THE Lakers was the subject of introspection in training on Saturday, with the coach JJ Redick start the conversation before allowing players to speak freely about team issues.
This was an attempt by Redick and the team to keep things from getting out of hand after three straight losses.
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When the Lakers faced the Sacramento Kings on Sunday night at Crypto.com Arena, Redick wanted to see the players execute their defense and play harder.
That’s exactly what the Lakers did, with Luka Doncic And LeBron James paving the way for a 125-101 earn.
Learn more: Lakers recalibrate after Austin Reaves injury and three-game losing streak
For the Lakers, it was more than Doncic finishing with 34 points, seven assists and five rebounds. It was Doncic playing defense, best illustrated when he blocked a DeMar DeRozan shot. It was Doncic scrambling, like when he dove to the ground to recover a loose ball.
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That was more than James scoring 24 points and dishing out five assists. It was James throwing down a reverse dunk and offering words of wisdom to his teammates.
And it was also reserve Nick Smith Jr. who found a role in the rotation and produced, one of six Lakers scoring in double figures. Smith had 21 points on eight of 14 shooting, making five of 10 threes.
Rui Hachimura had 12 points, Deandre Ayton had 11 points and 11 rebounds and Jake LaRavia had 11 points.
The Lakers (20-10) took control early in the third quarter, going on a 13-2 run to give them a 26-point lead that grew to 30 in the fourth quarter.
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Granted, the Kings (8-24) have the second-worst record in the West and were missing injured stars Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis and Keegan Bradley, three of their top four scorers.
But the Lakers have lost three straight games because of poor defense and an overall effort that Redick called “terrible.”
And with Austin Reaves out for at least a month with a calf strain, getting the chance to talk about their issues could end up changing the team’s fortunes.
“They try, and you know, I told the guys it’s normal,” Redick said. “There are very few teams that don’t hit lows throughout the season. It’s not all highs. … It’s just a natural cycle that every team goes through.
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“So we need to identify the problems and then find solutions. So that’s exactly the process we’re in now.”
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This story was originally published in Los Angeles Times.
