 12.2 seconds left and Los Angeles trailing by three, JJ Redick kept Hachimura on the bench for the season’s biggest offensive possession, leaving Dwyane Wade and Candace Parker openly confused on the broadcast.

Hachimura entered the possession shooting 56.9% from three during the playoffs, one of the best marks in postseason history, and had consistently been the Lakers’ most reliable floor spacer throughout the series. Instead of riding the hot hand, Redick inserted Maxi Kleber into the lineup while Marcus Smart prepared to inbound the ball.

“No Rui on the floor for the Lakers,” Wade said during the broadcast. “They shooting the ball really good in the second half.”

Austin Reaves still managed to get a clean look from deep, but the shot bounced off the rim before Alex Caruso secured the rebound that effectively ended the Lakers’ season.

“I don’t understand why Rui is not on the floor that possession,” Parker said immediately after the miss.

Wade later admitted the conversation probably changes if Reaves makes the shot, but he still questioned the decision afterward.

“Candace and I are both a little puzzled why Rui is not on the floor,” Wade added.

The confusion largely centered around Kleber replacing Hachimura despite not playing meaningful minutes throughout the game.

Reaves still finished with a team-high 27 points, but Hachimura was clearly the Lakers’ hottest offensive player late in the game. After scoring only four points in the first half, the forward exploded for 21 after halftime while shooting 4-for-5 from three-point range in the second half alone.

Hachimura also delivered a massive four-point play in the fourth quarter that briefly shifted momentum back toward Los Angeles. By the closing minutes, he had become the Lakers’ most dangerous perimeter threat on the floor.

The Lakers Had a Different Plan for the Final Possession

Los Angeles briefly reclaimed the lead late behind baskets from Hachimura and Marcus Smart before Oklahoma City answered in the final minute. However, the Lakers’ final offensive possession immediately became the biggest talking point after the game.

ESPN insider Ramona Shelburne later explained the thinking behind Redick’s lineup decision on social media.

“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,” Shelburne wrote on X.

She added that Kleber’s screening and execution were viewed as more important for that specific set, while Luke Kennard’s shooting gravity was designed to pull defenders away from Reaves and James.

Even with the strategic explanation, the decision remained heavily debated because Hachimura had completely changed the Lakers’ offense in the second half. Redick never publicly addressed the specific lineup choice afterward, although he praised his team’s competitiveness despite the sweep.