Lakers Struggle Without LeBron, Fall to Nets Amid Growing Pressure

The Los Angeles Lakers suffered a frustrating 111-108 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Monday, with head coach JJ Redick visibly upset over his team’s lack of execution and communication. Playing without three key starters, including LeBron James, the Lakers started strong but saw their performance unravel as the game progressed.  

Redick made it clear that injuries were no excuse for the Lakers’ subpar showing.  

“I think it was a very low-level communication game for our team,” Redick said. “I don’t think being short-handed is an excuse for how we played basketball tonight.”  

The Lakers were missing James, who sat out with a strained left groin, as well as center Jaxson Hayes (knee), forward Rui Hachimura (knee), and reserve Dorian Finney-Smith (ankle). Despite a 15-point early lead and a strong defensive start that held Brooklyn to just 16 first-quarter points, Los Angeles gradually lost control.   

Luka Doncic, who registered his second triple-double as a Laker with 22 points, 12 assists, and 12 rebounds, struggled to find his rhythm, shooting just 8-for-26 from the field and committing five turnovers. The Nets’ defensive scheme focused on blitzing him with two defenders, a strategy he has often encountered but failed to counter effectively on this occasion.  

“When JJ said [that] about communication today, that was important,” Doncic admitted. “That’s my fault and we should have done better at that.”   

Austin Reaves, tasked with additional playmaking duties in James’ absence, also had a tough outing. While he neared a triple-double (17 points, 10 assists, 8 rebounds), his shooting woes (3-for-14 from the field) added to the Lakers’ struggles.  

“I just thought I played incredibly bad,” Reaves said. “That’s, really, about as much as I can say about that. It’s frustrating not helping your team win. When Bron’s out, I got to be better and I wasn’t. That’s one of the reasons we lost.”  

Despite the loss, several role players stepped up. Gabe Vincent, filling in as a starter, had his best scoring night as a Laker with 24 points on 8-for-12 shooting, including 6-of-9 from three-point range. Rookie Dalton Knecht added 19 points, while two-way guard Jordan Goodwin contributed a career-high five three-pointers, finishing with 17 points and eight rebounds.  

“I think I should have helped more,” Doncic said about the trio’s strong performance. “But they all played great. We got to have the same mentality moving forward. Injuries are going to happen and it’s got to be a next-man-up mentality.”   

The loss extends the Lakers’ losing streak to two games and tightens the Western Conference standings. With the Memphis Grizzlies on a three-game winning streak, the Lakers now sit just half a game ahead of Memphis for the No. 3 seed.  

Adding to their concerns, sources indicate that James could be sidelined for 1-2 weeks, forcing the Lakers to navigate a grueling schedule that includes six games in eight days. The stretch begins with a tough road back-to-back against the Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets on Thursday and Friday.  

To address the team’s struggles, Redick plans to hold a rare practice session before Thursday’s matchup.  

“Everybody’s got to buy in to helping the team be successful,” Reaves emphasized. “And like I’ve said two or three times already, I’ve got to be better. I mean, we’ll start there with me. I got to be better.”  

With LeBron out and the team facing mounting pressure, the Lakers must find solutions quickly to avoid slipping further in the standings.