While an injury has kept him off the court, J.J. Redick’s playoff experience proving valuable for Mavs vs. Clippers

While he’s not playing due to a right heel injury, Mavericks guard J.J. Redick brings something to the locker room. Redick’s 110 playoff games of experience is something the team values, especially with a Mavericks team trying to close out a series.

“He’s been a very big help ever since he’s gotten here,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said Friday night. “He’s a different kind of personality, our guys respect the fact that’s he’s played over 100 playoff games. He brings great creditability because of the career that he’s had and the longevity.

He’s into it even though he’s not playing, he’s into the meetings. During timeouts and huddles he’s giving little bits of information to guys that he thinks is relevant and he understands that in this kind of situation there’s a lot of intensity, a lot going on. He has a good feel for the kinds of things that guys need to hear in the heat of the moment. Considering the fact that he’s unable to play, he is giving us some very positive things.”

After being acquired in a March trade with New Orleans, Redick played in just 13 games, none in the postseason. Redick, however, participated in plenty of closeout games during a 14-year career.

Yet Redick’s last playoff game was a heartbreaker.

While playing for the 76ers in 2019, he was on the losing end of a Game 7 loss in the Eastern Conference semifinals to the Toronto Raptors. That game was won on a dramatic last second shot by Leonard, who made a 15-footer that bounced around the rim before falling in at the final buzzer.

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