Houston humiliates LA on Christmas. Lakers coach JJ Redick criticizes the effort and announces uncomfortable consequences.
The Los Angeles Lakers suffered a clear 96:119 defeat against the Houston Rockets in the NBA on Christmas – it’s their third loss in a row and sixth in the last ten games.
From the start, there was no trace of intensity: Houston took a 14-point lead in the first quarter and remained ahead by double digits for the entire second half.
Redick questions professionalism
Head Coach JJ Redick found clear words after the disaster. “We currently lack the necessary effort. We don’t care enough about being professional,” fumed the former three-point sharpshooter.
Therefore, there will be an “unpleasant” training session on Saturday: “I’m not going to continue like this for another fifty-three games. The meeting will be unpleasant.”
Already after the recent 108:132 thrashing in Phoenix, Redick had publicly reprimanded individual players – without naming names – for their lack of playbook knowledge. Now he renewed his criticism: “Too often, some players deliberately make the wrong choice. And it’s almost always the same ones.”
James with a terrible negative rating
Luka Doncic returned after his calf problems, led LA with 25 points and seven assists, but also committed six turnovers – three of them in the first two minutes.
Overall, Los Angeles lost the rebounding duel 25:48, with Houston grabbing a whopping 17 offensive boards. LeBron James scored 18 points but recorded a disastrous minus-33 in the plus-minus rating – his worst value as a Laker. James, Rui Hachimura, and Marcus Smart refused to speak to the media after the game.
To make matters worse, Austin Reaves had to stay in the locker room at halftime due to recurring calf problems.