Vanderbilt, on the bad streak of their Lakers: "We have to discover who we are"
The player from the Los Angeles franchise opens up about the tough moment his team is going through in the NBA
The Los Angeles Lakers defeat of 119-96 against the Houston Rockets on Christmas not only extended their negative streak to three consecutive games but also once again brought to light issues that the locker room already acknowledges as recurring. One who offered a sincere analysis of the situation was Jarred Vanderbilt, who did not hesitate to admit that what is seen today is not new for the team.
While coach JJ Redick publicly showed his frustration over the lack of effort and execution, Vanderbilt agreed that these flaws have been present for some time and that the good performances at the beginning of the season simply helped to mask them.
"We've had different lineups, we haven't had all our players together. And it's been a trend even when we were winning," Vanderbilt pointed out, emphasizing that the initial victories masked evident issues.
"Obviously, wins overshadow many things, but it's been pretty much the same throughout the year in terms of how we finish and lose games... it's been a trend all year long... it's just been more accentuated now that we've lost a couple of games."
Within the game against Houston itself, Vanderbilt once again provided energy and defensive presence, something that was noticeable since his entry into the rotation. This was one of the few positive aspects of the match for the Lakers, finishing as the team's best in plus/minus differential, with +5 in 26 minutes, excelling both defensively and offensively, even opening up the perimeter by sinking his first three attempted threes.
Seasons are very long
However, for the forward, his individual contribution is not enough if the rest of the group does not match the same intensity. He insisted that the issue is not merely about strategy or schemes but about collective commitment.
"It's part of the season. You'll win games, have winning and losing streaks. We just have to figure out who we are as a team," he expressed.
"We're going through adversities, and the key is how we respond. Basically, we have the answers. We just have to play hard, play physical, get back to transition. We know what we have to do, so right now, we just have to do it. Just feel proud, especially on that side of the court."
As Los Angeles tries to recover from this tough stretch, Vanderbilt's voice summarizes the team's reality: the issues are not surprising; they have been known for a while; now it's a matter of seeing how they respond.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Vanderbilt, sobre la mala racha de sus Lakers: "Tenemos que descubrir quiénes somos"