JJ Redick rips into Lakers after loss: 'We don't care enough' - ESPN

LOS ANGELES — Whatever holiday cheer the Lakers might have started Thursday with was nowhere to be found following a 119-96 Christmas Day loss to the Houston Rockets.

It was L.A.'s third straight defeat, its sixth in its past 10 games, and it was so lopsided it caused coach JJ Redick to call into question his team's professionalism.

«We don't care enough right now,» Redick said. «And that's the part that bothers you a lot. We don't care enough to do the things that are necessary. We don't care enough to be a professional.»

The downturn by the team has been so alarming that Redick said it must be addressed immediately this weekend before L.A.'s next game, Sunday at home against the Sacramento Kings.

«Saturday's practice — I told the guys — it's going to be uncomfortable,» Redick said. «The meeting is going to be uncomfortable. I'm not doing another 53 games like this.»

Game No. 29 for the 19-10 Lakers was barely competitive. The Rockets jumped out to a 14-point lead in the first quarter and never trailed. They never really came close to trailing — leading by double digits for the entire second half.

«The two words of the day were effort and execution,» Redick said. «And I feel like when we've done both of those things at a high level, we've been a good basketball team. When we haven't, we're a terrible basketball team. And tonight we were a terrible basketball team. And that started legitimately right away.»

Luka Doncic, who returned after missing the past 1½ games with a left calf contusion, turned the ball over three times in the first two minutes, 11 seconds of playing time.

The Rockets were not only getting more offensive opportunities off Doncic's miscues, Houston was hounding the glass when it missed a shot. For the