Rockets Victory Prompts Tirade by Lakers’ JJ Redick

The Rockets entered their Christmas Day matchup in an extreme state of need. Houston had dropped four of their previous five games, most of which in heartbreak fashion.

The Rockets suffered losses to the worst teams in the Western Conference, in the Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Clippers.

They needed a win. Badly. Desperately, even.

Houston entered the game sixth in the standings while their opponent, the Los Angeles Lakers, sat fourth in the Western Conference.

The Rockets were 0-2 on the west coast road trip.

Again, they simply couldn’t afford to drop another game.

The Rockets jumped out to a 37-25 lead in the first quarter. But based on recent showings, Houston having a lead was far from a guaranteed victory.

They led by 25 against the aforementioned Pelicans and still lost. They also led by 14 against the aforementioned Kings and still lost.

Fans sat in anxiety, fully expecting Houston to surrender their lead.

This time, it didn’t happen. Houston held a 10-point lead and the half and blew the doors off the game in the third.

Houston held a 23-point lead in the third quarter and seized defeat by a score of 119-96.

After the game, Lakers coach JJ Redick took to the podium to vocalize his frustrations.

“The two words of the day were effort and execution. I feel like when we’ve done both of those things at a high level we’re a good basketball team, when we haven’t we’re a terrible basketball team. Tonight we were a terrible basketball team and that started legitimately right away.”

Redick continued.

“We don’t care enough right now. 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. It’s a matter of making the choice. Too often, we have guys that don’t wanna make that choice. And it’s pretty consistent who those guys are.”

Lastly, Redick dropped the ether, with the viral quote heard ‘round the world.

“Saturday’s practice, I told the guys, it’s gonna be uncomfortable. The meeting is gonna be uncomfortable. I’m not doing another 53 games like this.”

The Lakers still sit fourth in the conference and the Rockets still sit sixth in the West, alike.

The game didn’t change the standings for either team. But in front of national audience on prime-time television, the stakes are higher. For the Rockets, Kevin Durant previously stated that any victory right now can feel like a championship win.

They’re sure happy to be on the winning side in this one, as opposed to being on the receiving end of yet another one of Rockets coach Ime Udoka’s rants.

Houston’s next game will be on Saturday against the Cleveland Cavaliers, followed by Monday’s match against the Indiana Pacers, both of which will be back at home at the Toyota Center.