Lakers defense will get a Christmas Day test vs.

PHOENIX — It’s not the lineups, the accidents or essentially the system. The trigger of the Lakers’ defensive demise is a thousand little choices gone unsuitable.

“It comes down to just making the choice,” coach JJ Redick said after the Lakers gave up 132 factors in a blowout loss to the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday. “It’s making the selection. There’s shortcuts you possibly can take or you are able to do the onerous factor and you may make the second effort or you possibly can dash back or you possibly can’t. It’s just a selection and there’s a million decisions in a sport, and you’re very seemingly not gonna make every selection accurately. But are you able to make the overwhelming majority of ‘em correctly? It gives you a chance to win.”

Coming off back-to-back losses for the first time this season, the Lakers (19-9) are ranked 28th in defensive rating in the last 14 games entering a Christmas Day showcase against the Houston Rockets at 5 p.m. PST at Crypto.com Arena.

The Lakers, without any individual shutdown defenders, need a perfectly executed team defense to compete. But 15 different starting lineups in 28 games has delayed some of the team’s capacity to construct continuity. The Lakers have had their full complement of 14 normal contract gamers for two video games.

Forward Rui Hachimura (groin) and Luka Doncic (leg) might return Thursday. Guard Gabe Vincent, one of the group’s top defensive choices on the perimeter, will miss his fourth sport with lower-back soreness. Center Jaxson Hayes tweaked his left ankle in the second quarter of Tuesday’s loss and didn’t return.

The Rockets (17-10) limp into the Christmas Day blockbuster with their own struggles. The group thought to be one of the few who might problem Oklahoma City in the West has misplaced 5 of its last seven video games. Three of the losses had been in extra time and 4 got here against groups presently out of the play-in image, including Tuesday’s loss to the Clippers.

Led by Kevin Durant’s 25.2 factors, the Rockets are a statistical anomaly in the sped up, possession-maximizing trendy NBA. They have the third-ranked offense in the league despite being one of the slowest. They shoot the fewest three-pointers per sport, but make them at a 40% clip that ranks second, and dominate the glass with NBA-leading 48.7 rebounds and 16.1 offensive rebounds per sport.

Houston’s physicality and experience on the boards could possibly be particularly worrisome for a group that still has to consciously select defense on a possession-by-possession foundation instead of constantly dwelling up to a normal of taking part in onerous.

“There’s really no defense, no scheme we can do when we’re giving up offensive rebounds in crucial moments like we are, our [opponents] are getting wherever they want on the court,” guard Marcus Smart said after Tuesday’s loss. “And there’s no help, there’s no resistance, there’s no urgency. … It’s on us.”

The Suns grabbed 12 offensive rebounds against the Lakers on 35 missed pictures, an offensive rebounding charge of 34.3%. After the Suns scored a three-pointer by twice grabbing offensive rebounds off tipped balls, Lakers gamers had an animated dialogue in a timeout with Smart was gesturing toward heart Deandre Ayton about tipping rebounds. Ayton, who completed with 10 rebounds and 12 factors, and Smart ended the timeout with a high-five.

“[I need to] just continue to talk to guys, even though sometimes they might not want to hear it,” said Smart, a free-agent addition the Lakers coveted for his management and tenacity on defense. “Especially when we losing, nobody wants to hear it, myself included, but also understand that it’s integral for us to hear those things, to see and to be able to talk to one another and figure it out as players on the court, because we’re the ones out there.”

Redick deliberately constructed in moments for gamers to join and talk during every timeout this season before coaches converse. The strategy was meant to encourage gamers to take a bigger management function. “Championship communication” was one of the group’s three pillars.

Along with “championship shape,” Redick also requested his group to construct “championship habits.” Living up to the mantras is simpler said than achieved.

“It’s not the easy choice,” Redick said. “It’s human nature. … We do it on a daily basis. We make easy choices cause it’s comfortable. Comfortable doesn’t win.”