One loss doesn’t derail a season. However, the way the Lakers’ third straight defeat unfolded against the Rockets told a bigger story. The flashing 119-96 itself raised eyebrows, then Luka Dončić calling out the group made it clear that something wasn’t right. Now, with Jake LaRavia also chiming in, the cracks beyond the box score are getting harder to ignore.

“Jake LaRavia said there is a “disconnect” within the team right now, but he could not quite verbalize what it was or the cause of it,” wrote ESPN’s Dave McMenamin on X, and the warning bells began ringing almost immediately for the Purple and Gold.

LaRavia’s comments came after Luka Dončić publicly said that something has to change within the organization.

“I don’t know what has to change, but definitely something needs to change,” said Doncic in a video. “We have to figure (it) out, that’s the thing we have (to do). Everybody has to talk about it. I know JJ (Redick) said it’s going to be uncomfortable. As (it) should be.”

Now, coach JJ Redick has hinted at the same problems in the locker room. In his post-game conference, he didn’t focus on tactics. He went straight after his players and their lack of accountability, effort, and professionalism.

“The two words of the day were effort and execution,” Redick said. “When we haven’t done both of those things at a high level, we’re a terrible basketball team. And tonight, we were a terrible basketball team.”

He then went on to give his most pointed take, saying, “Because we don’t care enough right now,” he said. “We don’t care enough to be a professional…. I always say this about culture. Can it change like that. We don’t have it right now.”

And as Dončić said, Redick made one thing clear.

“Saturday’s practice, the meeting is going to be uncomfortable,” Redick said. “I’m not doing another 53 games like this.”

Well, defense is probably the first thing getting addressed. The Los Angeles Lakers have allowed 121.4 points per game over their last 10 contests, losing six of them. The fix, however, won’t be that easy.

Their top three players, Luka Dončić, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves, are not good defenders. Also, Dončić’s frequent arguments with officials often leave the team scrambling on defense. DeAndre Ayton doesn’t provide much rim protection, and even when L.A. leans on its best defenders, Marcus Smart and Jarred Vanderbilt, they still get exposed.

That was clear from the jump against the Houston Rockets. Houston set a physical tone early, attacked the paint, and dominated second-chance opportunities. The Lakers were scrambling as Amen Thompson helped the Rockets race out to a 22–10 lead. A short burst from Dončić and Reaves cut it to five, but Houston immediately answered with a 7–0 run to go up 37–25 after the first.

JJ Redick tried to stabilize things with a Smart–Vanderbilt lineup, trimming the deficit to eight, but missed chances stalled the comeback. Even after two threes from Dončić and Vanderbilt made it 50–46, the Lakers once again closed a quarter poorly. A late 6–0 Rockets run sent Houston into halftime up 63–53, clarifying just how shaky L.A.’s defense looks.

Compared to last season, LA has a better team, and Thursday’s numbers suggested that they could have made more effort on both ends. Both the Rockets and the Lakers had the same number of turnovers, but LA converted only 11 points off of them, compared to the Rockets’ 23 points. Moreover, the Lakers never had a lead throughout 48 minutes, whereas the Rockets led by 24 points at one point.

Locker rooms are more prone to tensions when teams are in the midst of a tough streak. And now, with Austin Reaves going down with an injury in his second game since his return, things can only get ugly for the team if they fail to get on the same page.

Luka Dončić sends a message to Austin Reaves

Going into the Rockets matchup, Lakers guard Austin Reaves was back in the lineup for his second straight game after missing three with a calf issue. That return didn’t last long. Reaves logged just 14 minutes on Christmas Day before exiting with soreness in his left calf and didn’t come back.

It was a frustrating setback, especially since he was doing well before leaving, putting up 12 points while hitting five of his eight shots. Luka Dončić, however, doesn’t want him to rush through things. 

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“I know how it is to go through a calf injury,” Dončić said. “It’s not fun at all. [I will] just be there to support him. Take your time. Calves are dangerous, so take your time.”

Dončić’s understanding comment is also rooted in a personal experience. Before the Lakers landed him in February, Luka Dončić had already dealt with a similar issue, missing about a month with the Dallas Mavericks because of a calf strain.

As for how serious the injury is, that’s still unclear.

“Austin clearly felt something,” Redick said. “We did our normal halftime and then as we were walking out of the locker room, Dr. [LeRoy] Sims told me he was out.”

Clearly, the Lakers have plenty to juggle right now. How they manage the on-court problems while dealing with everything happening off the floor is still an open question.