On Sunday, the Los Angeles Lakers were defeated by the Houston Rockets in double overtime, 148-142. It was a tough loss for them as they squandered a lead in regulation and eventually came short in the second five-minute extension, which led to their sixth straight defeat.

However, a bright spot for them on the night was the inspired play of rookie Josh Hart who finished the game with 26 points, on 9-of-13 shooting, to go along with six rebounds, one assist, and one steal. It was understandable that he felt that the Lakers could have won the game, as noted by Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.

“It really hurt because we came out battling and obviously we're playing without some starters and just battling and this one really hurt… we were frustrated because we know we should've had that one. We lost it, we had a lot of dumb fouls and a couple of lapses on defense and it hurts.”

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The loss may have hurt him but Josh Hart can definitely charge this one to experience and learn a lot from it. Being a rookie in the NBA has its ups and downs especially playing for a rebuilding team like the Lakers, and the loss can be included on that list for him in his early days as a pro.

If Hart can use the defeat as motivation to get even better, it will benefit him and the Lakers as he looks to be an integral part of their future plans. Josh Hart will have a chance to mature and gain more experience together with other young teammates which could set them up for success in the coming years.