Luke Walton says the Lakers’ long road trip is a chance to ‘come together’

The Los Angeles Lakers’ were really bad defensively in their 118-112 loss to the New York Knicks on Sunday night, an effort the team was embarrassed about. With the team owning the worst defensive rating in the NBA (109.7) and having just lost their sixth-straight game, it might seem like a poor time for a seven-game road trip.

Lakers head coach Luke Walton, however, was able to find a positive spin on something that seems negative for the umpteenth time this season.

While the road can often be a cruel place for a young team like the Lakers on the court, it can also be a place where the team can bond or “come together” as Walton said.

Plus, with Nick Young and D’Angelo Russell back in the fold, the team should continue to improve a bit towards getting back towards the level of play they displayed earlier this season.

Making things better, the trip features games against the Philadelphia 76ers, Sacramento Kings, Brooklyn Nets, and Orlando Magic. The Lakers can’t overlook any opponent right now, but all four of those are winnable games that the team could use to build some forward momentum.

Harrison Faigen is co-host of the Locked on Lakers podcast (subscribe here), and you can follow him on Twitter at @hmfaigen.