The Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Brooklyn Nets 111-108 on the night. Despite the Lakers being up by 15 points at one point in the game, they weren’t able to get the job done tonight. The Nets fought tooth and nail to get back into the game and ended up coming away with a win that helped them snap a seven-game losing streak. Fans at the Barclays Center were loving it.
Luka Doncic had a slow start but ended the game with a triple-double with 22 points (8-25 FG), 11 rebounds, 12 assists, and two steals. Austin Reaves similarly struggled, putting up 15 points (2-13 FG), eight rebounds, nine assists, and one block. Gabe Vincent had a very good game tonight, leading the Lakers with 24 points (8-12 FG) and three assists.
For the Brooklyn Nets, it was another strong night from Cam Johnson, who had 18 points (6-14 FG), seven rebounds, five assists, and three steals. Keon Johnson also had 18 points (6-10 FG), along with three rebounds, three assists, and one steal. Noah Clowney came off the bench to deliver 18 points (5-11 FG), five rebounds, one steal, and one block.
The Nets played the very disciplined brand of basketball fans have come to expect from Jordi Fernandez’s team. The Lakers just didn’t have the grit they needed to get into a dogfight tonight. Even though players Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves got it going later, by then, it was too late, despite the Lakers taking the game down to the wire and forcing the Nets to put them away.
With the final buzzer having sounded, let us take a look at some key factors that decided the game:
Nets’ Bench Obliterates the Lakers
On the night, the Brooklyn Nets had five players come off the bench to deliver 38 points. That is a little over 7.0 points per player tonight. On the other side, the Lakers’ bench rotation included four players who combined for 26 points, of which 17 came from Jordan Goodwin alone.
This contrast in production between the two benches proved to be the difference tonight, as the Nets benefitted from the scoring their bench players provided them and went on to win the game, despite being outmatched by the Lakers on paper. This is just the product of Jordi Fernandez’s coaching, who has turned this Nets team into a competitive squad despite not having high-level players available to him.
As for the Lakers, one can excuse their lack of bench production, as they were significantly hamstrung by injuries to their squad. It wasn’t just LeBron James who was ruled out with injury, but four other stars as well. Perhaps the Lakers would have fared better when at full health.
Luka Doncic Can’t Find Form Fast Enough
Luka Doncic had a slow start to the game. He didn’t shoot the ball well, going 4-14 in the first half with just nine points. He’d end up having poor luck in the second half as well, going 4-12. Despite making some big shots, including one with seconds remaining to cut the Nets’ lead down to just two points, Doncic’s struggles from the field came to haunt the Lakers tonight.
With LeBron James out for the foreseeable future, Luka Doncic has to be better as the Lakers need him to carry them and win some games. They still have a strong roster without LeBron, but a roster that needs Doncic to be his best and create for the entire team so that everyone can be at their best.
The Lakers will try and get Doncic more looks next time around. While being a high-volume shooter, Doncic is by far the Lakers’ best available player, so it makes sense for them to go to him when they need to get the job done. The opponents only get tougher from here, so Luka will have to step up.
Lakers Too Careless In Possession
Once again, the Lakers’ sloppiness comes back to haunt them. Tonight, the Lakers gave the ball up 15 times. By contrast, the Nets only had seven turnovers, so it just goes to show how pivotal these turnovers ended up being at the end. Luka Doncic alone had a third of the team’s turnovers with five on the night.
The Lakers have been far better at protecting the ball this season. They rank 13th in the NBA for the lowest turnovers per game with 14.0, but their turnovers per game in wins and losses tell a different story. In the games that they’ve won, the Lakers averaged 12.4 turnovers per game. Whereas in their losses, they average 14.7 turnovers per game.
This just goes to show that the Lakers are at their best and playing winning basketball when they have control of the ball. JJ Redick made protecting the ball a priority. Tonight could just be an aberration, but it’s one the head coach must take seriously to ensure that they nip this issue in the bud come playoff time.
The Lakers don’t have too much time to focus on tonight’s game, as they continue their road trip on Wednesday night against the Milwaukee Bucks at 8:30 PM EST. They should use the opportunity of playing against the depleted Bucks to try and get another win and perhaps start putting a run together, as their time without LeBron James could be very costly if they don’t.
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