The Los Angeles Lakers fell 135-117 to the Charlotte Hornets despite combining for 78 points from LeBron James and Luka Doncic, a result that marked their fourth loss in the last five games and once again put the spotlight on defensive shortcomings.
Offence was not the issue. The Lakers had more than enough scoring to stay competitive, but they struggled to string together stops at any point in the night.
Against a team that played freely and shared the ball, Los Angeles never looked comfortable defensively.
The problems became most obvious late in the fourth quarter. With 1:51 remaining, James missed a 27 foot pull up three. Jarred Vanderbilt tracked down the offensive rebound and moved the ball to Doncic, who was surrounded by three defenders in the paint.
Doncic kicked it back out to James, who dribbled as the shot clock wound down before driving into traffic. Brandon Miller stripped the ball clean, igniting a Hornets break.
What followed drew immediate attention from fans and coaches alike. James did not get back on defence, leaving Charlotte with numbers.
The ball swung around the perimeter, and with 18 seconds still on the shot clock, LaMelo Ball stepped into an uncontested three pointer. It was an easy basket, and one that summed up the Lakers‘ struggles on that end of the floor.
A late decision sends a message
The sequence was enough for head coach JJ Redick to act. Moments later, Dalton Knecht checked into the game in place of James, ending the 41-year-old’s night earlier than usual. It was a clear statement in a moment where effort, not scoring, had become the focus.
James finished with 29 points, with nineteen coming in the second half as he tried to spark a comeback. But the defensive issues remained constant. The Lakers were outscored 34-16 in the second quarter, lost the third 40-38, and were again beaten 31-24 in the fourth as Charlotte pulled away.
The reaction from fans was swift. Watching the late sequence unfold, one supporter wrote bluntly, “LeBron so lazy on D.”
The numbers only add to the concern. James currently owns a defensive rating of 117.2, the worst of his 23-year NBA career.
Some fans have gone even further, questioning whether change is needed at the top.
One post aimed directly at James read: “Time to go bro @KingJames give it up bro you got nothing more to show you did it we get it time to let go.”
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