NBA Notes: Lakers, recent slide, Kings, Keon Ellis, Clippers

Lakers

The “uncomfortable” practice Lakers coach JJ Redick promised after the Christmas Day loss to Houston turned out to be less about raised voices and more about recalibration.

Rather than hammering his team over defensive breakdowns during the current three-game skid, Redick said the focus was on reconnecting and resetting, Dan Arritt of The Orange County Register reports. The staff met early, then brought players in for what Redick described as a constructive, two-way conversation.

“For myself, I’m always gonna look in the mirror first,” Redick said. “It’s easy as a player or coach to say, ‘Well, it’s this guy’s fault.’ … It was very positive, and it was also listening. For our staff and myself to listen to the players and what they need.”

Defense has been the most visible issue, but Redick also acknowledged the offense has grown disjointed, with too many empty possessions and rushed shots. Injuries haven’t helped, as LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves have rarely been available together.

“We’re not pointing at each other,” Rui Hachimura said. “We had a good stretch early, and now we kind of relaxed. We stopped doing what we were supposed to do.”

Kings

A defensive-first approach paid dividends for the Kings on Saturday, as guard Keon Ellis helped spark a win over Dallas in his third start of the season.

Ellis credited collective effort and communication on the defensive end, Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee reports, as coach Doug Christie rolled out a revamped starting lineup.

“Just the effort on the defensive end, helping for one another,” Ellis said. “There’s been times when teams go on runs and we let go of the rope. Tonight, we didn’t.”

The Kings have now won two of three after searching for consistency through the first two months of the season.

Clippers

With Ivica Zubac sidelined, the Clippers got a reminder of why they targeted Brook Lopez in free agency.

Lopez drilled nine three-pointers Friday to fuel a comeback win over Portland and extend L.A.’s winning streak to three, as relayed by Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. The veteran had been relatively quiet early in the season, but showed how he can tilt matchups when used properly.

“He can post smaller guys, and when he’s on the perimeter, he can make shots,” coach Tyronn Lue said. “If we get the right matchups, we can take advantage of that.”