All season, just when it has seemed the Los Angeles Lakers were starting to get things together for a sustained stretch, they have come out and lost a game in horrible, inexcusable fashion.
That is exactly what happened on Monday against the Houston Rockets after they had put together five wins in their previous seven contests.
The Lakers fell behind 20-10 early, but they started to heat up offensively rather quickly and took the lead with just under five minutes left in the first quarter. That short spurt ended in the blink of an eye. Cam Whitmore, a forward the Lakers passed up on in last June’s draft, scored 12 points in the final 2:19 of the period to give Houston a 42-31 lead going into the second quarter.
Houston remained hot in the second quarter and outplayed the Lakers in multiple categories as it established a 78-60 halftime lead. The 78 points were the most points L.A. had given up in a first half all season.
Nothing changed in the third quarter as the Rockets went up by as many as 30 points. Ham’s squad gave up a season-high 108 points through three quarters. While the Lakers made a run afterward to come within 10 points, it simply wasn’t their night.
They ended up losing, 135-119, and they were outclassed in almost every facet of the game. Houston outrebounded them by 21, which led to 19 second-chance points, had 10 more assists and outscored the Lakers, 29-15, in fast-break points.
While it is understandable that they were perhaps not fully energetic after a thrilling double-overtime win on Saturday over the Golden State Warriors, their apparent lack of effort was inexcusable.
The Purple and Gold will have little time to rest, as they will take on the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday.