The Los Angeles Lakers’ season has been a study in inconsistency. After surging to three straight wins to open the new year, the purple and gold have hit a wall, dropping two consecutive games following a 115-101 loss to Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. It was a rare “off night” by the lofty standards Luka Doncic has set since his blockbuster arrival in Los Angeles last February.
Despite leading the NBA in scoring, Doncic struggled to find his rhythm, finishing with 24 points, nine assists, and nine rebounds on a dismal 8-of-25 shooting. His -14 plus-minus was a glaring outlier, but the real disaster struck in the closing seconds. With the game tied, Doncic committed a head-scratching foul that saw him foul out for only the third time in his career, his first as a Laker and first since 2022. The error sent Kevin Porter Jr. to the line for three free throws, securing the win for Milwaukee after Giannis followed up with a masterclass defensive stop on LeBron James.
The Luka-AD Trade is the Worst in NBA History
While everyone is entitled to a bad game, you have to actually be on the floor to play them, a luxury Anthony Davis simply hasn’t provided for Dallas. Davis, the other half of what is increasingly being labeled the worst trade in NBA history, is once again sidelined. A left-hand finger injury will keep him out until at least February, marking his fifth separate injury since joining the Mavericks less than a year ago.
The contrast between the two stars since the trade is striking. Luka Doncic has played in 57 games, plus a playoff series, averaging an impressive 30.8 points, 8.2 assists, and 8.0 rebounds, and he is currently leading the NBA in points. In contrast, Anthony Davis has played in only 29 games (barely half of Doncic’s total), averaging 20.2 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 3.3 assists.Also AD is set to miss more games due to his injury.
The standings tell the rest of the story. The Lakers are currently entrenched in the top five of the Western Conference, while the Mavericks are marooned at the opposite end of the bracket. The situation became so dire that Dallas fired GM Nico Harrison at the start of this season. While the Mavs did secure Cooper Flagg, who is performing admirably, he remains miles away from the MVP-level impact Doncic provides nightly in Los Angeles.
Lakers Upcoming Schedule
The Lakers and Mavericks are scheduled for a high-stakes rematch in Dallas on January 26. By the time that date arrives, the gap in the standings could be insurmountable for Dallas. The data is clear: the Mavericks are a respectable 10-10 when Davis plays, but they have collapsed to a 4-14 record in his absence. Without their defensive anchor, Dallas is a shell of the team they hoped to become.
Meanwhile, the Lakers have a golden opportunity to climb even higher. Their upcoming schedule features a game against the Western Conference bottom-dwellers, the Sacramento Kings, followed by home matchups against the Atlanta Hawks and Charlotte Hornets.
The Hawks game, in particular, will draw comparisons to the Mavs’ current plight, as fans continue to debate whether Atlanta’s decision to move Trae Young was another instance of a team trading a superstar for far too little. If Luka can shake off the Bucks loss, the Lakers could be looking at a significant winning streak before they even set foot in Texas.
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