The usual lineups just weren’t working, so head coach Luke Walton decided to simply stitch one together.
The resulting makeshift unit — featuring Lou Williams, Jordan Clarkson, Nick Young, Brandon Ingram and Ivica Zubac — performed admirably, nearly bringing the Lakers back from a 19-point deficit, though they eventually fell to Denver, 127-121.
After days of preaching to his team about finding the joy that they played with when they were winning at the beginning of the season, Walton said his players met that expectation Tuesday night.
“We found it,” Walton said. “We found our passion, our fight, our togetherness (and were) playing for one another.