After seven straight wins, the Lakers finally ran into a game where almost nothing clicked in a 108-125 disaster class. The Suns played with more energy, more pace, and far more sharpness, and it showed in nearly every possession. So instead of another polished team performance, the Lakers walked away from Monday night with a laundry list of problems and a film session that won’t be fun for anyone involved.
With that in mind, we’re breaking down how each Laker performed; what worked, what didn’t, and where the effort simply wasn’t good enough. Key players LeBron James and Rui Hachimura struggled tremendously, while even star and likely All-NBA candidate Austin Reaves could not make an impact. Here are the grades from a night L.A. will want to toss out quickly.
Luka Doncic: A
Game Stats: 38 PTS, 11 REB, 5 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 15-26 FG, 3-8 3PT, 5-5 FT, 32 MIN
Luka Doncic was the only bright spot for the Lakers, but he couldn’t get an A+ grade despite scoring 38 points because he had a whopping nine turnovers. He had to carry a heavy load throughout the game, crashing the boards and passing the ball around with scoring, but he couldn’t keep the ball under wraps. Without Luka, however, the Lakers would have probably lost by 30 points. That is why Luka gets an A grade despite featuring in an ugly loss.
Dalton Knecht: B-
Game Stats: 13 PTS, 4 REB, 1 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 5-7 FG, 3-5 3PT, 0-0 FT, 16 MIN
Knecht was one of the bright spots. His shooting kept the Lakers from completely falling apart during sections of the second half, and he played with urgency while others looked flat. The defensive side is still a work in progress, but offensively, he gave exactly what you’d hope for from a young scorer.
Austin Reaves: B-
Game Stats: 16 PTS, 4 REB, 3 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 6-12 FG, 3-7 3PT, 1-1 FT, 33 MIN
Reaves made shots, but the defensive end was the problem. Phoenix repeatedly attacked him in space, and Gillespie’s big night was partly a result of those mismatches. Reaves contributed offensively, but the Lakers needed far more organization from him as a secondary playmaker. A mixed bag, leaning negative.
Deandre Ayton: C+
Game Stats: 12 PTS, 9 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 2 BLK, 6-8 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, 28 MIN
Ayton was efficient with the touches he got, but the impact didn’t match the stat line. The Suns beat the Lakers repeatedly off the dribble and through back-cuts, and Ayton wasn’t able to clean up those breakdowns. He wasn’t bad, just not the defensive anchor the team needed in a game that got away in the paint.
Maxi Kleber: C+
Game Stats: 5 PTS, 3 REB, 2 AST, 0 STL, 1 BLK, 2-4 FG, 1-2 3PT, 0-0 FT, 10 MIN
Kleber gave the Lakers a short burst of energy. He knocked down a three, moved the ball, and didn’t make many mistakes. His minutes were limited, but he was one of the few bench players who did exactly what he was asked to do.
Jaxson Hayes: C+
Game Stats: 6 PTS, 2 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 1 BLK, 1-1 FG, 0-0 3PT, 4-5 FT, 14 MIN
Hayes played with energy, but the defensive timing wasn’t there. Phoenix’s guards picked apart the Lakers’ coverage, and Hayes didn’t deter drives the way they needed. Offensively, he was fine; defensively, less so.
LeBron James: D+
Game Stats: 10 PTS, 0 REB, 3 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 3-10 FG, 1-4 3PT, 3-4 FT, 31 MIN
This was one of LeBron’s worst performances in recent memory. He never looked fully engaged offensively and had trouble generating separation. He needed a late three just to keep his historic double-digit scoring streak alive, and his lack of lift showed on several possessions. Not a disastrous outing, but for his standards, it was nowhere near enough.
Jake LaRavia: D
Game Stats: 2 PTS, 2 REB, 1 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 1-3 FG, 0-1 3PT, 0-0 FT, 16 MIN
LaRavia had a tough time defensively, especially when Phoenix forced switches. He didn’t hurt the Lakers offensively, but he didn’t provide any spark either. A quiet, forgettable outing.
Gabe Vincent: D
Game Stats: 3 PTS, 2 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 1 BLK, 1-6 FG, 1-4 3PT, 0-0 FT, 21 MIN
The shot just wasn’t falling. Vincent got clean looks but never found his rhythm, and his defensive pressure didn’t swing possessions the way it has in better performances. A frustrating night for him.
Rui Hachimura: F
Game Stats: 0 PTS, 1 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0-1 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, 23 MIN
A rough night all around. Hachimura never found a rhythm, barely impacted the glass, and struggled defensively. The Suns played with more physicality and speed, and Rui never matched it. When a starter finishes scoreless in 23 minutes, it’s hard to justify anything higher than a failing grade.
Nick Smith Jr.: N/A
Game Stats: 3 PTS, 1 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 1-2 FG, 1-2 3PT, 0-0 FT, 6 MIN
Smith hit a three and looked comfortable in his short stint. It wasn’t enough time to move the needle, but he did what was asked and didn’t overcomplicate things.
Bronny James: N/A
Game Stats: 0 PTS, 1 REB, 1 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, 6 MIN
Bronny was steady in limited minutes. He didn’t look out of place defensively, moved the ball well, and played within the flow. The game was already getting away from the Lakers by the time he checked in, so his impact was minimal but decent.
Adou Thiero: N/A
Game Stats: 0 PTS, 1 REB, 0 AST, 1 TO, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, 5 MIN
Thiero didn’t get enough minutes to make a real dent in the game. He had one turnover and didn’t have many opportunities otherwise. Not enough sample size to be harsh, but nothing meaningful to grade positively either.
