Lakers need this one pretty much, and if they lost to a low team like Houston, it will hurt their momentum.
D'Lo and Malik doesn't have the same start as their last game wherein they just blasted with a 14-0 run start in the first quarter.
That indeed hurt their PCT because even if there's no Lebron and AD on the line-up, it's a winnable game on their side because it's just the Houston Rockets, a tanking team. And the Lakers lost against that kind of team? Pretty sure that the Lakers management is not happy with the outcome and likely embarrassed because D'Lo or even Schroder is expected to take over the game but in reality, it was Austin Reaves who led the team.
Yes, even gamblers was disappointed with that Lakers lost, I mean it's a tanking team and it's really a winnable game for them. But they show up empty in the first quarter, bad shooting from D'Lo and Malik as this could have been a easy W for them. But instead a very flat Lakers shows, giving the young Houston any resistance at all. And even if Austin put up a good game, others didn't step up, they are just standing there, no effort to get that rebounds as they allow the Rockets to score and grab rebounds very easy specially in the first half. Now they are down to 10th place and again, another must win in their next match.