The Los Angeles Lakers’ Christmas Day unraveling did more than add another loss to the standings. It prompted Luka Doncic to publicly call for change, a rare and pointed moment of accountability.
Following a lopsided 119-96 defeat to the Houston Rockets that exposed defensive breakdowns, lack of cohesion, and wavering intensity, Doncic delivered a blunt assessment of where the Lakers stand.
“I don’t know what has to change, but definitely something needs to change,” Doncic said postgame, via Khobi Price of the So Cal News Group. “We got to figure out, that’s the thing we have [to do]. Everybody got to talk about it. I know JJ said it’s going to be uncomfortable. As [it] should be.”
It was not a message aimed outward, but a call inward, one that publicly showcased both frustration and responsibility from the Lakers’ most influential voice.
Luka Doncic Embraces the Discomfort
Doncic led the Lakers with 25 points, five rebounds, seven assists, one steal, and two blocks on 9-of-17 shooting, 3-of-8 from three-point range, as Los Angeles dropped their third straight game. The loss moved the Lakers to 19-10 on the season, sitting fourth in the Western Conference, just half a game back of the Rockets in sixth.
The issues compounded when Austin Reaves exited with a sore left calf and failed to return after halftime. Meanwhile, Doncic and LeBron James combined for nine of the Lakers’ 16 turnovers, further highlighting the sloppiness that defined the night.
Head coach JJ Redick did not mince words postgame, emphasizing that meaningful improvement would require accountability and difficult conversations.
“We’re a terrible basketball team and tonight we were a terrible basketball team, and that started legitimately right away,” Redick said. “We don’t care enough to do the things that are necessary. We don’t care enough to be a professional. We don’t have it right now.”
“It’s a matter of making the choice and too often we have guys that don’t want to make that choice, and it’s pretty consistent who those guys are. The meeting is gonna be uncomfortable. I’m not doing another 53 games like this.”
The Christmas Day loss felt less like an isolated result and more like a reflection of recurring issues that have surfaced throughout the season.
Pressure Mounts on the Lakers’ Identity
The Lakers entered the season with expectations of contention, headlined by star power and a recently overhauled coaching voice. Instead, inconsistency has defined long stretches of their campaign, with Christmas providing an unforgiving spotlight.
Los Angeles currently ranks 25th in defensive rating at 118.1. During their current three-game losing skid, that figure has ballooned to 126.6, showing the growing urgency for change on the defensive end. The Lakers also rank 25th in defensive rebounds per game at 31.0, an effort driven statistic, while allowing the league’s 19th most fast break points at 15.7 per game.
Doncic’s and Redick’s calls for change reflect a team still searching for its identity. Are the Lakers built to impose their will defensively, or to outscore opponents through star led offense? Too often, they have appeared caught between approaches, leading to uneven effort and predictable breakdowns.
Whether this moment becomes a turning point will depend on how the Lakers respond internally. Film sessions, rotations, and practice intensity can all be adjusted. What cannot be manufactured is buy in. Doncic’s message challenges the roster to confront uncomfortable truths now, rather than later.
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