Los Angeles Lakers: Julius Randle, Isaiah Thomas spat shows that they want to win
Verbal disagreements are not always a good thing. However, the one Los Angeles Lakers teammates Julius Randle and Isaiah Thomas had in Golden State Wednesday night proved to be a positive one.
On a back-to-back, the Los Angeles Lakers let their frustrations get the best of them at one point during Wednesday night’s loss to Golden State. During a timeout in the third quarter, Julius Randle and Isaiah Thomas got into an intense verbal exchange.
Due to the spat, Brook Lopez and Lonzo Ball had to step in to mellow things down a notch. While this makes it seems like the argument was not a good thing, Lakers’ head coach Luke Walton thought differently.
Per ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk, Walton “love[d]” the fact that the two were not afraid to speak their minds.
"“I didn’t see what it was about; I like it though,” Lakers coach Luke Walton said. “I told them afterward, I love it. As long as they’re open-minded and whatever they were arguing about, they get it figured out. We have been trying to get our guys to talk [on defense] all year long and if it is a heated conversation, that means it is two people that are passionate about something and we will take that on our team any day.”"
It is encouraging to see that Walton extracted a positive from a moment that some may not view as such. A negative stigma tends to be easily attached to arguments. Despite that, the passion Walton alludes to indicates that Randle and Thomas’ quarrel carried validity.
The fact, too, that Walton hinted at defense being at the center of it all says a lot. Unlike last season, the Lakers’ focus in 2017-2018 has shifted itself more toward that end of the floor. Thus, if something goes wrong on defense, talking it out seems to be healthy.
Randle appears to have that mentality as well. Granted things may have been heated at the moment, the Kentucky product gleaned positives from the verbal dispute, per what Corey Hansford of Lakers Nation transcribes.
"“It’s great, honestly. We expect a lot out of each other. It was just communicating. We expect a lot out of each other, we want to win, we expect to win these games and we expect each other to play at a certain level. It’s just us being teammates. There’s nobody I’d rather go to war with than I.T., so it’s nothing personal. We’re just trying to get the best out of each other to try and win the game.”"
It is difficult to view the spat with skepticism when Randle has this kind of perspective about it. On the one hand, it reveals that he cares about the outcome of the game. Conversely, using words like “we” express an even bigger point. It shows that Thomas is on the same page with the big man.
Certainly, the bottom line at the end of the day is winning. Therefore, knowing that the two expect a certain level of play from one another is promising. It implies that Randle and I.T. are not cool with complacency.
Prior to Wednesday’s game, the purple and gold won eight out their last ten. Even if they won ten out of those ten, though, their mindsets suggest that the only thing that matters is the present. Needless to say, what was happening in the present was not up to par.
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Albeit the Lakers kept up with the Warriors in the first half, the tides turned in the third quarter. The team looked relaxed at times for some reason, which may have contributed to the clash on the bench.
That being said, it is reassuring to see that expectations have been established. Being “relaxed” is not going to fly.
Not too long after the argument, the pair’s points appeared to be fully expressed. As a result, the teammates shook hands, according to CBS Sports’ Jack Maloney. This subtle action ensured there was no bad blood between them.
Per Youngmisuk, considering that Randle later referred to Thomas as “my dude,” the latter is safe to assume.
Meanwhile, Thomas imparted similar feelings toward Randle regarding the whole spiel. According to Hansford’s piece, No. 3 explained that their competitive natures led to the scenario.
"“Just two basketball players competing. That’s all it was. We just happened to be yelling. We want the best for each other. We just want to win. We’re two leaders on the team that were competing. There was a misunderstanding at one point. We talked about it, and we’re good.”"
Akin to Randle’s comments, knowing that Thomas wants the best out of Randle says a lot. It shows that he wants not only Randle to play his best basketball, yet desires that from the rest of the guys.
Accordingly, realizing that misunderstandings cannot happen is all the more relieving. Given how L.A. has played in 2018, a standard has been built. The same sins they have committed in the past are no longer acceptable.
Thomas, who started for the first time as a Laker, also raises a key point when leadership is mentioned. Being silent when mistakes are made is not going to solve anything. For this reason, Isaiah’s spat with Julius is nothing cringe-worthy. Rather, it is two guys trying to cultivate one another into becoming the best possible versions of themselves. That is real leadership.
Victor Galvez of ClutchPoints grasps the other side of the equation. In a piece he recently wrote on the matter, Galvez recognizes the potential dangers that come out of arguments. However, he was willing to confess the following.
"“This type of attitude could be seen as detrimental, especially for a young team like the Lakers, but it may also be Thomas’ way to bring out the best in his teammates in order to light a fire underneath them.”"
The secondary point is what is significant here. The youth of the Lakers is what it is. Regardless of that element, though, sometimes tough love is needed. Without it, the chances of this team growing are not as strong.
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All things considered, Randle and Thomas’ scuffle is not the worst thing in the world. While it is easy to make it a big deal, it simply unveils their hatred of losing.