The Magic have been an underwhelming squad this year but are a difficult matchup on paper for the Lakers as they boast size, physicality and defense across their lineups. Physicality was brought up as an issue for Los Angeles against Boston and the same was seen again as Orlando did its best to muck up the game and force players like Doncic in tough shots constantly.

Even without Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner, the Magic found ways to fluster Doncic whenever he had the basketball. While Doncic was able to find open teammates en route to 15 assists, his shooting efficiency plummeted as he took high-difficult shots under duress. Los Angeles ultimately lost 110-109, with Doncic leading the team in scoring with 22 points on 8-of-24 shooting from the field including just 2-of-10 from the 3-point line.

The Lakers had a chance to steal the game as they had the final shot, but the play seemed disorganized as Doncic passed up an open 3-pointer to give the ball to LeBron James, who then proceeded to miss the game-winner. Doncic explained what happened on the play and why he decided to forego the final shot.

“I know I was open, but I just thought I was a little bit far,” the Lakers star said after the loss. “Tried to take one dribble closer. I probably shouldn’t have picked up the ball and just tried to attack.”

Doncic added that his poor shooting night may have played a role in his hesitation and he thought there was enough time to generate a better look.

“Maybe a little bit…I thought it was enough time. There was six or seven seconds, enough time to get a better look, try to drive the ball, so that’s why I picked [up my dribble].”

It’s uncharacteristic to see Luka pass up an open look with the game on the line, especially given the fact that he hit a tough shot in crunch time a couple minutes earlier.

The loss marked the first time Los Angeles failed to win when going into the fourth quarter with a lead, though the more concerning issue is how they lost to another team that bullied them in multiple areas. Rebounding and second-chance points doomed the Lakers, and Doncic’s shooting struggles exacerbated their problems.

The Phoenix Suns are on tap for Thursday, so it’ll be worth watching how Doncic and the rest of the team responds.

Luka Doncic believes Lakers’ new starting group is ‘very good lineup’

The Lakers came out of the All-Star break mostly healthy and head coach JJ Redick finally got to trot out a lineup of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Marcus Smart, LeBron James and Deandre Ayton. The grouping seems the most optimal on paper, with Doncic calling it a very good lineup.

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However, he and the Lakers endured a rough outing in the loss to the Boston Celtics as they were often seen struggling with their rival’s defensive pressure. It’s no secret that the Lakers lack true playmakers outside of their “Big 3” so the Celtics pressured the ball handlers on nearly every possession and came away with several steals and transition points.

Los Angeles clearly got frustrated with the officiating as they felt Boston was getting away with more contact than normal, and it led to the team spiraling in the second half. The Lakers ultimately lost to the Celtics, with all three stars struggling to score efficiently.

Doncic had 25 points, but acknowledged that he and the team need to be better offensively despite any increased physicality.

“I think they were physical. They were playing great defense. So we need better offense,” Doncic said after the loss. “We scored 89 points. That’s not like us, so we got to be better.”

Doncic emphasized that the only way to handle physicality is to meet it head on with more of it.

“You’ve just got to match the physicality on both ends, especially on the defensive end. You got to match the physicality,” he said.

Doncic also believes that when referees are letting them play that way, the Lakers need to do the same.

“I think we need to look at how teams like Boston play, especially defensive end. They’re very aggressive, grabbing and holding. So the referees are letting us play for sure. I think we need to look a little bit at that and play physically on both ends.”

Los Angeles may not be the biggest or most athletic team in the league, but they’ve certainly got more room to play tougher than they have been. Far too often, the Lakers allow teams like the Celtics to set the tone of a game and they need to start being the ones to dictate terms instead.

Luka Doncic supported Lakers’ deadline approach

The Lakers had several needs that needed to be addressed at the trade deadline, but the only move they made was swapping out Gabe Vincent for Luke Kennard. Luka Doncic obviously needs more help to contend for a title, but he was reportedly supportive of the team’s deadline approach.

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Unfortunately though, they have not had a lot of time on the court together this season to really build up that chemistry. Because of injuries, Doncic, James and Reaves have played just 12 games together this season and are still not quite clicking.

Following the Lakers’ loss to the Boston Celtics, Doncic spoke on this, admitting that the group isn’t where they want to be, but still believing they have a ton of potential.

“I think you see that we’re not there yet,” Doncic said after the loss. “Like I said, we’re working on it. But there should be big potential about us three playing together.”

No matter how talented players are, there needs to be a lot of game reps in order for everything to lock in and these three just haven’t had that this season. LeBron missed the beginning of the season due to sciatica and then Reaves was out for basically a month and a half with his calf injury. And while Luka hasn’t dealt with any major injury, he has had to sit out games here and there due to minor ailments and issues.

This trio still has a ton of potential as Doncic noted, especially with the right role players around them, they just need to figure out the right lineups to really maximize what they are capable of. And now that they are all healthy, head coach JJ Redick and the Lakers coaching staff will try out all possibilities and see what works best.

The Lakers still have plenty of time to come together down the stretch of the season and if Doncic, James and Reaves can come together and reach their potential, they will be a very tough team to deal with once the postseason arrives.

Austin Reaves admits he and Lakers can’t stay frustrated at officials

One self-inflicted issue that has plagued the Lakers this season is that they have a tendency to chirp at the officials. Austin Reaves spoke on this, admitting that he and the Lakers must do a better job at not staying frustrated at the refs and letting it spill over into their play.

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Before the All-Star break though, that group had started zero games together. Injuries were a big factor in that, plus JJ Redick trying out other lineups.

When the Lakers took the court for the second half of the season against the L.A. Clippers though, that was the five-man group they started with. The early results were promising as the Lakers scored 41 points in the first quarter, making 16 of 19 shots and 8 of 9 from deep.

After the game, Doncic discussed what went right in that first quarter.

“Definitely. I think in the first quarter, we were playing good defense, and we were playing with a lot of pace,” he said. “We were able to create some different looks, and I think that is how we should play.”

Obviously that type of shooting wasn’t sustainable for a full game, but the Lakers still escaped with a 125-122 victory to improve their record to 34-21 on the season.

Doncic got off to a hot start with 15 points in the first quarter and wound up finishing with 38 to go along with six rebounds, 11 assists, three steals and one block.

The Lakers’ starting lineup actually struggled after the first quarter as they had a -7.7 net rating together as a group in 18 minutes, but Doncic still liked what he saw from that unit.

“I think it was great. Obviously we got the win. I think we started, the first quarter was great. In the second, they came back a little bit. But I think it’s a very good lineup for us,” Doncic said.

A one-game sample isn’t gonna say much, so hopefully the Lakers can stay healthy moving forward so that group can build some chemistry and continuity playing together to see if they are Redick’s best unit.

The Lakers have tested out numerous lineups this season, but the goal is for one to stick going into the playoffs and this could be it.

Luka Doncic reportedly supported Lakers’ trade deadline approach

It was a relatively quiet trade deadline for the Lakers as the only move they made was swapping out Gabe Vincent for Luke Kennard. Their priority was to maintain their assets and cap space to take a big swing in the summer, which is an approach that reportedly was supported by Luka Doncic.

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Unlike the Lakers, the Clippers made multiple trades at the deadline. The Clippers shipped out James Harden and Ivica Zubac, leaving just Kawhi Leonard to star for the team. While the Clippers roster looks worse on paper, they’ve remained a competitive team that still can win on any given night so the Lakers couldn’t afford to let their guard down.

The Lakers took the upper hand in the first quarter behind an offensive explosion led by their “Big 3” but the Clippers hung around the rest of the way. The game got even closer in the second half, with the Lakers and Clippers trading the lead.

Both teams battled hard and the game itself came down to the final possession as the Lakers turned the basketball over, giving the Clippers a chance to send things to overtime. Fortunately, Nicolas Batum missed the game-tying 3-pointer and the Lakers escaped with a 125-122 victory.

Luka Doncic showed no physical setbacks in his first official game back with the Lakers as he enjoyed going up against a Clippers team he knows quite well at this point. Doncic was relentless from the opening tip, looking to score in the paint and from the outside. Doncic was particularly effective from beyond the arc as he hit several difficult attempts.

Doncic’s scoring outburst continued into the fourth as he relished going up against Kris Dunn. Overall, Luka finished with a game-high 38 points to go along with 11 assists, six rebounds and two steals.

Austin Reaves returned to the starting lineup after it was announced his minutes restriction was finally lifted and he responded with an efficient scoring night. The time off did Reaves well as he looked 100 percent on the floor, scoring and playing with his usual high effort on both sides of the basketball.

Reaves was excellent scoring the basketball, dropping 29 points on 9-of-15 shooting including 4-of-5 from the 3-point line. He also added six rebounds, two assists and two steals.

What’s next for the Lakers

The Lakers will honor former head coach Pat Riley with a statue ceremony prior to their game on Sunday against the Boston Celtics. They’ll then continue their home stand on Tuesday against the Orlando Magic.

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