Walton: Lakers 'need more passion' from Ball, Ingram

Following Sunday's 108-86 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Lakers head coach Luke Walton expressed disappointment with the lack of energy being displayed by former second overall picks Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram.

"They're trying, but they're young," Walton said of Ball and Ingram, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin. "At some point, we need more passion. We need more fight. And that's not scoring more. That's more diving for loose balls, communicating loudly, grabbing (rebounds).

"Brandon had some really nice crack-back rebounds tonight that we can get out and run (from). We need that all the time from him. So, it's not just them, but until we get healthy again, you got to play in this league with some passion and fire. It's hard to win in this league when you are healthy. So you need to double that effort when guys are down."

Ball didn't score in 23 minutes of action against Minnesota, missing all four of his field goal attempts, including two from behind the arc. Ingram needed 16 shots to record 13 points in 25 minutes.

"I talk about it with them all the time," Walton said when asked if he's had success connecting with the pair when they're disengaged. "There's no secret to it. As far as finding that way, I can find it with a lot of people. I don't have the exact answer on those ones yet. But I also have all the belief in the world in them that they'll figure it out and they'll get it going. So, they know that we need them, and they'll get it going for us."

The Lakers (21-19) have lost three in a row and five of their last six without the services of four-time NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James. Kyle Kuzma was also unavailable Sunday due to a lower back contusion, while veteran Rajon Rondo is still recovering from surgery to repair a torn ligament in his finger.