Knicks forward Derrick Williams, left, and Jordan Clarkson of the Lakers collide during Sunday’s game at Staples Center/AP photo by Alex Gallardo
Lakers coach Byron Scott made no bones about it Monday at practice. If a player doesn’t give the effort he wants, he won’t be on the floor during winning time.
Scott wasn’t happy with the effort of young guns Jordan Clarkson, D’Angelo Russell and Julius Randle in Sunday’s 90-87 loss to the visiting New York Knicks at Staples Center. So they sat in the fourth quarter when the Lakers were trying, yet failing, to pull out a win.
Scott said he was pleased with the way his team practiced Monday, however, and he’s interested to see how that will play out Tuesday night when the Lakers (14-53) host the Sacramento Kings (25-40).
“It was pretty good today,” Scott said. “Obviously, we talked about the lack of energy and lack of effort in the first half of the game, and the difference from the first half and the second half. We showed a few clips of the second unit and how they played compared to the first unit, so today’s practice was pretty spirited.
“Guys got after each other pretty well and we’ll see if it translates into tomorrow.”