Los Angeles Lakers: Six lessons from loss to Houston Rockets

HOUSTON, TX - JANUARY 19: James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets celebrates after the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on January 19, 2019 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX - JANUARY 19: James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets celebrates after the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on January 19, 2019 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images)
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Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

To the people blaming Caldwell-Pope…

First I get it if you at first glance wanted to fly to Houston and slap KCP. Even I was thinking Dude…What you doing?” But the play was called for him and he had absolutely no legs!

Why?

Because the man was chasing James Harden all over Texas trying to guard him. He did not have the legs to make the shot. It happens.

I challenge anyone to try what KCP tried to do defending Harden for basically the length of the court for 40 minutes and do better. The Lakers asked Caldwell-Pope to hold the one player that is on a historic streak of all eras in check the best he can with little help at times on the deep perimeter.

Plus he turned some defense into offense…

https://twitter.com/Lakers/status/1086813953290686464

He also ran hard filling lanes on the break…

KCP may be on the trading block and he could be gone by the trading deadline. But if he is traded, good luck getting anyone that could replace the heart that this man showed guarding the best scorer in the world right now.

There are reports that Alex Caruso could be called up from the G-League. No disrespect but I would love to see this guy…

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