At 40, LeBron James is performing at a level reminiscent of his prime, but the Lakers must now navigate up to two weeks without him due to a left groin strain suffered against Boston on Saturday. In their first game without James, Los Angeles fell 111-108 to the Brooklyn Nets on Monday.
The team struggled to compensate for James’ absence. Without him, the Nets ramped up their defensive pressure on Luka Doncic, and the Lakers failed to exploit the resulting gaps. This outcome wasn’t entirely unexpected, given their lineup challenges and ongoing chemistry development.
The Lakers’ starting five – Doncic, Austin Reaves, Dalton Knecht, Gabe Vincent, and Alex Len, had never played together before Monday. Their depth was further tested with Dorian Finney-Smith, Rui Hachimura, and Jaxson Hayes sidelined, forcing Len into an unfamiliar role as a short-roll connector.
Lakers coach JJ Redick didn’t mince words about the team’s effort calling it a “very low-level communication game” and insisting, “Being shorthanded is [not] an excuse for how we played.”
“We couldn’t even pass to each other,” Redick said. “We couldn’t enter our offense. Running ball screens literally at half court … I don’t know what we were doing.”
Despite Doncic’s second triple-double since joining the Lakers, 22 points, 12 assists, and 12 rebounds, the Lakers struggled. On the team’s lack of composure, Doncic said:
“[We] should’ve made better decisions,” Doncic said. “I think we started the game doing a really good job, good decisions. But then we just kind of let go of the rope. We got comfortable.”
Brooklyn, despite a seven-game losing streak and their place in the standings, proved a tough challenge, something they’ve done even against stronger opponents.
Now, the Lakers face a daunting six-game stretch against Milwaukee, Denver (twice), Phoenix, and San Antonio. With a 40-23 record, they’ve slipped to the No. 3 seed in the West (tied in the loss column with Denver) and hold a slim lead over Memphis and Houston. These next games will be pivotal in shaping their playoff positioning.
Luka Doncic hints at frustration with officiating after Lakers’ loss
Luka Doncic took responsibility for the Lakers’ short-handed loss to the Nets on Monday night but didn’t hold back when asked about the game’s physicality and officiating. The Slovenian star, who struggled with his shot (8-of-26 from the field), appeared to direct subtle criticism at the referees.
“At the end of the day, it was a lot,” Doncic said, per Rochester First. “It wasn’t fair, but you know, just gotta play the game. I gotta keep playing the game. But it was a lot, man, I’m not gonna lie.”
When pressed on his “unfair” remark, Doncic refused to elaborate:
“I’m not gonna say anything, but everyone saw the game so they know what happened,” he said.
Doncic attempted just two free throws in the loss and was visibly frustrated throughout, frequently gesturing at officials over what he believed were missed calls.
READ: Luka Doncic Smashed in the Face Multiple Times in Game Against Celtics
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