By Sunday 
The Lakers stumble after the All-Star break as Doncic works to find his rhythm in Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles Lakers returned from the All-Star break with high expectations, only to face a surprising 100-97 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night. Despite playing at home, the Lakers couldn’t close out the game, and the growing pains of integrating Luka Doncic into the lineup were on full display.
Doncic’s Struggles and LeBron’s Perspective
In just his third game with the Lakers, Luka Doncic showed flashes of brilliance but struggled with efficiency. He finished with 14 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists, and one steal. However, his shooting woes were hard to ignore—going just 5-of-18 from the field and 1-of-9 from beyond the arc in 33 minutes.
After the game, LeBron James offered a candid perspective on Doncic’s adjustment period.
“It’s his third game since Christmas, and it’s his third game with us… He still doesn’t know all the plays; he doesn’t know all the defensive coverages, all the signals and things that we’ve built since September,” James said. “Obviously, we’re trying to fast-track it on the fly. He’s coming back from his injury, he’s getting back into form. We’re all working through it together.”
LeBron’s comments made it clear that the team is giving Doncic the time and space to find his rhythm, knowing that chemistry takes time, especially after a midseason trade.
LeBron’s Strong Night, But Missed Chances
Despite the loss, James delivered an impressive performance. He finished with 26 points, 11 assists, seven rebounds, one steal, and two blocks, shooting 10-of-22 from the field and 4-of-11 from deep.
However, even the Lakers’ leader wasn’t immune to late-game struggles. James had two opportunities to tie the game with three-pointers in the closing moments but came up short both times, sealing the team’s fate against a scrappy Hornets squad.
Lakers’ Current Standing and Next Challenge
The loss dropped the Lakers to a 32-21 record, keeping them in the fifth seed in the Western Conference. With little time to dwell on the defeat, the team now heads to Oregon to face the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night, looking to quickly bounce back and rebuild momentum.
As the Doncic-LeBron partnership continues to evolve, the Lakers remain confident that their best basketball is still ahead—once the growing pains give way to genuine chemistry on the court.
What do you think—will Doncic and LeBron find their groove in time for a deep playoff push? The next few weeks will reveal a lot about this revamped Lakers squad.