LeBron, Dončić Struggle to Halt Lakers Slide After Losing 3rd Straight/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The Los Angeles Lakers dropped their third straight game, falling 118-106 to the Orlando Magic despite strong outings from Luka Dončić and LeBron James. Defensive lapses and fatigue continue to plague the team, which has now lost seven of its last ten. With the playoffs looming, urgency is growing to reverse course.
Lakers Loss Quick Looks
- Lakers lose 118-106 to Magic, their third straight defeat.
- Franz Wagner (32 pts) and Paolo Banchero (30 pts) lead Orlando.
- Luka Dončić scored 32; LeBron James added 24 and eight assists.
- Lakers outscored 34-18 in a pivotal third quarter collapse.
- LA has now lost seven of their last ten games.
- Head coach JJ Redick cites fatigue, poor communication, and bad defensive habits.
- Dončić says he and James must lead the turnaround.
- Lakers remain fourth in the West with 11 games left.
- Magic snap six-game home losing streak, now eighth in East.
- Lakers defense has allowed 264 points over last two games.
LeBron, Dončić Struggle to Halt Lakers Slide After Losing 3rd Straight
Deep Look
The Los Angeles Lakers’ playoff position is becoming increasingly tenuous after another disappointing defeat Monday night—this time at the hands of the Orlando Magic, who ended a six-game home skid with a convincing 118-106 win. Despite a combined 56 points from Luka Dončić and LeBron James, the Lakers once again crumbled defensively in the second half, continuing a troubling trend as the postseason nears.
The Lakers, who led 60-58 at halftime, were overwhelmed in the third quarter, outscored 34-18, and never recovered. Franz Wagner torched the Lakers for 32 points and nine assists, while Paolo Banchero added 30 points and seven rebounds as Orlando pulled away.
“They’re built around those two guys,” Dončić said of Wagner and Banchero. “We had a good start, but didn’t match that energy after halftime. We have to play like that first half for the full 48 minutes.”
Dončić, who was acquired from Dallas in February, shouldered the responsibility for helping turn the Lakers around. “I think me and Bron should be the ones to stop this slump. That’s on me,” he said. “I’ve got to do better, communicate more, and bring more energy throughout.”
The Lakers have now dropped seven of their last ten games and are struggling to maintain consistency on both ends of the court. While their lineup is finally back at full strength—including the recent returns of LeBron James and Rui Hachimura—defensive breakdowns and fatigue have undermined the team’s efforts.
Head coach JJ Redick acknowledged the lack of intensity and defensive cohesion that have plagued the team since ending their eight-game win streak earlier this month.
“We look tired,” Redick said. “We weren’t able to sustain the level of intensity we started the game with. The defensive habits we’ve developed—probably from prioritizing rest over court time—have been bad, and they caught up to us.”
The loss comes on the heels of a brutal 146-111 home defeat to the Chicago Bulls, in which the Lakers allowed 81 first-half points—easily their worst defensive performance of the season. Monday’s game wasn’t quite as lopsided, but the same issues resurfaced: slow rotations, miscommunication, and an inability to stop opposing stars.
Despite being the lowest-scoring team in the NBA, Orlando shot nearly 50% from the field (42-of-85) and committed just nine turnovers. The Lakers, meanwhile, blocked just one shot all game.
“In the third quarter we let our offense affect our defense,” said Dorian Finney-Smith. “We’ve got to hold each other accountable and put together a full 48-minute effort.”
The Lakers remain fourth in the Western Conference with 11 games left in the regular season, holding an eight-win cushion over the ninth-place Sacramento Kings. But if their defensive issues persist, their grip on a playoff spot could quickly loosen.
As Redick pointed out, the challenge now is more mental than physical: “There’s always some weird stuff this time of year. But we’ve got to refocus on who we are and get back to playing Lakers basketball.”
With the postseason approaching fast, the margin for error continues to shrink. And for a team with championship aspirations—and two superstars in Dončić and James—time is running out to rediscover their identity.
You must Register or Login to post a comment.