Slumping Lakers look for ‘recalibration’ after team meeting

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – The questions came in rapid succession for Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton after Los Angeles’ first practice since a disappointing Christmas Day loss to the Houston Rockets that prompted Lakers coach JJ Redick to publicly reprimand his team’s efforts.

What was the energy of the group? Was what needed to be said actually said? And how was it received?

“Wait. Wait. Wait,” Ayton said. “That’s a lot. You’re bombarding me with a lot of things.”

The Lakers have had more questions than answers lately. They are on a three-game losing streak and have lost six of their last 10 games. And their 10 losses this season have been by at least 10 points.

Making matters worse, starting guard Austin Reaves was diagnosed with a pulled calf after an MRI on Friday and is expected to be out for four weeks.

All that was the backdrop as the team regrouped Saturday for what Redick promised would be an “uncomfortable” meeting to get back on track.

After the Lakers meeting and a rare extended practice Saturday, Redick seemed much calmer when speaking to reporters than he did after the loss to the Rockets.

“Myself, I’m always going to look in the mirror first,” said Redick, who is in his second season as Lakers coach. “And I think it’s easy as a player, as a coach, to say, ‘It’s this guy’s fault’ or ‘We’re not doing this because of X, Y and Z.'”

Was it uncomfortable?

“The truth is uncomfortable,” Redick said, “and so you have to come clean, that’s all.”

Rather than pointing fingers, Redick said it was a day of “recalibration and reconnection” for his team which still sits in 4th place in the Western Conference standings.

“We had a great meeting as a team this morning,” Redick said. “I arrived very early and we met the players, and it was very positive and it was also about listening. It was also for our staff, myself, to listen to the players and what they need.”

Starting forward Rui Hachimura — one of three players who declined to speak after the Houston game, along with LeBron James and Marcus Smart — spoke to reporters Saturday about those needs.

“We just talked about everyone — the players, the coaches — we just need to tighten up,” Hachimura said. “We had a good period at the beginning, and now, I don’t know, we relaxed. Or we got tired of winning. But we just stopped doing what we’re supposed to do.”

James and Smart declined to speak again Saturday.

Redick, who also called out several players for their repeated failures after the Rockets game without using names, was asked if those players had been told directly about the improvements he expected of them.

“I think they are, and I think the group is aware of that,” Redick said. “The group feels it. They’re on the field together. They’re grouped together. … There was nothing that needed to be addressed that wasn’t addressed.”

Redick said the team used Saturday to revisit the group goals it set at the start of training camp and its commitment to its championship habits.

And he was looking to accomplish three things: “Defensive clarity, role clarity and offensive organization,” Redick said.

Redick added that there have been too many “random possessions” on offense since James returned from sciatica that kept him sidelined for the first 14 games of the season. LA is 8-5 in the 23-year-old veteran’s 13 games this season.

Ayton said he would be a more active leader on defense.

“Holding my guys accountable, especially starting with me,” Ayton said. “No matter how the game goes, we stick to these principles no matter what. … This is how we’re going to play defense — tough and [with] second effort.”

Ayton acknowledged that Los Angeles lacked focus when it was outrebounded 48-25 by the Rockets, with Ayton, who averages 8.7 rebounds, grabbing just two in 36 minutes.

“It’s a simple mistake. It’s just very simple mistakes, like boxing, second effort,” Ayton said. “We just weren’t really focused on trying to lock in and work out the little details.”

Hachimura said he knew what he had to do to help the team out of the rut.

“I need to focus more on energy delivery and physicality,” Hachimura said. “Those kinds of things will help.”

Los Angeles hosts the Sacramento Kings on Sunday, the first of four straight home games over the next week and a half.

“It’s adversity, it’s going to happen,” Ayton said. “And I can’t wait to see how we recover from this.”