El Segundo — With Brandon Ingram and Rajon Rondo both suspended for the next few games, the Los Angeles Lakers are going to need other players to step up. With that in mind, the praise head coach Luke Walton gave Lance Stephenson while deflecting a question about Stephenson’s role as peacemaker in the altercation with Chris Paul and the Houston Rockets was potentially worth noting.
“What I loved about Lance last night was his competitive spirit while we were playing the game. It was getting chippy, it was back and forth, and Lance was locked in on defense.