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The Lakers were ahead and seemed in control of this one but a dud of a 3rd quarter and lack of three point accuracy turned what was a winnable game into a nail-biting loss. LBJ continued to defy age and sense with another gaudy stat line but cohort Luka continued his purple and gold slump. While rust is certainly s factor the lakers only have so much time for him to get up to speed before these losses start to really matter (protip: they already do as this loss would have vaulted us into 4th place and some much needed home court advantage). Not enough defense, too many threes, lack of late game execution and a dud 3rd quarter.

1. For all the good vibes and hype the lakers are just as close to 2nd place as 9th (3.5 games) so every single game has real world playoff implications. Since we know how much effort it takes out of the team, and especially LeBron, to slog through a Playin game and then have zero home court advantage, the Lakers need to really treat every game from here on out as must-win. Onboarding Luka quickly and successfully is obviously a top priority. But, so, too is the rotation questions. Figuring out which combination of players can score and defend well with one another is key and it seems like the rotation is, understandably, unsettled at this time.
2. Luka finding his shot. 5-24 from three is a sign that his legs aren’t underneath him, yet. He’ll get there but time is quickly becoming a factor. The rest of his game looks solid and as advertised: elite court vision, solid rebounding, can score from anywhere. The only missing piece is the three ball. here’s hoping he starts knocking them down sooner than later.
3. Reaves getting booted. I think Austin had a legit gripe, he was taking some hits on his drives for sure. Needs to stay on the floor, though. We’re at our best when all 3 of AR, LBJ and LD are on the floor. Can’t get ejected just cause one ref sucked last night. For my part, I thought the second tech came too quickly.
4. Too many turnovers turning into easy buckets. While Luka lead the team in turnovers this issue has been around long before he arrived. FWIW, the Hornets are a young team that thrives in the open court but that knowledge should lead to better ball management, not worse.
5. LeBron still has it man. If we were a little higher in the standings he might be in the MVP convo, as it is it’s just ridiculous to see him playing at this level at this age.