The Los Angeles Lakers finally have their full roster healthy, but their defense remains MIA. Despite a promising start against the Orlando Magic on Monday, the Lakers couldn’t contain Franz Wagner or Paolo Banchero, leading to their third straight loss, 118-106.
Meanwhile, Chris Broussard of FS1 had criticism for Luka Doncic, calling him “an all-time elite ball-hog.”
During Tuesday’s episode of First Things First, Broussard compared Doncic’s offensive dominance to a one-man show that hurts team morale.
“Even if he’s making some of them, they’re bad shots, and that takes away from your morale,” Broussard said. “Especially when that guy can’t defend. When he’s getting blown by and beaten on defense and then coming down and shooting all these shots, that seeps away at your morale and affects you on the other end of the floor.”
.@Chris_Broussard is delivering some bad news to Lakers fans 👀
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) March 25, 2025
“Luka Doncic is a ball hog. A great ball hog. A Hall of Fame ball hog (future). An all-time elite ball hog. HE’S A BALL HOG.” 😅🤣 pic.twitter.com/Yr0VpJNZPW
He also argued that Doncic has reduced LeBron James to a mere floor-spacer and has demoralized the Lakers’ roster.
Broussard’s critique echoed concerns voiced by others, including ESPN’s Brian Windhorst during the 2024 NBA Finals and former Mavericks GM Nico Harrison, who controversially traded Doncic. Although many criticized Harrison’s move, Broussard believes Doncic still has time to adjust.
“Luka will adjust naturally. I think he got used to doing this with LeBron out,” Broussard said. “But if he doesn’t…LeBron is the only one who can really say ‘look, we’ve gotta do it differently.’”
The Lakers’ struggles go beyond Doncic. Even with LeBron and Rui Hachimura back in action on Saturday after missing significant time, the team was blown out 146-111 by the Bulls.
Monday’s loss wasn’t as lopsided, but the outcome remained the same – another night of disappointment for a team in need of answers.
Kyrie Irving’s message to Mavericks fans following Luka Doncic trade
The Mavericks have faced a rough patch, dealing with injuries to their stars, including Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, while fans have voiced frustration over the front office’s decision to let Luka Doncic go.
Kyrie on his stream about
— Luka Updates (@LukaUpdates) March 23, 2025
Luka as 1 v 1 player:
"Luka is one of the best of all time." pic.twitter.com/hnojsK7742
In a recent Instagram Live session, Irving directly addressed the challenges:
“I know we’ve been going through a lot,” Irving said, according to Bolavip. “But please just stick with us and understand we are here for the long haul, too, man, to make this thing work. I don’t want anybody to focus on playing the blame game. Let’s just focus on where we are now”.
The Mavericks’ point guard acknowledged Doncic’s impact on the franchise and the emotional toll of his departure but urged fans to move forward.
“Our culture [in Dallas] is being rebuilt as we speak,” he said. “It was emotional for me, too… I struggled a bit for the first few days. But after a while, you get to be where you are by making some incredible moves. We can only deal with what we’re doing now.”
Despite his season-ending injury, NBA insider Mike Curtis recently reported that the Mavericks still view Irving as a cornerstone.
“Before the injury he was definitely on track for a max extension,” Curtis said. “I think that’s still the case.”
While former Dallas star Luka Doncic’s exit left a void, Irving’s message is to focus on rebuilding for the future.
READ: Inside NBA star Luka Dončić’s $215M Contract Details with the Lakers in 2025
I am a writer passionate about telling the stories behind the game of basketball. From the culture and personalities shaping the sport to the moments that define it, I explore basketball beyond the box score.
