The Lakeshow Review

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  • Thunder Shock Lakers, Snap Win Streak

    The Los Angeles Lakers resumed their homestand last night, as they took on the reigning champions Oklahoma City Thunder. Both sides had their respective MVP hopefuls on the bench, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Dončić both sat out due to injuries. The Thunder, however, displayed the type of depth and quality that made them NBA champs, and prohibitive favorites to accomplish that feat again. Despite a closely contested game, they managed to pull away during the final minutes to secure a 119-110 defeat of the Purple and Gold. This was a winnable game for LA, but the lack of execution was glaring, and it was clear yet again that they’re not on par with the league’s elite. With their three-game win streak snapped, it’ll be interesting to see how the team regroups on a short turnaround to play the Spurs, on the second night of a back-to-back.

    The Thunder raced out to an early lead, thanks in part to hot three-point shooting. Austin Reaves helped close the gap, checking in midway through the first quarter and scoring nine quick points to help close the gap. LA trailed 31-30 after a quarter and it looked as though the game was going to go down to the wire. AR finished with 16 points on 14 shots, with seven assists, while also coughing five turnovers. LeBron James led the Lakers with 22 points, six rebounds and 10 assists. Marcus Smart had the rare hot shooting night with 19 points, on 4-7 three point shooting. Unfortunately, the Lakers have made wasting a hot Marcus Smart game somewhat of a habit. Rui Hachimura had a productive night, with 12 points, while Jake LaRavia also had 14 points, as he was aggressive in getting to the free throw line. However, it was OKCs offensive floor balance that outshined the Lakers’. Four of their five starters clocked in double-figures, with Jalen Williams leading the way with 23 points (while also being excellent in the fourth quarter with 10 points to close the game). OKC also boasted three reserves with double digits scoring with Isaiah Joe (19 points) and former Laker Alex Caruso (17 points) each helping to anchor their reserve unit. There were several lead changes, and the Lakers even reclaimed the lead late in the third, and battled OKC in a tightly contested fourth. But eventually there execution simply proved superior and they were able to outlast the Lakers, as their depth and versatility was once again key.

    On might be tempted to look at the shooting discrepancies, with the Thunder shooting 42% (14-33) from beyond the arc, to the Lakers’ 31% (10-31). Or the turnover battle, which OKC won 21-15. But this game was lost on the defensive end, with LAs lack of attention to detail and OKCs razor-sharp execution. The team’s defensive warts continue to persist, and likely will remain so. LA is remarkably undisciplined with their help defense execution. Often times, they’ll fail to stunt-and-recover, and play the gaps in order to stop drives. Their switching, is also at times abysmal, as the on-ball defender consistently fails to get behind the screener/roller, which leads to all sorts of breakdowns. When guarding handoff actions, the screener defender rarely bellies-up to the screener so the POA defender can swiftly go under and shoot the gap. Little things. But ultimately, they add up. These are mistakes that have been pervasive throughout the entire season thus far, but to me, were glaringly evident last night, and the prime culprit towards the final outcome.

    OKC, on the other hand are both crisp and disciplined with their execution, on both sides. They always play the gaps aggressively, and know how and when to stunt to disincentivize drives. They know how to funnel the ball into help, and they know how to ice a screen. They’re tactical when it comes to defending ball screens, unafraid to bring the big man up to touch, at the level or at times above the screen, so that it causes chaos for the ball handler, and provides more obstacles to navigate through. The Lakers are missing these ingredients. Not just in terms of their mindset, but also with their Xs and Os. They’re not aggressive enough in taking away their opponents strengths, often letting them dictate the terms and tempo. Some of this is due to personnel shortages, but some (if not most) is also due to coaching. Not to mention, their interior defense is gravely lacking, with Deandre Ayton (who had another poor showing with six points and 10 boards) simply being too much of a non-factor down low . One has to start to wonder if the JJ Redick and his coaching staff are capable of implementing the types of schemes necessary for the the team to win consistently.

    Ultimately, it’s just one game, albeit a solid benchmark game, being that it came against an elite team. It’s yet another test where the team has come up short. It’s abundantly clear that the front office will have to deliver changes during the offseason, as the roster is till greatly off-balance. Getting LeBron’s albatross $55M off the books will have an impact as far as being able to add pieces to balance and round out the team. Missing Luka Dončić surely played a role in losing last night, but OKC was minus SGA themselves. Yet, they’re team looked complete and well-prepared, whereas the Lakers looked meek and uneven. With Luka out, the team is over-reliant on LeBron, who simply cannot get it done anymore, especially against the better teams. It’ll be a quick turnaround for the Lakers, however, as they’ll play the San Antonio Spurs today who themselves are a top team who’ll provide another tough challenge. The Lakers need to play more of a sustained game in terms of effort, and look to mitigate some of the mistakes exposed by OKC last night. If not, it could be a long night. Go Lakers.

  • Shorthanded Lakers Outlast Shorthanded Warriors

    Coming off of consecutive wins, the Los Angeles Lakers continued their homestand against the Golden State. With Luka Dončić, Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler all sidelined due to injury, this contest did not quite have the intrigue of past Lakers-Dubs battles, nonetheless it was an important game for both sides. LA prevailed in a tightly-contested 105-99 win that more closely mirrored 2000s basketball with the amount of defense played and lack of offensive fireworks. The Lakers received a collective effort from starters and reserves alike, making this a good win, and certainly a performance they can continue to build upon.

    Things got off to a slow start, with the Warriors taking a slim 42-41 lead into the locker at halftime. Neither team shot the ball well, with Golden State shooting an uncustomary 27% (14-51) from three point range. LA fared better, albeit on less volume, making 11 of their 27 treys, good for 40%. LeBron James led all Lakers scorers with 20 points, while also pulling down seven boards and dishing 10 assists. He once again had a rough night turning the ball over, coughing it up seven times. To his credit, LeBron ramped up his play coming out of halftime, knocking down a trey and scoring on a series of bully-ball plays to start the third quarter, which gave the Lakers a lead and control of the game.

    Even in the absence of Steph Curry, Steve Kerr’s motion offense still managed to give the Lakers’ defense all sorts of fits. Their off-ball cutting remains a bad matchup for the Lakers’ team defensive schemes, which aren’t exactly compromised of the keenest and most situationally-aware players. Rui Hachimura, Jake LaRavia and even Jarred Vanderbilt are often miffed by Golden State’s constant off-ball motion, which eventually forces LAs defense into a bad rotation/s and ensuing breakdown. Despite these woes, the Lakers managed to play good defense on the aggravate. Aside from LeBron’s 20 points, they also received quality offensive output from Rui Hachimura (18 points on 4-5 shooting from deep), Marcus Smart (15 points), Austin Reaves (16 points and eight assists), newcomer Luke Kennard (10 points) and Jarred Vanderbilt (13 points and eight boards). It was this offensive balance, coupled with Golden State’s abysmal shooting that gave LA the upper hand. One would have to assume that Steph sitting out had something to do with that.

    The Lakers endured offensive struggles of their own, namely with 22 turnovers, to just 12 by the Warriors. 12 of those came from LeBron and AR. This helped keep the Dubs in the game, despite their own bad shooting. The lack of Luka’s presence certainly played a factor, as the Lakers were without their main offensive engine. LA did manage to find some offensive juice late in the fourth quarter, with a series of Rui Hachimura triples and a great ATO hammer-screen sequence for newly acquired sharpshooter Luke Kennard. It’s good to see they’re already running actions for Kennard, leveraging his shooting and floor-spacing abilities. JJ Redick had enough confidence to sub him in for the final minutes, where he held his own. Maxi Kleber was also awarded late game minutes thanks to his robust five point, seven rebound effort (his defense was also surprisingly good), and a game-high +12. The team was able to generate enough offense to close out the win, thanks to steady late-game execution from Kennard, Rui and Austin Reaves (whoc scored 8 of his 16 points in the fourth). It was a solid team win by the Purple and Gold, and one that they can gain some valuable insight from, as it was achieved by way of collective effort.

    The Lakers will now face a rocky portion of the schedule, as they’ll play the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs in a back-to-back, both games in LA. After that, they’ll face the Dallas Mavericks next Thursday, before heading into the All-Star break and get a much needed reset period. It’s important for the Lakers to maintain their focus and to continue to demand quality output from their entire rotation, as they want to make it to the break with momentum, so that once the season resumes the morale is still at a high. Until then, hopefully the team can keep it together and sustain their level of quality play. Go Lakers.

  • AR Shines, As Lakers Come Back to Beat Sixers

    With the trade deadline coming and going (and the Lakers not doing much in it), it’s good to shift the focus squarely on basketball again. After a modestly successful eight-game road trip, where the team went 5-3, they finally returned home for a fortuitously timed eight-game homestand, as the season nears the All-Star break. Against a talented Philadelphia 76ers, LA faced an uphill battle, falling behind early after a slow start. However, this time instead of folding the team regrouped and scratched their way back into the game, on their way to a 119-115 win. The team fought, and showed grit, which is definitely something to build on, as these are the types of wins that can bind a group together. Now they just have to keep momentum on their side.

    Philly jumped out to an early 20-10 lead, anchored by the stellar play of center Joel Embiid, whose 35 points (20 in the first half) paced the Sixers. The Philly big man showed off the entire arsenal, with an array of post moves and mid-range mastery. He was quite the mismatch for Deandre Ayton, who struggled to contain Embiid for most of the game, namely during the first half. Both teams played lax defense, as both sides shot 50% from the floor during the first half. It was LAs carelessness in the form of 13 first half turnovers (to just three by Philly) that put them at a 59-51 deficit by halftime.

    The big story last night was Austin Reaves, who came off the bench for the second game in a row, after missing the previous 19. AR scored a game-high 35 points in just 25 minutes of action. His 14 points in the first 24 minutes helped keep the Lakers from falling into an early hole, amidst the Sixers’ strong opening run. He continued his hot shooting with 21 second half points, including 13 in the fourth quarter to help the Lakers pull away, once they secured the lead. ARs contributions were gravely needed, as Luka Dončić was forced out of the game shortly prior to the halftime buzzer due to a hamstring injury. He wasn’t great in the minutes he did play, scoring just 10 points on 3-10 shooting to go with five turnovers. LeBron James wasn’t that much better, scoring 17 points on 17 shots, to go with 10 assists and all of eight turnovers (all of them headscratchers). LA does not come close to winning this game without ARs big night, which is why it’s so crucial to have him back in the lineup. He’s the type of player who can rise to the occasion, when others are unavailable or having an off night, and always seems to make himself available for the team to trust in such moments. Great game by AR.

    Eventually, the Lakers went on a 21-6 run in the final moments of the fourth quarter, led by ARs brilliant play. His back to back triples helped give LA its first lead of the second half after which they wouldn’t look back. The team also received other contributions, including Rui Hachimura, whose 14 points on seven shots and a perfect 2-2 from deep helped round out the bench scoring. LAs 61 bench points were by far their best output of the season, mainly powered by ARs dominance. Jake LaRavia was soliod yet again, also notching 14 points on seven shots. There certainly lesser moments as well, as the first half defense played a large role in carving the team’s early deficit. JJ Redick chose to employ box zone to start the game, which the Sixers exploited by aggressively getting to the nail, where players like Embiid are deadly from midrange. the Lakers also had their hands full slowing down guard Tyrese Maxey, whose 26 points and 13 assists helped propel the Sixers’ offense. To LAs credit, they tightened things up defensively in the second half, forcing Embiid to catch the ball further away from the basket, making him more of a jumpshooter. Their offensive energy also sparked their defensive tenacity, which goes back to a constant obsevation of mine; which is that this team’s defense feeds off of their offense. Scoring motivates their defensive focus. Dearth in scoring kills their defensive morale. Last night, the offense flowed, mainly due to Austin Reaves, and instead of throwing in the towel, the team fought.

    It’s great to see a game where the team overcomes adversity, as these types of games build character. With Luka possibly being sidelined, LA can still continue to push forward with AR back in the fold. Their current homestand couldn’t have come at a more opportune time. Not to mention, with the All Star game approaching, it gives the roster extra time to rest and recoup. For now, they should continue to build off of games like this. The Lakers weren’t big players during yesterday’s trade deadline, but they did manage to snatch sharpshooting guard Luke Kennard from the Atlanta Hawks, in exchange for Gabe Vincent (and a second round pick). Kennard could help shore up the shooting deficiencies the team constantly faces, as well as helping space out the floor. He’ll be a welcome addition to the offense, as well as someone you could presumably look to keep beyond 2026 (shooters are always valuable, and for some reason always seem to be at a premium to the Lakers). Despite their ups and downs, the Lakers have managed to stay above water, with as many losses as the third-seeded Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference. Ideally, you’d like to see them make a push to win as many games as possible in the next few weeks, before a road-heavy end of February and early March. The NBA season is a marathon, not a sprint, and one can only hope that the team is up for the task. Go Lakers.

  • Lakers Lose to Knicks, Rebound to Beat Nets in NY

    After clobbering the Wizards in D.C., the Los Angeles Lakers travelled to New York for a two game set against the Knicks and Nets. It was a mixed bag as we saw both good and bad, but at the very least the team was able to salvage their losses. The Knicks game didn’t go as planned, with LA battling NY tightly for three-and-a-half quarters before running out of gas as the Knicks prevailed 112-100. It was a quick turnaround, however, as the team geared up to face the crosstown Brooklyn Nets two days later. This time things fared more positively towards the Purple and Gold, prevailing 125-109. In a predictable outcome, LA lost against the better team (Knicks) and were able to bounce back against the lesser one (Nets). The fact that the Lakers don’t consistently fare well against top teams is certainly a concern. Yet they’re still managing to take care of business in games they’re heavily favoured, signalling that it’s perhaps not the end of the world.

    Against the Knicks, Luka was once again brilliant, notching 30 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists, leading both sides in scoring and rebounding. LeBron James had another deceptive “stuff-the-statsheet” game with 22 points, five boards and six assists. Not a terrible night, but in a crucial game where Luka needed reinforcement, it wasn’t nearly enough. He was outscored and outplayed by OG Anunoby (25 points, eight boards) and reserve guard Landry Shamet (23 points on 6-10 three-point shooting). At $55M and taking up nearly 35% of the cap, LeBron, as the highest paid member of the roster simply needs to do more. Alas, he cannot. Which is a problem, and will continue to be so.

    The Lakers actually took a 56-52 lead into halftime, but their defense was once again a detriment in the second half. New York outscored LA 60-44 in the final 24 minutes, and did so by punishing the Lakers’ poor defensive rotations. They also aggressively beat LA at the point of attack, with Karl Anthony-Towns being in prime position to clean up the glass (Towns finished with 13 rebounds). LAs interior defense, and interior defensive rotations continue to be a source of pain. As Deandre Ayton doesn’t exactly offer a defensive presence down low, and whenever he’s forced to rotate, the team lacks sound strategies to sink and fill, thus failing to minimize put-back chances. The Knicks finished with 13 second chance points, many of them coming in the second half, as they eventually pulled away to close out the game. As is the case with many of these losses, the team’s defensive effort just wasn’t up to par.

    Two nights later versus Brooklyn, things looked much brighter. The team controlled the pace of play from tip-off, breezing their way to a 125-109 win. This game marked the return of Austin Reaves to the rotation, who finished with 15 points and four rebounds in 21 minutes off the bench. AR had missed the previous 19 games, nursing a calf strain. His offensive scoring and creation has been sorely missed, and his presence will hopefully help reset the pecking order and guys falling back into their natural roles.

    LeBron tallied 25 points, three rebounds and seven assists while Luka finished with 24 points, six rebounds and five assists (as well as five turnovers). Jake LaRavia also had a well-rounded night, with 18 points and eight rebounds. The scoring looked much more balanced with AR back in the fold, and against a bottom-feeder in Brooklyn, LA was comfortably in control all throughout. In retrospect, this was a good game for Reaves to come back, as it was a low-pressure affair relative to competition. The offense looked much more polished, as well as energetic. The Lakers made an effort to front the post in order to deny the post-entry, which led to several deflections which in turn led to fast break opportunities. LA had 31 transition points, to Brooklyn’s 18. One would be remiss to ignore the fact that Brooklyn are a terrible team, which makes everything seem about 25% better. Nonetheless, it was nice to see the team incorporate some high pick-and-roll action once again, where Luka was able to thrive as the main initiator. On the other hand, it’s disappointing to see Deandre Ayton continue his slew of subpar performances, as he tallied just seven points (after scoring 13 versus the Knicks). The team shot poorly from deep, connecting on just seven of 31 attempts, which is troubling, and speaks to how poor the Nets are, as LA still won by blowout form. At least they were able to dominate in transition, and attacking the basket, somehow managing to shoot 54% as a team.

    This formula, however, is not a sustainable one, as they’ll surely have to fare better from the perimeter in order to compete against better clubs. The return of Austin Reaves will help to shore things out offensively, but they’re still going to need consistent minutes out of guys like Jarred Vanderbilt, Jake LaRavia, Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura. Team defense, defensive rotations and perimeter on-ball defense will all have to improve if the Lakers wish to seriously compete in the Western Conference. Even in a blowout win against the Nets, the defensive lapses were glaring. Often over-trapping, missing key rotations and executing lazy closeouts that made the hapless Nets appear more capable than they are. Alas, the team put forth enough offense to control the game, and were also able to reward their key rotational players with much needed rest in the fourth quarter, during extended garbage time. Moving forward, they’ll have to polish some things defensively and keep progressing offensively, as they ease AR back into the starting five. They’ll have their hands full going up against a talented Philadelphia Sixers on Thursday, as they head back home for a well-deserved eight-game homestand. After culminating the road trip at 5-3, with several ups and downs, there’s still much room for improvement. Heading back home and having AR back in the lineup will hopefully give them the necessary jolt to keep moving things forward. Go Lakers.

  • Lakers Dominate Wizards in D.C.

    The Lakers travelled to Washington to take on the Wizards after a blowout loss at Cleveland last Wednesday, one of the worst losses of the season. The team was badly in need of a win, as they’re currently trying to hold on to the fifth seed in the Western Conference, with the Phoenix Suns trailing them by less than a game. Thankfully, the Wizards were the next team in the schedule. No better slump-buster than playing a 12-34 team. The Lakers, for their part, handled their business and downed the lowly Wizards 142-111. It’s difficult to gauge a team’s caliber after such a mismatch in competition, regardless, it’s a win coming during a crucial stretch of the season. With two more games to go in their current road trip, and looking ahead to a lengthy homestand, we can only hope the team finishes strong.

    The Lakers’ offense got to work right away, feeding center Deandre Ayton on the block during the early stages of the game. LAs big man, after a slew of lackluster showings, managed to score 28 points, on 12-14 from the floor to go with 13 rebounds. When Ayton puts forth a double-double effort, the offense usually flourishes. In fact, the Lakers are 10-0 when Ayton records 20-plus points and 10-plus rebounds. Granted, we can’t expect this type of output every game, but it goes to show that when he’s engaged and contributing, good things usually follow, adding another layer to the offense. Washington is abymsal on defense, often failing to tag the roller, and neglecting to front the post on entry passes, so DA had an easy time getting his numbers; we’ll see if he can continue to do this against better teams as well. It’ll surely be needed.

    Luka Dončić was once again front and center last night, adding yet another gem to his resumé. 37 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists would usually spell a relatively “normal” performance for Dončić, but last night was a tad more special, as he had a triple-double by halftime. 26/10/11 for the first 24 minutes. Thankfully, Luka was able to get some much-needed rest late in the game, as we were treated to some extended garbage time, with LA having all but secured the victory within the opening minutes of the fourth quarter. Luka continues to establish a solid rapport with Deandre Ayton, as their two-man game payed dividends both on the pick-and-roll and handoff actions. Luka continued his hot shooting month from range, connecting on 6 of his 13 treys. He concluded the month of January by shooting a stellar 39% from deep, as he gradually regains his form after a string of poor performances following a brief leave of absence late in 2025. When his patent stepback jumper is on-point, Luka is virtually unguardable. He’ll have a good shot to win MVP should he continue this level of play.

    LeBron James also filled it up, scoring 20 points on 8/16 shooting, to go with six assists. Rui Hachmura (11 points) and Jaxson Hayes (10 points) both notched double figures scoring from the bench. Overall, this game felt more like a track meet, with neither team truly zeroing in on the defensive side, with the Lakers being the larger benefactor of such events. LA shot 61% from the floor, on 38 assists as a team. We saw some quality, sustained passing sequences from the team, whose offense appears to be operating at a higher level as of late. It’s amazing how different the team fares when players make their shots and the ball is moved all over the court. Against the Wizards, the Lakers’ offensive efficiency saved its stars from being overworked, with Luka only logging in 31 minutes and LeBron playing just 30 minutes. The game was secured by the fourth quarter, allowing for some end-of-the-rotation guys to get in some much needed reps. Hopefully we’ll see more games like this.

    The Lakers will now head to New York to play the Knicks, on the second to last game of their current roadie. Against Cleveland, the team was blown out by 30, while flipping the script the following game against the Wizards. This team is unpredictable, to say the least. Bearing that in mind, they’ll have to strive to show the best version of themselves against quality teams, something that’s been somewhat of a struggle lately. The Knicks certainly represent a quality adversary, sitting at 30-18 for the season, and second overall in the Eastern Conference. After getting run out of the gym in Cleveland, it’ll take a much more focused effort to pull off the victory. With Luka seemingly back to being “Luka Magic”, things appear to be on the upswing, but they’ll also need players like Rui and LeBron to step up and deliver. After a breezy win at Washington, we should expect the team to be both fresh and prepared for a hard-fought affair. Go Lakers.

  • Lakers Handle Bulls, Fall Short to Cavs in Road Trip

    Coming off a much-needed win against the Dallas Mavericks, the Lakers took the floor once again to play the Chicago Bulls at the United Center. They put forth an energized and complete performance that saw the team emerge victorious, 129-118. A solid step forward. Unfortunately, the following game didn’t render such fruits as the Lakers were blown out of the water by a young Cavaliers team in Cleveland by a 129-99 final. One of their worst defeats of the season. These two games illustrate the duality of the 2026 Los Angeles Lakers. On some nights they show up, on others they quite simply don’t. They have a lot of looking inward to do if they are to be taken seriously amongst the top tier teams in the NBA.

    Against Chicago, it was the Luka Dončić show. 46 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists on eight made three pointers marked perhaps Luka’s strongest game of the year. He looked unstoppable both on the pick-and-roll and on iso situations. He was constantly able to get to his patented step-back three-pointer, and when it’s on, Luka is nearly unguardable. So far in the month of January, Luka is shooting 38.5% from three-point range. Hopefully that’s a trend that will continue as it opens up both his game as well as the offense in general.

    Rui Hachimura was fantastic as well, scoring 23 points off the bench, on 9-11 shooting from the floor. He’s by far the team’s most reliable long range sniper, connecting on four of his five treys for the night. He can make defenses pay when they help off of him at the wing or the corner, as well as when they attempt to shrink the floor on drives by Luka or LeBron James. He can also attack closeouts and get to the nail where he’s very adept at shooting the pull-up midrange. Late in the shot clock, these shots will come in handy. LeBron on the other hand had another ho-hum night. 24 points on 19 shots, with just four of those points coming in the second half where he shot 0-4 from the floor. He was a -14 for the game, second worst on the team behind Deandre Ayton’s -15 (who threw up another stinker with six points and two boards), on a night where the team won by double-digits. It’s so painfully obvious at this point, LeBron and Luka don’t mesh well on the hardwood. LeBron lacks the dynamics and quick-scoring arsenal to successfully play off-ball, and Luka needs the ball in his hands because he’s a 26 year-old superstar in the middle of his prime. Yes, LeBron can still fill up the stat sheet, but the numbers lack the impact they once had. Not to mention, he doesn’t exactly address any of the team’s needs (perimeter shooting and defense) at $55M a season. This needs to be LeBron’s last season with the Purple and Gold.

    With solid offensive execution and great performances from the reserves (namely Rui and Jaxson Hayes) the Lakers prevailed. When players step up and make their threes, the offense opens up. It’s less clogged, more energized, and most importantly, it keeps players engaged. The following night, however, would present the exact mirror opposite. The Cavs boasted a well-balanced offensive attack, with Donovan Mitchell’s 25 points, five boards and five assists. Guard Jaylon Tyson chipped in with 20 points, six boards and six assists, while big man Jarrett Allen provided a robust 17 & 9 effort, and reserve forward De’Andre Hunter had 17 points off the bench. Luka Dončić did his best, scoring a game-high 29 points, to go with five rebounds and six assists in just 27 minutes. He sat out the final quarter in a 30-point blowout loss. The rest of the Lakers didn’t offer Luka much support, as second option LeBron James only managed 11 points on 3-10 shooting. The Lakers continued to be exposed on defense, and on a cold shooting night, their defensive woes were only amplified. Cleveland looked to punish the Lakers on switches with Donovan Mitchell on the ball, who torched LAs perimeter defense, getting to the basket at will. When LA decided to trap Mitchell, he swiftly dimed the short-roller who attacked the middle of the court, often to great success. Some of it may have been fatigue, but the Lakers clearly couldn’t contain the Cavs’ ball handlers at the point of attack, which only serves to further expose the team’s weak defensive rotations, poor strategies and soft switching.

    The Lakers actually held a healthy 40-30 lead midway through the second quarter. After which Cleveland’s offense started to take off, leaving LA in the dust. They outscored the Lakers 72-44 in the second half, with LAs defense completely collapsing. As I’ve written before, when this team fails to score, they mentally check out, with the defensive effort going out the window. The lack of a rim-protecting big man is starting to hear its head, as they can’t seem to offer any resistance on drives to hoop. Another dud by Ayton (10 points and four rebounds) spelled yet another night where LA lacked any semblance of a presence down low. Ayton’s low motor is a killer in these blowout losses, as he seldom if ever sprints back on defense, leaving the basket open to be exploited in transition. Then there’s the offensive rebounding department, where the Lakers usually get smoked. Changes are clearly needed for this team to realistically compete. But at 28-18 overall, and 3-2 on their current seven-game roadie, all hope is not lost. The team is rumored to be getting Austin Reaves back sometime in the immediate future, which will certainly serves as a boost. But for now, the key will be to stay consistent and not allow the losses to pile up. Next game up is at Washington on Friday Night, which is a winnable game to say the least. But as is the case with this team, good things will only happen if they’re motivated and engaged. This isn’t a team that can simply show up and expect results. Hopefully they understand that and keep pushing forward before the season’s halfway mark. Go Lakers.

  • Lakers Escape Mavericks in Dallas

    The 2026 Los Angeles Lakers have Jekyll & Hyde syndrome.

    The LA Lakers were badly in need of a pick-me-up as they rolled into Dallas to play the 19-26 Mavericks. With these Lakers, however, no game is a given. And given the team’s recent blues, this was somewhat of a must-win game. It’s been a rocky January so far, with the team sporting a 6-6 record prior to tonight’s matchup. It’s been inconsistent, up-and-down basketball ever since Austin Reaves went down and LeBron James started asserting more control over the offense. Fresh after getting bamboozled by the crosstown Clippers, the Lakers sorely needed a win against the young Mavericks to recoup some momentum. They were successful in accomplishing that, after beating Dallas 116-110 in a competitive come from behind fashion. It wasn’t a pretty win, but it was a win, and right now, that is all that matters.

    It wasn’t smooth sailing, particularly to start, as Dallas erased a double-digit 65-52 halftime deficit, on the back of a robust third quarter. One where they outscored the Lakers 35-14 to reclaim the lead. It was looking like another wasted effort, until the team woke up in the fourth quarter on the backs of Rui Hachimura’s strong outside shooting, making two big triples late in the game to help reclaim the lead. Rui had a strong 17 points off the bench, marking perhaps his best performance as a reserve. This is Rui’s best value to the team, and we can only hope JJ Redick is taking notice and continues to sub him in as a sixth man. Additionally, Luka Dončić finished with a fantastic 33 points, eight rebound 11 assist effort. LeBron James had a respectable 17 points, eight rebound, five assist effort, after an abysmal four-point first half. LA managed to hold on late to a six point win, which wasn’t the prettiest, but it was badly needed.

    It’s hard to gauge the value of this win, as it came against one of the Western Conference’s bottom-dwellers. But we saw both good and bad tonight, from a Lakers team currently trying to recapture their winning groove. The Lakers high pick and roll action looked a lot smoother tonight, with Luka being quite effective at surveying the floor. Some of this is partly due to to Dallas’ poor and inexperienced defense. However, with Rui making his impact felt tonight, the Lakers finally found a corner three weapon make the defense pay for rotating and collapsing inside. Surprisingly, Jarred Vanderbilt also made his corner threes, shooting 2-3 from distance. Probably an outlier night for Vando, but LA shot 14-34 (41%) collectively from beyond the arc. No handicap to overcome tonight, and the results are night and day. When this team shoots the three ball respectably, they can hold their own. This is an obvious statement, but unfortunately we see this team impose self-inflicted wounds far too often with their poor shooting. When they shoot well, they’re also more engaged on defense.

    The Lakers didn’t play a perfect game. They let a young Mavericks team storm back into the game, they gave a away careless turnovers (14 to Dallas’s 11), and their defensive rotations when guarding the pick-and-roll still look shoddy at times. Former Laker Max Christie looks more springy, and showed some depth putting the ball on the floor. Christie tallied 21 points tonight, and continues to impress with his all around ascension as a premier “3 & D” wing. Mavs prized rookie Cooper Flagg was kept in check, scoring just 16 points on 20 shots. Despite their ups and downs, the Lakers didn’t fold tonight. Yeah, the Mavs are bad, but the team competed and looked recharged offensively. the key now, is to keep moving forward without regressing.

    The Lakers will now move on to play the Chicago Bulls on Monday Night. This team has such a Jekyll and Hyde complex that I really don’t know what to expect. The Bulls have a strong core, with young studs like Josh Giddey and Coby White. The Bulls also beat the Lakers last year, twice after the Luka trade, with LeBron selling out the second loss. Maybe the Lakers will have revenge on their mind, but I doubt it. Hopefully they’re ready to play and make an effort to build off of the positive attributes they displayed tonight. Off to the Windy City… Go Lakers.

  • Clipper Blues Continue to Haunt Lakers

    The Lakers vibes have gone the way of the dead of winter.

    After solidifying some momentum following their win at the Mile High City, one that saw LA erase a 14-point halftime deficit into an improbable comeback, the team finally looked primed for a run of inspiring basketball. Sadly, those plans were halted in Inglewood, CA of all places, as the team made their way back to their home state to take on former hallway rivals, the Clippers. The Lakers hoped to keep things rolling on the second game of their road trip, but unsurprisingly, they forgot to bring their competitive edge. The vaunted Clips tore up the Purple and Gold to the tune of a 112-104 beatdown. Thus raising many questions and concerns as the team moves on to game three of their current eight-game road trip.

    The game started out promisingly. The Lakers were looking fairly crisp with their offensive execution in high gear. Luka Dončić also found a groove early, scoring 14 of his game-high 32 points in the opening quarter. Despite that, the Clippers’ offense was even sharper, as they riddled LAs porous ball screen defense as well as their disorganized off-ball defense. The Clippers have superior floor spacing to that of the Lakers’, with players such as Brook Lopez (10 points), John Collins (13 points), Kobe Sanders (11 points) and Jordan Miller (14 points) combining to shoot 7-13 from three, successfully opening the floor for their stars Kawhi Leonard (24 points) and James Harden (18 points). The Lakers could not match this kind of offensive balance, with Dončić scoring 32 points, and LeBron chipping in with 23 points on 19 shots, and Marcus Smart as the only other starter in double-figures with 10 points (on 10 shots). Rui Hachimura stepped in to provide 12 points off the bench, but doing so on 11 shots. In a make-or-miss league, the Lakers simply aren’t shooting the basketball with enough consistency. It’s more complex than that, as the team, and its caching staff don’t employ the requisite creativity on offense to unlock the strengths of its personnel. However, it’s also safe to say that the team gravely lacks capable shotmakers to offset their poor coaching. They shot 33% from deep as a unit, which is respectable on an off night. But sadly, this was one of their better nights as of late. The Clippers in comparison shot 39% from deep, and the shooting discrepancy was a major culprit in the Lakers digging themselves a 64-47 hole at halftime.

    Surprisingly, the second-half defense was one of the lone bright spots of last night’s contest. Down 26 points midway through the third quarter, the Lakers fought back to make it somewhat of a game. Eventually getting to within two points in the fourth quarter, on the back of a 19-7 run to end the third quarter. But the closer the Lakers inched back into the game, the more the Clippers clamped down on defense, exposing LAs glaring weakness on offense; that being their lack of consistent shotmaking. The Lakers were actually able to create quality looks for Rui Hachimura, and Marcus Smart, but simply couldn’t capitalize. Thus, the Clippers were able to pull away every time the Lakers attempted to close the gap and secure a comfortable eight-point victory.

    Second-half defense notwithstanding, this team has a lot of work to do. Outside of Luka, whose 32 point, 11 rebound, eight assists, three steal game, the team found no ancillary scoring to supplement its star. LAs floor spacing is simply brutal. Opponents, as the Clips did last night, can simply collapse the middle of the floor on drives or ball screen actions, and the Lakers don’t have the players to make defenses pay for those decisions. Moreover, opponents are regularly helping OFF of the the strong side corner, generally considered a basketball sin, to virtually no consequence. Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura, LAs two premier corner options, combined to shoot 3-12 from three versus the Clipers. Which included 2-7 in the fourth quarter. As I’ve said before, that’s a handicap too steep to overcome. Even with the surprisingly inspired defensive play during the second half, the Lakers simply couldn’t claw their way back into the game because their outside shooting consistently let them down in crucial spots.

    After 43 game played, a smidge over half of the season, it’s fair to say we have a clear picture of what this team is. And for them to realistically compete, whether it be this year, or next year or in the coming years, big changes need to be made. The roster, as constructed, is woefully unbalanced. They lack shooters, rangy defenders, and players who can provide a mix of both. They also lack a reliable interior defensive presence; Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes combined to score 10 points and seven boards as they were thoroughly outplayed by Iviza Zubac (18 points and 19 boards) and Brook Lopez (10 points off the bench). They were decimated on the offensive glass, 13-6. When you are hard of shooting, and haemorrhaging rebounds, you aren’t a serious threat to win in the NBA. Defensively, though good in spurts, the team has no consistent defensive principles to hang their heads on, often exhibiting bad closeouts, poor rotations, and lackluster instincts on the defensive side. Concepts such as low man, switching, and stunt and recover seem totally foreign to a team devoid of a defensive identity. There are certainly capable individual defenders, such as Smart, Vando, or Jake LaRavia. Even LeBron and Luka can look motivated at times. But there’s no system to bring it all together, and offer clear and consistent roles to every player.

    Safe to say, the front office has a lot of work to do. Bringing in the right players is key, but having the right coaches to implement the right game plans is just as paramount. Hard to say if all of it can be fixed just this year, as there are so many questions surrounding the roster, and its construction. But tough decisions will have to be made in order to find the right roster build to suit the team’s stars, because the current one just doesn’t seem to be it. With that said, the team still needs to buckle down and find a way to stay competitive in the final six games of their current road trip. They’ll now travel to Dallas to take on Luka’s old team, the Mavericks this Saturday. Despite their record of 19-26, they still have a promising and talented nuclues led by prized rookie Cooper Flagg. Needless to say, it isn’t a freebie game, thus the team should show up ready to put the Clipper disaster game behind and try to get back on track. The current theme should be to survive and keep their heads above water. They’re still a play-in team as they stand, at 26-17. I think they can still play much better and climb their way back in the standings. Go Lakers.

  • Lakers Outlast Nuggets to Kickoff Road Trip

    The Lakers played again tonight. This time against the vaunted Denver Nuggets, albeit without All-Universe superstar Nikola Jokić, but still boasting a feisty and talented group led by Jamaal Murray and Aaron Gordon. LA came into the game on the heels of a rough skid, having gone 2-5 in the their last seven. Sunday’s win against the Raptors was big, as it afforded the team some measure of momentum before hitting the road. In a pleasant turn of events, Luka Dončić had one of his best games of the season, and helped the Purple and Gold erase a 14 point halftime deficit to ultimately win 115-107. Good start to the roadie, now let’s see if they can string together some wins and maintain their place in the standings.

    This game had the all-too familiar Lakers get overwhelmed by opponent’s hot three point shooting, tuck their tails in and look forward to the next game kinda feel to it. Especially early on. Denver was white hot, draining nine threes in just the first quarter. The usual culprits were ever present, as LAs defensive rotations and closeouts were as bad as they’ve been as of late. LeBron in particular had a series of lazy closeouts that are of the backbreaking variety. Luka’s patented first quarter surge helped keep the team in the game, scoring 16 of his 38 points in the opening frame.

    To the coaches’ credit, they’ve been mixing it up lately. Tonight they turned to a little bit of zone defense. Unfortunately, Denver smoked it. They stretched the Lakers defense and found the open cracks through sound passing, leading to wide-open shots. Denver also successfully got the ball to the middle of the free throw line, where zones are most vulnerable. Much of the team’s struggles early on this game were due to their abysmal zone execution. Eventually, they reverted back to man defense, where Denver still cooked them, momentarily. As the game went on, they did settle down.

    LA trailed 37-28 after the first quarter. Then trailed 71-57 at the half marker, after a last-second heave by Jamaal Murray. Murray for his part, was spectacular; scoring 28 points (on 4-8 from beyond the arc) to go with 11 assists. The Lakers had their hands full in trying to contain him, whether it was Marcus Smart, Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent or even Luka, Murray cooked everyone. To counter, Head Coach JJ Redick adjusted by doubling Murray in the second half, thereby forcing other players to score the ball. It was a fruitful move, as Murray scored just two of his 28 points in the final 24 minutes, going just 1-6 from the floor.

    LAs defense as a whole was much improved in the second half. Jaxson Hayes provided great energy in place of Deandre Ayton, who exited the game after being poked in the eye. The offense found a spark as well. Their 13-0 run to open the third quarter propelled them back into the game. Offensively, the team showed up tonight. Luka’s 38 point, 13 rebound, 10 assists triple-double was the main attraction. Marcus Smart scored 15 big points, 12 of them in the fourth quarter, including a pair of momentum-shifting treys. Good to see the rare Smart shooting exhibition not go to waste today. The bench scored 32 points collectively with strong contributions from Rui Hachimura and Hayes. Drew Timme scored nine points, as a reserve, and continues to impress with his awareness and situational IQ. He already has a good rapport with Luka and LeBron. Speaking of LeBron, he played a decent game with 19 points on 15 shots, to go with eight boards and nine dimes. His scoring, though, was quite cherry-picked, mostly doing damage on drives and leakouts in transition. I still question his ability to excel off the ball consistently in a half-court setting. I’m also weary about his ability to produce at the level suggested by his salary against elite teams, without the ball in his hands most of the time. Tonight wasn’t a bad game for James, he did miss some bunnies at the rim and shot 2-6 from the charity stripe, but I think it’s fair to expect more from LeBron, especially against the better teams.

    The Lakers broke through in the fourth and hung on for the win. A welcome sight. It was good to see the team finally win a game where they were able to weather the opponent going nuclear from three-point range, without being demoralized. Their defensive execution in the second half was night and day compared to the first half. It’s great to start the road trip off with some momentum, and something to build off of. JJ Redick also announced before the game that Austin Reaves is expected to return at some point in the next seven games, possibly around February 3rd. It’ll be a huge boost to get AR back, particularly with the team having flashed some positive signs in the last few games. For now, they have to continue building off of their well-earned momentum. Luka and LeBron need to hold down the fort and help the team stay competitive on the road. Tonight was a good step, now it’s time to start thinking about sustained stretches and stacking wins to build confidence and chemistry. Hopefully they keep it rolling. Go Lakers.

  • Lakers Tame Raptors Ahead of Long Road Trip

    After being trampled under foot last night in Portland, the LA Lakers returned home to face the Toronto Raptors. With Luka Dončić back in the fold , the team received a jolt of momentum, and overall put forth a much better effort on their way to a 110-93 win. After a busy week, one that saw five games played in the last seven days, LA managed to cap it off with a much needed win, as they’ll now embark on a lengthy eight-game road trip to finish the month. Tonight we saw some good things; both offensively and defensively. A proverbial step in the right direction. With that said, the Lakers are 2-5 in their last seven games, which is not ideal. How they respond throughout the next two weeks will be very telling when it comes to the fabric of this team.

    The Lakers did something huge tonight. They activated Deandre Ayton, whose game-high 25 points (on a minty 10-10 shooting) and game-high 13 boards were vital to a team starved for productivity outside of their top stars. Luka Dončić was also solid, matching Ayton’s 25 points (albeit on a poor 8-23 from the floor), while adding seven assists. LeBron James bounced back with a robust 24 points and seven assists night. The Luka/Ayton/LeBron trio was enough to carry the team through this game, showcasing the type of offensive balance we need to see much more of in order to consistently compete, particularly as Austin Reaves (and his 26.6ppg) remains sidelined for the time being. The Raptors were paced by Scottie Barnes’ 22 points and nine rebounds, in addition to former Laker Brandon Ingram’s 19 points six boards and seven assists showing.

    This was a much tighter affair than the final score would indicate, as LA only managed to squeeze a one-point 55-54 going into the half marker. The Lakers’ defense was shaky to start, displaying many of the lesser qualities that have contributed to their recent slide. Haphazard rotations and poor closeouts on the perimeter led to a hot Toronto start, converting on 47% of their shots, by way of 17 assists. The Lakers still break down too easily when opponents put them in ball screen situations. They often overplay screens, and remain unorganized with their switching. Their interior rotations are also shoddy, as well as execution on closeouts. To LAs credit, they tightened things up in the second half, limiting Toronto to just 25% shooting, good for 39 points. They also forced more turnovers, pressuring the ball and attacking passing lanes more aggressively. Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia are crucial in this regard, and despite not showing up on the scoresheet, their impact on the defensive end is mostly positive, especially when they play together. One of those two has to remain in the starting group, even after AR returns.

    The Lakers played well on offense, and tonight they were keenly more intent on driving to the hoop and collapsing the defense. A conscious effort was made to feed Ayton down low and get him going. Luka’s aggressiveness on the ball led to several defensive rotations where DA was freed at the basket. The Luka/DA dynamic is one that the team, and head coach JJ Redick need to try to unlock more of. It opens up the offense beyond the stagnant isos. Rui Hachimura was also solid as a reserve, scoring 10 points. Though he can certainly play better, his role as a sniper on either the wing or the corner is one that he’ll excel at as long as he’s on the floor. He’s the one player on the team that can consistently make defenses pay for packing the paint, while also helping to spread the floor on screen-and-roll actions. Off the bench, he is ideal since the team badly lacks scoring in that area. As AR makes his way back to the lineup, we should continue to see this formula, with one of LaRavia or Smart (preferably Jake) slotted with the starters.

    Despite it being a relatively close game for three quarters, LA managed to build a double digit advantage which they were able to expand and sustain to finish off the game. Jarred Vanderbilt (who had a quietly productive night with two points and nine boards) stole an errant baseline pass and took it coast to coast to give LA and 18-point cushion with about five minutes to go, helping to seal the win. It was the rare occasion where the Lakers won without having to frantically sweat it out in the final minutes. A comfy win for once. But it’s the type of effort we need more of, as the the team now heads out on the road for an eight-game roadie starting in Denver this Tuesday. At 25-16, their recent slide has dropped them in the standings. Therefore, it’s crucial for the Redick and his group to figure out how to scratch and claw their way to survival in these next two weeks. They can either drop out of the top six, into play-in range, or gradually surge their way back in the standings. Like I said, it’ll be very telling as to the mental makeup of this team and their desire to realistically compete in the West’s gauntlet. Until then, let’s hope we see a dignified fighting spirit. Go Lakers.