Lakers coach Luke Walton is disappointed over foul calls, but chalks loss to lack of composure

Defending James Harden and the Houston Rockets is never easy, and the Los Angeles Lakers found that out the hard way during their 126-111 loss in Houston on Thursday night.

In scoring 50 points, Harden paraded to the free-throw line 19 times, making 18 foul shots.

While Lakers players were very frustrated over the whistle, head coach Luke Walton made sure to clarify that his team’s lack of poise overall was also a reason for the defeat.

“Whether I was frustrated with some calls, or Harden making some shots, I thought we could’ve done a better job of keeping our composure as a group,” said Walton, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com.

Los Angeles entered the fourth quarter down by just two points, but was outscored 36-23 over the final 12 minutes.

“I think that’s a great learning experience for us as we try to prep for becoming a type of team that can win toward the end of the year,” added Walton. “We have to be able to succeed in tough environments and when things aren’t going in our favor. And the only way to learn how to do that is to go through it. And I thought tonight was an example that we could’ve done things better.”

The contest marked the second meeting between the Rockets and Lakers this season, with Houston getting the better end of Los Angeles on both occasions. Harden and Co. topped LeBron James and the Lake Show back on Oct. 20 at Staples Center.

Despite their loss on Thursday evening, the Lakers have been playing very well of late, winning six of their last eight games. They are currently 17-11 and tied for fourth place in the Western Conference standings.

The post Lakers coach Luke Walton is disappointed over foul calls, but chalks loss to lack of composure appeared first on ClutchPoints.