The Los Angeles Lakers are facing a daunting task while their superstar, LeBron James, is sidelined with an injury that’s expected to keep him out for at least a week, possibly two. James’ absence doesn’t just mean a loss of points, rebounds, and assists – it also deprives the team of its inspirational leader who often comes up with solutions when the collective is struggling.
In their recent encounter in Brooklyn, the Lakers let slip a victory that was almost within their grasp against a Nets team that had given up on the season, fixing their gaze on the 2025 draft and a rebuild rather than their remote playoff chances. Given the circumstances, Spanish coach Jordi Fernández is performing miracles with this lineup, as evidenced by their spirited display against the Lakers.
Under the influential play of Noah Clowney, who racked up 19 points, the Nets managed to edge out the Lakers 111-108, despite a phenomenal triple-double by Luka Doncic, his fifth of the season and second since joining the Lakers. Doncic’s stats were impressive, with 22 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists, but he had a woeful day in terms of shooting, converting only 8 of 26 attempts, with a 3/10 record from three-point range. It was a horrible day all around for the Lakers’ perimeter shooting, as Austin Reeves could only muster a disappointing 3 of 14 from the field, while LeBron and other key Lakers players watched from the sidelines, dressed in street clothes.
The Nets, on the other hand, had a day to cherish as they snapped a seven-game losing streak, with Cam Johnson and Keon Johnson each contributing 18 points and Tyrese Martin chipping in with 14. For the Lakers, Gabe Vincent emerged as the top scorer with 24 points, followed by Dalton Knecht with 19, and Reeves, who notched 17 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds, narrowly missing a triple-double.
In the aftermath of the game, Luka Doncic acknowledged the team’s shortcomings, saying, “When Redick talks about poor communication during tonight’s game, it’s crucial. It’s my fault, and we need to improve for the next day.” Austin Reeves was equally candid, admitting, “I can only think that I played terribly tonight.”
Coach Reddick was scathing in his assessment, stating, “The rush and confusion tonight were evident everywhere. If you want to be a good team, if you want to win in the NBA, you have to do the hard things. We couldn’t even pass the ball. We couldn’t perform in attack, setting screens literally in the middle of the court. That’s going to end in ball loss. I don’t know what we’re doing.” He concluded, “Injuries cannot be an excuse in a game like this.”
This defeat marks the Lakers’ second consecutive loss since LeBron James was injured in a game against the Boston Celtics, a match they entered on an eight-game winning streak. James watched from the end of the Lakers’ bench, and before the game, Reddick confirmed that the team is still determining how long they will be without their star player.
In addition to James and the hampered Luka Doncic, the Lakers were also missing Jaxson Hayes, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Rui Hachimura, which meant that the starting five Reddick fielded, comprising Doncic, Reaves, Vincent, Knecht, and Alex Len, was an unprecedented lineup for this season. The Lakers’ next stop is Milwaukee, as they look to bounce back and maintain their current third-place standing in the Western Conference.
