Jarred Vanderbilt Urges Lakers to Sustain Energy for Full 48 Minutes
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Los Angeles, CA — December 25, 2025
Forward Jarred Vanderbilt said the Los Angeles Lakers must commit to “harder playing” basketball after a 135-119 Christmas Day loss to the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena extended the team’s skid to three games.
“It’s going to take some reflection,” Vanderbilt told reporters. “The last couple of games, the harder-playing team won. We have to dig deep and choose to do it for 48 minutes.”
The Lakers, now 19-10, have remained in the Western Conference’s top four despite lingering concerns about speed, athleticism and on-court intensity. Vanderbilt, one of the roster’s most athletic contributors, has regularly provided bursts of energy but said individual effort is not enough.
“You have to want to make the 50-50 plays—loose balls, offensive rebounds, the dirty plays that ultimately win the game,” he said. “I try to bring that energy and hope guys feed off it, but we need that the entire game.”
Head coach JJ Redick echoed Vanderbilt’s frustration, saying postgame that the Lakers “don’t care enough right now” to execute game plans. Redick added that “uncomfortable conversations” are required if the team hopes to halt the slide before it grows.
Vanderbilt believes the roster—including several newcomers still integrating after injuries—can handle frank dialogue. “Certain stuff just needs to be said,” he noted. “We need to be able to communicate and be receptive, whether it’s criticism or not. We don’t want three in a row to become five or six.”
The 26-year-old forward dismissed panic, calling losing streaks “part of the season,” but emphasized that the Lakers already know the answers: “Play hard, be physical, get back in transition, and take pride on the defensive end.”
Los Angeles will try to apply those lessons when it hosts the Sacramento Kings on Friday.
Source: Lakers Nation
