The Los Angeles Lakers’ momentum, which soared after Luka Doncic’s arrival and their defensive resurgence, has quickly faltered. A 118-106 loss to the Orlando Magic dropped the team to 3-7 in their last 10 games, with an average defeat margin of 15.7 points. Now, with just 11 games left in the regular season, the Lakers face a crucial period as they fight for a top-six seed in the Western Conference.
Luka Doncic reflected on the team’s struggles, saying, “I think we just got a little bit satisfied. We can’t afford that right now.” The Lakers are just three games ahead of the No. 7 LA Clippers, who are currently in the play-in tournament. After a wake-up call against the Chicago Bulls, where they were defeated 146-115, Los Angeles hoped to bounce back but experienced a third-quarter collapse against the Magic, much like their earlier performance against the Bulls.
Dorian Finney-Smith pointed out that the team’s offensive struggles in the third quarter negatively affected their defense. “We let our offense mess with our defensive energy,” he said. Doncic, who scored 21 points in the first half but only 11 afterward, took responsibility alongside LeBron James, who contributed 24 points but struggled with a team-worst minus-17. “That’s on me,” Doncic said. “I’ve got to do better, I’ve got to talk more.”
Despite the return of James and Rui Hachimura to the lineup after injuries, the Lakers’ defense has been inconsistent. Coach JJ Redick noted, “We weren’t able to sustain our level of intensity,” adding that defensive lapses have become concerning. The Lakers allowed Orlando’s Franz Wagner (32 points) and Paolo Banchero (30 points) to dominate in the second half.
With seven of their final 11 games on the road, the pressure is on. Finney-Smith remains hopeful, noting, “We need the adversity. Especially being a new team, we get to learn a lot about each other during tough times.” With their playoff aspirations on the line, the Lakers must find a way to regain their defensive intensity and execute for a full 48 minutes.
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