The Lakeshow Review

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  • 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.

  • Shorthanded Lakers Falter In Portland

    We are dangerously infringing on ‘panic button’ territory, but not quite there yet.

    The Lakers continued their rocky New Year tonight, as they travelled to Portland to take on the Trail Blazers on the first night of a back to back (they’ll play the Toronto Raptors tomorrow at Crypto). LA is in the midst of a bad skid, having gone 1-4 in the five games leading up to the contest. The team continues to be hampered by injuries, with guys constantly fluctuating in and out of the rotation, and Austin Reaves continuing to miss time due to a calf strain. Luka Dončić sat out the game due to groin discomfort. As a result LeBron James was left to fend off, alongside the likes of Jake LaRavia, Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura. The Blazers, playing shorthanded themselves (sans top star Deni Avdija), still managed to smoke the Lakers by a final of 132-116. The Purple and Gold are in flux, and will have to look inward to make any sort of improvements and dig themselves out of their current ditch. With the trade deadline still weeks away, and Reaves not slated to return until around the same time, the Lakers will have to demand more out of each other with their current group in order to regain their footing in the standings and continue navigating through the season.

    The Blazers got their offense into gear early on, often putting the Lakers’ defense in precarious positions. They punished LAs over-aggressive off-ball defense with backdoor cuts and were also able to get them scrambling in transition, where the Lakers are slow-footed. Shaedon Sharpe had a game-high 25 points, while Jerami Grant and Caleb Lowe each chipped in with 22. Portland were also keen on putting Lakers big man Maxi Kleber in constant ball screen defense, as LA was missing regular starter Deandre Ayton due to left knee soreness. Kleber’s lack of footspeed (or any meaningful defensive skills for that matter) was evident, as he was consistently beat by the Blazers roll man (in most cases Donovan Clingan, who scored 18 points and 11 rebounds). The Lakers pick-and-roll defense has taken a step back as of late, but with Kleber logging significant minutes, this task proved more than monumental tonight.

    LA lost on most hustle statistics, getting decimated at the glass 42 rebounds to 27, as well as points in the paint, 52-46, as the team generally had a rough time keeping Portland away from the basket. Marcus Smart had a solid outing, and his 25 points paced the team. G-League call-up Drew Timme was a pleasant surprise, scoring 21 points to lead all Lakers reserves. LeBron James however, had a disappointing night, scoring just 20 points on just 16 shots. In a game ripe for at the very least a dignified stat-padding showcase in order to save face, LeBron was far from the best player on the court. Or even the team. At $56M, I just don’t see how his game translates into winning games at this point. The Lakers are 13-10 with LeBron James this season, this after starting the year 10-4 without him. They even went on a 8-2 stretch during James’ first couple of games back, as he was still getting his legs back. But the more that LeBron has “asserted” himself into the offense, the less the team has been winning. As I’ve written before, the Lakers are in dire need to get out of the Klutch Sports business, as those fruits have been rendered bare at this point. But I digress.

    Portland led by 10 (71-61) at the half mark. LA fell behind even further, 107-90 at one point in the third, before mounting a last-ditch effort to get back in the game with a late 7-0 run which cut the deficit to 11. Portland answered by hitting back-to-back triples to effectively seal the game and hand the Lakers their fifth loss in the last six games. It’s been a rough stretch of games going back to the Christmas debacle against Houston, as they’re 5-9 in the last 14 games dating back to mid December. Defensive shortcomings, shooting woes, inconsistent lineups and injuries have all played a role in the team’s current slide, yet somehow they still sits as the sixth seed in the Western Conference with a 24-16 record. Their hot start to the season is still providing a small cushion, but it is starting to shrink with each loss. They’ll have to find a way to put together a good stretch of basketball in these next few weeks, as they await the trade deadline as well as ARs return. But for now, they’ll have to make due with their current group. It’s fair to say that they’ll need more out of Luka ​​Dončić, and much more out of LeBron James. The Lakers are a top-heavy team, and will only go as far as their stars take them. It’s time for those stars to step into the spotlight and provide the team a lift, if not, they could see themselves sink further in the standings, especially with this upcoming eight-game roadie. If they dip below the sixth seed, that’s effectively play-in territory where there are less guarantees. Hopefully the team will show some pride and recapture some of the better habits they displayed early on. Go Lakers.

  • Hornets Sting Lakers At Home

    One step forward, two steps backwards. After a promising home victory against the Atlanta Hawks, the Lakers floundered their way to a disappointing showing at home against the Charlotte Hornets. Defensively, the team collapsed and is badly in need of some adjustments. Offensively, they’re still very top heavy, and lack the ancillary bench pieces to consistently supplement their stars’ production. Tonight was a tough watch, as the team fell behind early to a hot shooting team, and simply couldn’t recover, eventually dropping the game 135-117. A player like Austin Reaves is clearly missed, but the team needs to find ways to stay competitive, with tonight being a substantial setback. We’ll see how they respond.

    Charlotte’s starters had their way with LAs defense, with LaMelo Ball leading the way with 30 points (on nine three pointers), six rebounds and 11 assists. Brandon Miller added 26 points and five assists, while Miles Bridges had 25 points, eight boards and four dimes. Kon Knueppel also chipped in with 19 points. The Lakers had a tough time keeping up with that type of production, as Luka Dončić had 39 points and four assists, while draining six treys. LeBron James had another good game with 29 points and eight boards. Jake LaRavia (18 points), Deandre Ayton (12 points) and Marcus Smart (10 points) all found themselves in double digit scoring, however, the Lakers as a team only managed to score nine total bench points. This combined with the porous defense made it impossible to weather Charlotte’s offensive onslaught.

    While Charlotte’s 15-26 record is that of a mediocre club, they have been known to go on a heater as of late. They recently took down the NBA’s defending Champs OKC Thunder on the road, winning by 27. So they aren’t a team devoid of talent, despite their inexperience. Tonight they had it going, and the Lakers’ defense made sure to elevate their confidence. I sound like a broken record at this point, but the team’s defensive switching is atrocious, and a constant source of defensive breakdowns. Guys simply aren’t fighting through screens, and screener defenders are failing to switch on to the ballhandler swiftly and aggresively. This is both an effort and game-planning issue, with players getting lost on switches and the coaching staff failing to dial the right adjustments (maybe start pre-switching these actions). Charlotte also did a great job of forcing LAs low man (in most cases Ayton) to leave his feet, leading to numerous dump-offs for easy layups. Just a bad effort defensively, compounded by a hot shooting night from the Hornets; 54% from the floor, 47% from three and 94% from the charity stripe.

    LA had nothing offensively tonight, and like I’ve remarked before, when this team struggles to score, their defensive morale suffers. On the other hand Charlotte had 34 total assists, to LAs 18. They were also crushed at the glass, 50 to 35. Some of this due to the absence of Jaxson Hayes, who has played inspired basketball as of late. Deandre Ayton was underwhelming again, scoring just 12 points to go with six rebounds. Defensively, he’s just not enough of a presence down low to offset LAs shortage of perimeter stoppers, offering minimal resistance at the basket. When you factor in his low motor (some nights he runs the court like a gazelle, others like a middle-aged t-rex), lack of rebounding and overall effort, it’s becoming evidently clear that Ayton is merely a stopgap solution to the center position and not a longterm answer.

    Right now the Lakers aren’t competing and are unfocused. They constant whining to the referees leads to easy transition opportunities for the opposition. Tonight, you could see Hornets Head Coach Charles Lee consistently yell at his players demanding them to run on LA each time Luka, Ayton or LeBron stopped to complain to the refs. It’s an easy 5 on 4 very single time. The main culprits, however, continues to be the defensive lapses and the lack of complimentary offense. LaRavia, Ayton, Smart and Vanderbilt as a group are solid, yet wildly inconsistent. Some nights they’ll give you great production, some nights they’ll look like the Washington Generals. The lack of consistency is startling, and often a massive handicap, one that’s too big to overcome. Furthermore, the team has gotten away completely from running pick-and-roll. That crisp ball screen action with Luka and Ayton, or even Luka and LeBron, is becoming more scarce each game. Lately, the team is too reliant on iso ball, which is made worse by the lack of timely off-ball cutting and absence of dynamic offensive players. JJ Redick needs to instill the pick-and-roll back on the menu, with many variations and counters. With Rui back, that gives them a great option to slot at the corner or on the single side. Instead of dumping the ball to Ayton down low, it’s time to put him back in screen and roll action consistently.

    The Lakers have failed to take advantage of the their lax schedule early in January. The team is 1-4 in their last five games, with a numbers of those losses qualifying as missed opportunities. Losses against the likes of Milwaukee, Sacramento and Charlotte aren’t ideal, especially in the Western Conference, where the margins of error are so thin. LA will get a back-to-back during the weekend, against Portland and Toronto, before embarking on another lengthy eight-game road trip where the competition will ramp up. Ideally, one would like to see the team go at least 4-4, which means they’ll have to do their best to nail these next two contests. The team is clearly in a funk, while also clearly missing their second best player in Austin Reaves. Hopefully LeBron can starting earning that gaudy $56M salary and have his numbers translate to actual wins. Lately Luka has been picking it up, but chemistry and cohesion continue to be glaring areas ripe for improvement. They clearly need some momentum, so it’ll be wise to utilize these next two games as tuneups for the upcoming road trip. Go Lakers.

  • Lakers Bounce Back Versus Hawks

    “Making baskets motivates passing.” – JJ Redick, January 2026

    Following an unprecedented thrashing at the hands of the Sacramento Kings last night, the Lakers took the court at Crypto to face the Atlanta Hawks. Riding a three game losing streak, the team was looking to make good on their “get right” game, after letting the opportunity slip yesterday. The energy was much improved tonight, as the offense got it going early and were able to sustain it for the rest of the contest. LA cruised to a comfortable 141-116 victory, looking like a completely different team when their offense is clicking. The vaunted four-game losing streak was successfully averted, but moving forward it’s important for the team to maintain consistency and effort in order to find a winning stride once again.

    After a mediocre performance last night, LeBron James led the way with 31 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists, stuffing the stat sheet yet again against a lesser team, but still a very welcome sight. Luka also played a tremendous game, scoring 27 points, while collecting 12 assists. But more importantly, the team received a balanced collection of scoring from the starting group, with Jake LaRavia and Deandre Ayton each contributing 17 points, with the latter adding another 18 rebounds. Marcus Smart also bounced back, with 16 points, after being given the starting nod once again. Gabe Vincent added 10 points off the bench, while Rui Hachimura supplemented the reserve group with 7 points in his first game back from a calf strain. Good vibes all around, albeit against a mediocre foe, but at this stage, a win is a win.

    The Lakers made a conscious effort to get out and run early. As a result, they created several easy opportunities in transition. For the game the Lakers finished with 23 fastbreak points, with most of them coming in the early stages as the team looked to set the pace. The enigmatic three-point ball also found its way back to the box score, as the Lakers made 19 of 34 three pointers good for 56%. No such self-induced handicaps for the team to overcome this time. Much of the hot shooting came by way of crisp ball movement, with players looking engaged and willing to make the extra pass. 36 team-assists was perhaps the highlight of the night, as it’s refreshing to see what this team is capable of doing when they’re locked in and playing for each other. As head coach JJ Redick remarked at halftime, “when the ball is going in, it motivates ball movement“.

    Defensively, there were certainly some downers. Atlanta had their way with their screening action on offense, often placing guys like Dalton Knecht (who continues to disappoint following a two point outing) in precarious defensive positions, often leading to mistakes. The Hawks made every attempt to run on the Lakers, even after makes, which often created easy opportunities for themselves on offense. Nickeil Alexander-Walker led the Hawks with 26 points on 5-9 shooting from deep. Newly-acquired guard CJ McCollum also scored 25 points off the bench. Fortunately, the Hawks are a bad defensive team, and the Lakers had their way running on them as well, in particular, Deandre Ayton gave tremendous effort running the floor, something we don’t see from him often. Defensive closeouts and rotations continue to be an issue as well, as too many easy looks are surrendered because of guys missing a rotation, or a help responsibility. Hopefully these can be ironed out as the season moves along. Despite the occasional defensive warts, you can’t fault the level of effort and engagement from the team tonight.

    As good as the team looked, and it was certainly a much needed win, this game really highlighted the duality of the 2025-26 Lakers. Against the Kings they looked abysmal, shooting 22% from deep and looking dishevelled. Tonight, they flipped the script, torching the Hawks from deep to the tune of 56%. They won’t shoot like this every game, but lately, they’ve been shooting more like they did against the Kings a day ago. They need to find a middle ground. They need to be at least an above average three point shooting team, in order to offset their defensive woes. It starts with much of what we saw tonight, which is clever offensive sets, sound ball movement, and simply a level of focus and tenacity that we’ve yet to see consistently from this team. Yesterday, LaRavia, Smart and Ayton combined to score all of three points. Tonight, they contributed 36 points. That’s huge, especially when Luka, LeBron and Ayton all have it going. When guys play to their billing, this team can get it going. As the season progresses, the Lakers will have to find greater consistency out of their role players in order to reach their ceiling. We already know what the stars can do, now it’s up the the rest of the pecking order to figure out how to make a dent, night in and night out. Hopefully we continue to see this type of effort, as the Lakers take on the Charlotte Hornets this Thurdsay in LA, before embarking on another lengthy road trip. At 24-14, and 5th place in the Western Conference, there’s still plenty of season to make a push and reclaim one of the top seeds. Hopefully they’ll capitalize on it. Go Lakers.

  • Kings Checkmate Lakers In Sacramento

    It was along 48 minutes in Sacramento. The Lakers took to the road after a disappointing showing against the Milwaukee Bucks last Friday, where they were unable to secure a win in the last minutes of the game. They badly needed a win, and on the road, against a mediocre team, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to play the proverbial “get right” game. Instead, the Lakers came out and managed to look even worse against the 9-29 Sacramento Kings. The Lakers put forth a pedestrian effort, one where they shoed no intention of winning the contest. LAs complete lack of offense proved costly, as Sacramento out-shot and ran them out of the gym. We’ll see how the team bounces back, but as of right now, they’re playing their worst basketball of the season.

    The Kings themselves were coming in to the game with some momentum, following a victory over the Houston Rockets after a seven game losing streak. They received valuable contributions from their starting unit with Russell Westbrook (22 points/five rebounds/seven assists), Zach LaVine (19 points), and Demar Derozan (32 points/six rebounds) all having big nights. Reserve guard Malik Monk also had big 26 points off the bench.

    The Lakers meanwhile, only saw a big night from Luka Dončić whose 42 points led all players, while also collecting seven rebounds and eight assists. Jake LaRavia, Marcus Smart and Jarred Vanderbilt managed to score all of three points in a combined 84 minutes and 1-16 shooting. YIKES. As I’ve stated before, it’s tough (read:nearly impossible) to win with such self-inflicted handicaps. The three-point shooting continues to crater after an 8-36 (22%) exhibition from range. The Lakers, as a team, need to find their shot soon or else these woes will only amplify. Despite a promising start to the game, having built an early 15-10 lead, Sacramento’s balanced offensive play eventually took charge, eventually cruising to a comfortable 124-112 win over the Lakers.

    As of right now, the Lakers look like a team in flux. Their chemistry and execution seems off, and it’s evident in the way they play defense. The Lakers don’t communicate defensively. This particularly hurts them in help scenarios, where they fail to funnel the ballhandler into the help, which is a must considering their lack of impactful individual defenders. In order to win, LA must play well-above average team defense consistently. Then there’s the fact that the ball screen defense continues to be abysmal. The Lakers rely on drop coverage far too frequently, when they should be asking their bigs to creep up more to the level of the screen in order to hedge and force the ballhandler to navigate through the bigs before getting into the lane. Instead the Lakers simply surrender the lane where they don’t have elite rim protectors near the basket. Transition defense continues to sputter as well, with guys not communicating and constantly missing assignments, namely at stopping the ball. Lastly, the team is horrible at playing the gaps, with no concept of stunt-and-recovering, often promoting easy drives to the basket after the initial defender gets blown by. Lately, there’s a clear lack of hustle, execution and overall disconnect defensively which makes one question if the team has tuned out the coaching staff, or if there’s any sort of inner friction that’s triggering such lackluster and uninspired effort.

    With all that said, any team that’s consistently shooting in the 20s for three point percentage is begging to get beat in today’s NBA. That’s the type of offensive dearth the Lakers have been putting forth lately. We can talk about the roster being unbalanced, the lack of perimeter defenders/athletes on the roster, LeBron James taking up 35% of the salary cap as a third option at 41 years old, all of which are true. But if the team can’t improve their offensive output, they’re hopeless. They need to be able to score the ball with more consistency, and they need more production out of their role players, including LeBron, who was outplayed by Russell Westbrook tonight, adding insult to injury. LAs once productive pick-and-roll attack, their bread and butter has plateau’d as of late, with opponents successfully dialling the right adjustments due to its predictability. Luka ball screens look increasingly more congested, as teams are just packing the paint, ignoring corner ‘shooters’ such as Vando or Smart. LAs inability to make teams pay from range, particularly from the corners, is torpedoing their screen and roll efficiency, which is the hallmark of any Luka-led offense. The Lakers need to make changes to their offensive approach and do so quickly.

    With the team’s woes as of late, it’s tough to say that any of it is an easy fix. Hopefully the return of Rui Hachimura will boost the offense, as well as Austin Reaves’ return further down the line. For now, JJ Redick must get more creative with his offensive sets, and try to diversify things a little bit. Defensively, there’s still plenty of work as well. It starts with demanding more effort, better communication and sounder execution from the players on the court. Team defense should be one of the main areas of focus, needing to improve. The Lakers will take on the Atlanta Hawks back home tomorrow. The team should be prepared and come out of the gates hungry and with every intention of finding their groove. They’re at the point where they can allow their season to spiral, despite a great start, if they don’t start fixing things now. Hopefully, they know this and will react accordingly. Go Lakers.

  • Lakers Give It Away Versus Bucks

    Following a no-show at San Antonio two nights prior, the Lakers took the court in LA against the Milwaukee Bucks in hopes of a bounce-back game. Unfortunately, the team came up flat once more. They never managed to kick the offense in gear, while the Bucks played a solid 48-minute effort, eventually outlasting the Purple and Gold by a 105-101 final. LA was trudging on mud all night, and looked lethargic on both ends. Luka Dončić was off his game, scoring 24 points (his lowest output since Christmas versus Houston) on 8-25 shooting. LeBron James’ 26 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists were not enough to keep the team afloat. The Lakers are clearly reeling and need to make changes, both philosophically and strategically in order to get back on the right track.

    The Lakers looked off right from tip-off, as they committed five turnovers in the opening quarter, with most of them being of the careless variety. Eventually, they fell behind 61-52 after a half of play. They couldn’t get it going in the second half either, entering the fourth trailing 86-77. During the final period, they were able to make some noise, as they went on a 17-4 run to momentarily reclaim the lead. Unfortunately, neither Luka nor LeBron could make the necessary plays to bring this one home, as Giannis Antetokounmpo (24 points, six rebounds, five assists, and two blocks) and Kevin Porter Jr. (22 points, five rebounds, six assists and four steals) did enough to earn their side the win.

    LAs stars didn’t show up tonight. Luka played terribly, exhibiting poor shot selection as well as on-ball decision-making. He shot 8-25 from the floor, including 4-6 from beyond the arc, meaning he shot 4-19 from two-point range. His finishing around the basket has taken a sharp nosedive lately. Maybe this is who he is, or maybe he isn’t right at the moment. If the latter is the case, he will have to continue playing through it, as the Lakers don’t have the luxury of resting Luka for any prolonged stretch as they’re currently thin on offensive initiators, with Austin Reaves still nursing a calf injury, and not slated to return until at least early February. LeBron James was OK. He can still somewhat fill it up. Too can’t close to save his life, getting swatted by Giannis and then coughing up the rock on back-to-back possessions to seal the loss. To his credit, LeBron’s effort was great tonight. Alas, the Lakers are a top heavy team, meaning that in order to win consistently they need lights out performances from their star players every single night. To make matters worse, Deandre Ayton sucked too. Four points and five rebounds

    The Lakers did themselves no favors from the charity stripe either, going 8-14, good for 57%. In a close game, that makes all the difference. Every free throw attempt was taken by LeBron and Luka, so it’s safe to say; they need to buckle down and deliver. Tonight, they didn’t. Luka was particularly terrible, committing four fouls in the third quarter, eventually fouling himself out of the contest following a reckless closeout on Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. Luka’s game has lacked the dynamics that we saw early on in the year. He’s settling for bad threes, and the finishing at the basket isn’t quite there. My main takeaway after tonight’s game is Luka needs to figure things out. If Luka isn’t playing like a superstar, then this team has no shot. JJ Redick needs to go back to running more sophisticated ball screen action, where Luka is at his best. The problem is that as of right now, the floor spacing just isn’t there. Teams are just collapsing on Luka, trapping or comfortably doubling off of the corners (where guys like Vando are unable to make them pay). This has affected Deandre Ayton as well, who is seeing his midrange looks be slightly more contested. Regardless, both of them need to get it going offensively..

    Amidst this current skid (having lost six out of their last ten), it’s important for the team to be able to make the necessary adjustments to right the ship. One thing that’s looked much better as of late is the collective defense by the starting five. Much of that having to do with the presence of Jake LaRavia and Marcus Smart. With Rui Hachimura slated to return in the coming days, it’s important for Redick to decide whether to insert Rui back with the starters, or to bring him off the bench. Rui needs to come off the bench. Jake LaRavia’s play as a starter (15.4 points/six rebounds/2 steals on 52%FG, 38%3P and 82%FT since joining the starters earlier this month) has been emblematic of the team’s needs more so than what Rui brings to the table. Rui’s specialty is that of a scorer, where as Jake gives you scoring and defense. The bench needs scoring, while the starters need defender. Hopefully Redick can see this and make the right call moving forward. As I stated before, the team’s roles and rotations can’t be predicated on politics, but rather on circumstances. On the aggregate, the Lakers need to do a better job of meeting the moment and positioning themselves in the right spots in order to find success again. Hopefully they have both the urgency and know-how to start putting it together. Go Lakers.

  • Lakers Split Road Games Versus Pelicans and Spurs

    The LA Lakers hit the road for a mini two-game road trip, to mixed results. They had an encouraging outing versus the New Orleans Pelicans, outlasting them in a hard-fought contest, 111-103. They then turned around immediately to face the Spurs in San Antonio, where they fell 107-91, in a slow and ugly game. The team seems to be putting the pieces together and playing better basketball, after the Christmas Day debacle, winning four out of their last five games going into the Spurs game. However, the consistency and the team identity isn’t there at this moment, as they still have much wortk to be done before staking such a claim. Alas, it’s important for the team to simply keep winning games, until trade season arrives, and they have avenues to improve the roster.

    Heading into New Orleans, the team was riding a two-game win streak. LA remains short-handed given the absences of Austin Reaves (who figures to be out until at least the All-Star break) and Rui Hachimura (who is said to be nearing return after nursing a calf ailment). Additionally, the Lakers have also lost Adou Thiero to an MCL sprain for the foreseeable future. Luckily, Luka Dončić seems to be getting his groove back, as he led the team to a crucial win after scoring 30 points to go with 10 assists. LeBron James also played a strong game, with 30 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Deandre Ayton (18 points and 11 rebounds) and Marcus Smart (13 points, six rebounds and four assists) rounded out a balanced night for the starters, as the Lakers found just enough to outlast a young and hungry Pelicans side.

    Getting the win was vital, as the following night at San Antonio didn’t prove as fruitful. The Lakers were even more short-handed, with LeBron sitting out due to load management. Additionally, the team just plain looked flat. Luka was fantastic, dropping a 38 point, 10 rebound, 10 assist triple-double, while also turning the ball over seven times. The turnovers can be excused, as no other teammate really showed up. Outside of Jake LaRavia’s 16 points, no other starter notched double-digits in scoring. The bench was abysmal yet again with only Jaxson Hayes (10 points, seven boards) managing to make a dent. LA shot a lousy 23% (9-39) from three, which really killed their momentum. They did themselves no favors from the free throw line were they only shot 64%. The Spurs didn’t play their best game either, however, they were much more balanced. Stephon Castle (15 points), De’Aaron Fox (14 points) and Julian Champagnie (11 points) led a multi-pronged attack by their starters. Young superstar Victor Wembanyama had a stellar 16 point/ 14 rebound effort off the bench, while sixth man Keldon Johnson had a team-high 27 points. It was a winneable game, but LAs complete dearth of offense extinguished any chance to pull out an upset.

    The short two-game trip was a mixed bag. On one hand, the team showed some grit, outlasting the Pels on the road. Offensively, LA is starting to diversify while opponents are getting different looks. Luka is being played more off-ball, often with LeBron or Marcus Smart initiating. This is a savvy way to counter the numerous doubles that Luka sees when he’s on the ball. Of-ball, where it’s much harder to double him, he can catch the ball in motion, often coming off a down screen from Ayton, which can swiftly flow into a pick-and-roll. The two-man game with LeBron and Luka was also activated, particularly towards the end of the game, where it was a key factor in seling the win. It’s great to see different wrinkles being thrown into the mix, as JJ Redick and his staff appear willing to tinker the gameplan and make the most out of the pieces at hand. Defensively, the team continue to get shredded on drop coverages, where guards seemingly have their way against LAs defense. There are still many issues as far as the help defense, with stunt and recover actions continually botched and other assorted defensive breakdowns that arise from players ball-watching and being out of position. All in all, the effort was there against New Orleans. Amidst an up and down contest, the Lakers managed to tighten up towards the final minutes and hang on for the win.

    Against the Spurs, the team simply did not have it. LeBron’s absence, while already severely undermanned, proved to be a hill to steep. When both LeBron and AR are out, the team simply doesn’t have the requisite offense to hang with the likes of top teams such as the Spurs. Even in a night where San Antonio shot extremely poorly from three (4-25 for 16%) the Lakers failed to make up any ground needed to scratch and claw their way to a competitive fight. Outside of Luka, the starters combined to score just 31 points, with the bench being outclassed yet again. It’s safe to say that they probably win this game with either AR or LeBron, or both, having been available. LAs defense in this game was actually admirable. But their inability to score the basketball spoiled any hopes of an upset. Jarred Vanderbilt, Marcus Smart, Dalton Knecht and Gabe Vincent only managed to shoot 2-18 from beyond the arc. Given that these are all prime rotational players, such handicaps make it impossible for any team to compete in the modern NBA. It’s unfortunate too, because the team managed to hang in the game, but could not make it interesting towards the end, where the Spurs pulled away, due to their deficiencies on offense. Despite a great night from Luka, LA also failed to ignite any cunning two-man action between Luka and Deandre Ayton (who finished with a disappointing nine points and six boards). It’s starting ti become evident that moves need to be made for this team to legitimately compete in the latter stages of the season. The team needs players who can space the floor and make the offense more dynamic. Surely the injuries aren’t ideal, but if Luka is running the offense, he should always be surrounded by players than can maximize his skills. Shooters, screen-setters and functional athletes that can pressure the rim.

    With all that said, the team still sits at 23-12, and are fortunate to have built a nice cushion following a hot start, allowing them to sustain losses such as tonight. However, that’s not to say that the team ought to be complacent. They should look to get back on track, and try to string together some wins to maintain their placing in the standings. With many other clubs in in the West currently struggling, the Lakers’ woes are less pronounced. As long as they can keep a winning pace until mid-February when they can look to bring reinforcements to the roster, they are doing the best they can do. and that is all to realistically ask. The Lakers will make their way back to LA to play the Milwaukee Bucks. Perhaps LeBron and Rui will return to the lineup, and with Luka’s play starting to look more like it did during the start of the season, the Lakers certainly have the horses to keep their heads above water. Which is what they’ll have to do in the very immediate future. Go Lakers.