Rockets head coach Ime Udoka was ejected early in the fourth quarter of Houston's loss to the Lakers after a tense exchange of words with LeBron James. “We had some conversation and they [the referees] didn't like what they heard,” Udoka said of the confrontation after the game. When asked about his version of events, LeBron remained equally coy. "Thanksgiving. We talked about how much we enjoyed Thanksgiving," LeBron said playfully. The Lakers vet picked up a technical foul for his role in the dispute. However, he remained in the game.
The loss dropped Houston to 0-8 on the road this season. They are the only team yet to win away from home. However, their 8-9 record is still good enough for 10th place in the Western Conference. While the Rockets had two players surpass 20 points, there wasn't enough consistent scoring to overcome the Lakers. Anthony Davis had a game-high 28 points for LA, while LeBron finished the night with 16. With the win, the Lakers improved to 12-9 on the year. However, they have alternated wins and losses for their last seven games.
LeBron Will Attend Bronny's USC Debut, Even If He Has To Miss A Lakers Game
Elsewhere, LeBron recently revealed his plans regarding his son Bronny's impending debut with USC. "Whenever he's cleared and ready to have his first game, I already told my teammates that if they play on the same day we're playing, I'm going to have to catch them the next game. Family over everything. But definitely got to see Bronny's first game whenever he's cleared and ready to go," LeBron told reporters after the Lakers' Thursday night loss to the Thunder.
Earlier this week, the James family announced that Bronny had received medical clearance to resume practice with USC "next week". Furthermore, the family's statement said that Bronny's debut as a Trojan would come "soon after". Of the Trojans' next 10 games from December 11 onwards, four coincide with a Lakers' fixture. If Bronny's debut comes against Oregon State (December 30), Cal (January 3), Colorado (January 13), or Arizona (January 17), LeBron would be skipping a Lakers fixture. Of the four, only the matchup against Cal is a home fixture for USC. The Galen Center, USC's home base, is a little over two miles from the Lakers' Crypto.com Arena.