Lakers’ Struggles Continue: Injuries and Turnovers Take Center Stage
Just a few days ago, the Los Angeles Lakers seemed unstoppable, making a strong case for a championship run. Now, after suffering three consecutive losses, the team looks out of shape. The primary culprit? Injuries. Last night, Luka Dončić and the Lakers faced the Milwaukee Bucks without three key starters, including LeBron James. The situation might remain the same for the next few games, raising concerns about the team’s resilience.
Despite the setbacks, Dončić remained focused, emphasizing the team’s mentality. However, a glaring issue has emerged: turnovers. When “LukaMagic” arrived in Los Angeles, the hype was justified. But amid the excitement, few paid attention to a recurring problem—costly turnovers. Known for his elite passing abilities, Dončić has also made some crucial errors. During the Lakers’ impressive eight-game winning streak, these mistakes were overlooked, but their recent struggles have magnified the issue.
In the last 13 games—since Dončić’s Lakers debut—the team has committed 189 turnovers, with Dončić responsible for 56 of them. The issue was evident in their latest 126-106 blowout loss against the Bucks. However, head coach JJ Redick refused to pin the blame on Dončić, despite the numbers. The five-time All-Star, however, took full responsibility.
“Got to take care of the ball. I mean, it’s the most important thing in basketball. So got to take care of it. And obviously, they were my fault and I got to do a better job doing that,” Dončić admitted in the post-game press conference. Despite scoring 45 points and grabbing 11 rebounds, he committed six turnovers and received little support from his teammates, adding to the team’s woes.
Lakers’ Locker Room Mindset: Hope Amidst Adversity
The Lakers’ struggles can largely be attributed to injuries. LeBron James, the team’s leader, is sidelined with a groin injury and is expected to miss at least two weeks—possibly longer. In addition, starters Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes were also unavailable, further depleting the squad.
Addressing the injuries, Dončić acknowledged the difficulty: “It’s always going to be tough when there’s 3–4 starters out. And you know it’s always tough.” However, he also reinforced a positive mindset, stating, “Winning teams always go through something. And I think we’re experiencing that now. But we just got to… learn from it and we got to go (with) next man, next game… mentality that we can win this.”
Next Challenge: Denver Nuggets Await
Up next, the Lakers face the Denver Nuggets, currently the second seed in the Western Conference. Just days ago, the Lakers briefly occupied that spot, but now, Denver will be looking for revenge.
With six games in eight days, fatigue is a serious concern. Can the Lakers rally despite their injury setbacks and turnover struggles? Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets will be a formidable challenge, and all eyes will be on Dončić to see if he can lead the team in LeBron’s absence.
What’s your take? Can Dončić clean up his turnovers and guide the Lakers back to victory?