Lakers' Redick downplays quarrel with Vanderbilt as 'normal' - ESPN

LOS ANGELES — Lakers coach JJ Redick said a «confluence of things» led to a heated exchange between him and Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt in the second quarter of L.A.'s 123-87 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday.

Redick called timeout just 16 seconds into the second quarter to sub Vanderbilt out of the game, telling second-year guard Dalton Knecht to check in in his place. Vanderbilt, learning about the decision, approached Redick near the free throw line while the coach was preparing to diagram a play on a dry erase board and let him hear it.

Lakers guard Austin Reaves, dressed in street clothes after suffering a Grade 2 left oblique strain last week, and Lakers assistant coach Nate McMillan stepped in between Vanderbilt and Redick to create a barrier between the two.

«It's nothing personal with him. Normal stuff from my end,» Redick said when asked about the interaction after the game. «I think for all of us, being undermanned, we've got to scrap and claw, we've got to all be on the same page, we got to be great teammates, we got to all play hard. Called a timeout to get him out of the game. And he reacted.

»But again, normal interaction for me."

Redick benched Vanderbilt for the rest of the game. He finished with three points, two rebounds, one assist and one steal in five minutes of playing time despite L.A. missing five of its core rotation players in Reaves, Luka Doncic (left hamstring strain), LeBron James (left foot soreness), Marcus Smart (right ankle contusion) and Jaxson Hayes (left foot soreness). Vanderbilt left the arena after the game before the locker room was opened to reporters.

Despite being healthy, Vanderbilt has appeared in 62 games this season, being held out due to coach's decision in