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Los Angeles Lakers: 4 Lessons from the loss to the Houston Rockets

Ronald Agers|
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 06: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers is fouled by James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets during the second half of the game at Staples Center on February 6, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. 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. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 06: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers is fouled by James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets during the second half of the game at Staples Center on February 6, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. 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. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
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Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

The Los Angeles Lakers lost the game. What’s worse they lost to a team with no center. It gets historically bad, the Los Angeles Lakers lost to the shortest team on a NBA floor in over 50 years.

Games like this one are hard to analyze. Not because the game didn’t show enough for a post game report, but the events that happened in this game was so ridiculous that it’s hard to complete a thought. Really, what in the world just happened in the Staples Center last night? The Los Angeles Lakers lost at home to a team that started five guys 6’6″ and under.

Well this game can be known as the “Trade deadline” game based on the different strategies the two teams decided on before Feb. 6th.  The Houston Rockets made the bold (Also considered crazy by many NBA experts!) commitment to trade their starting center and only line of rim protection, Clint Capela to the Atlanta Hawks only to bring in Robert Covington. Outside of the buyout route the Rockets won’t replace him with another big man.

The Los Angeles Lakers did nothing. No trade of Kyle Kuzma despite reports of him going to New York for Marcus Morris. Morris eventually got traded to the Clippers and this game wasn’t the one for the roster to lay an egg.

Going into the game, after watching the Lakers manhandle the San Antonio Spurs two nights earlier, it was believed the bullying would continue against the smaller Rockets in the paint. After  their lineup of big men rendered LaMarcus Aldridge useless holding him to 7 points, the Rockets seemingly had no chance and would get dominated on the glass.

While everyone in the NBA was worried about Houston, maybe the Lakers were the team to be worried about. They obviously wasn’t prepared for the Rockets’ small ball scheme. In what was the biggest upset of the NBA season, the Lake Show lost 121-111 at Staples Center on Thursday.

It led to one of Charles Barkley’s famous guarantees. He seemed quite serious and it was enough for Ernie Johnson to place on the prediction wall.

This game made no sense whatsoever. The Los Angeles Lakers lost this game with some wild storylines.

  • The Lakers did not take advantage of their biggest asset…their size. They only out-rebounded the Rockets 38-37.
  • James Harden managed just 14 points on 10 shots after back to back 40 point games.
  • The Lakers were up four points in the 4th quarter, but blew it on a 19-5 Rockets surge to end the game. What’s worse, it was highlighted by two Robert Covington 3-pointers who was linked to the Lakers in trade rumors.
  • The Rockets beat the Lakers with the smallest team since the New York Knicks way back in 1963.

Darren Collison was at the game sitting next to Jeanie Buss. Hopefully the hot dogs and beer was free, because the Lakers need to get this guy into a uniform ASAP. Jersey number 2 is available with Rajon Rondo’s minutes when he gets signed. His decision on a NBA return will reportedly come next week. The Lakers lost Kawhi Leonard and Marcus Morris to the Clippers. If Darren Collison picks the cross the hall rivals instead of the purple and gold, it will be a disaster.

Well let’s start Lake Show Life Lessons with the best player on the floor.

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