The Lakers fell short on Monday night, losing 111-108 to the Brooklyn Nets, who currently rank 12th in the Eastern Conference. Without LeBron James, sidelined due to a groin strain, Los Angeles lacked the offensive power to secure a win—despite another triple-double from Luka Doncic.
Doncic put up 22 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists—his second triple-double since joining the Lakers. However, his efforts weren’t enough, as the team dropped to a 40-23 record. Brooklyn’s defense forced him into five turnovers, highlighting his struggles under pressure.
Doncic Faces Growing Criticism
Fans have become increasingly critical of Doncic, and Monday’s game only fueled the conversation. He shot just 8-of-26 from the field, including 3-of-10 from three-point range. Since joining the Lakers, his shooting percentages—39.9% overall and 32.2% from deep—have fallen below expectations after the blockbuster trade.
Adding to his frustrations, Doncic earned just four free-throw attempts and frequently voiced his displeasure with the officiating. He received his fourth technical foul since arriving in Los Angeles, drawing renewed scrutiny from ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, who previously called out Doncic’s complaints during last year’s NBA Finals.
“It wasn’t fair. But we still have to play the game,” Doncic admitted. “I have to keep playing, but it was a lot.”
Redick Challenges Team’s Mentality
Lakers head coach JJ Redick didn’t hold back in his postgame remarks.
“I don’t think being shorthanded is an excuse for how we played,” Redick said. “It was just an overall mentality—we were looking for shortcuts.”
The Lakers squandered an early 15-point lead, getting outscored 32-19 in the second quarter. Brooklyn capitalized on Los Angeles’ mistakes, dominating the offensive glass with 16 rebounds to the Lakers’ eight. The Nets also forced 15 turnovers, converting them into 19 points.
Doncic acknowledged his role in the team’s struggles. “I started the game making good decisions, but then I just got away from that,” he admitted.
Injury Woes Pile Up as Playoff Race Tightens
Although Redick refused to use injuries as an excuse, the Lakers’ depth is being tested. Along with James, the team is missing key players like Jaxson Hayes (knee), Rui Hachimura (knee), and Dorian Finney-Smith (ankle). This has put added pressure on the remaining rotation players.
Some stepped up against Brooklyn. Gabe Vincent had his best game as a Laker, scoring 24 points on 8-of-12 shooting. Rookie Dalton Knecht added 19 points, while two-way call-up Jordan Goodwin contributed a career-high 17 points, sinking five three-pointers and grabbing eight rebounds.
Despite these performances, the loss dropped the Lakers into a tie with Memphis in the Western Conference standings. Both teams now hold a narrow one-game lead over the fifth-place Houston Rockets.
Tough Road Ahead
The Lakers’ schedule doesn’t get any easier. They continue their road trip with back-to-back games against the Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets on Thursday and Friday, followed by a matchup with the Phoenix Suns on Sunday.
Redick stressed the need for a tougher mindset moving forward.
“You want to be a good team? You want to win in the NBA? You have to do the hard stuff,” he said. “We couldn’t even pass to each other… I don’t know what we were doing.”
With home-court advantage in the playoffs at stake, the pressure remains on Doncic to lead the team while they await reinforcements.
Leave a Reply