Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick shared his thoughts on the team’s 119-115 road loss to the Houston Rockets, citing defensive rebounding and poor execution as decisive factors. The loss dropped the Lakers to 20-15 for the season, while Houston improved to 23-12.
“Our inability to get defensive rebounds was the difference in the game,” Redick stated postgame. He emphasized the impact of Steven Adams, calling him “like a tree down there once he gets position,” and credited Jalen Green and Amen Thompson for their crucial contributions.
Green led the Rockets with 33 points, while Thompson returned from a two-game suspension to post 23 points and a career-high 16 rebounds. Thompson’s dunk in the fourth quarter and a pivotal steal by Fred VanVleet in the final seconds sealed the win for Houston.
Redick also highlighted breakdowns in the Lakers’ offensive execution during crucial moments, particularly on after-timeout plays (ATOs). “We have actually four ATOs we didn’t execute, and that’s shocking to me,” Redick said.
The team’s inability to execute an inbounds play with seven seconds remaining was a critical moment, leading to VanVleet’s steal.
“A LeBron shot. We didn’t execute it though,” Redick said when asked what was the team looking for on the said play.
Anthony Davis led the Lakers’ scoring with 30 points and 13 rebounds, while LeBron James contributed 21 points, 13 rebounds, and nine assists. Despite Davis spearheading a late-game surge, the Lakers couldn’t close the gap. Austin Reaves added 21 points and 10 assists in a strong performance.
The Rockets outscored the Lakers 52-40 in the paint, with Alperen Sengun chipping in 14 points and six rebounds. Adams added eight points and nine rebounds off the bench, further underscoring Houston’s rebounding edge (49-39).
The Lakers trailed by as many as 22 points but mounted an 11-2 run in the final minutes, capped by a three-pointer and layup from Davis. James followed up with a bucket to bring the score to 117-115 with eight seconds left. However, VanVleet’s steal on the subsequent inbounds play dashed the Lakers’ comeback hopes.
Houston’s bench also outscored the Lakers’ reserves 29-16, with contributions from Cam Whitmore and Jae’Sean Tate.
