Just a week ago, the Los Angeles Lakers looked like a legitimate title contender, riding the dominance of LeBron James and Luka Doncic while Austin Reaves put together the best season of his career. Now, after three straight losses, alarm bells are ringing.
With just 11 games left in the regular season, they’ve slipped to fifth in the West, and suddenly, the path to a deep playoff run looks much more complicated. The offense still has firepower, but cracks are showing everywhere else—defensive lapses, questionable depth, and a glaring lack of interior presence.
This isn’t just a bad week; it’s a warning sign. If the Lakers don’t correct these issues now, they could find themselves stumbling into the playoffs rather than charging in with momentum. So, what’s really going wrong? We break down the five biggest problems behind their sudden skid.
1. Defensive Rebounding Woes Are Killing Them
Rebounding is often an effort stat, and right now, the Lakers simply aren’t getting it done on the defensive glass. Across the three-game losing streak, they’ve been outrebounded in two out of the three games (42-35 vs. Chicago and 43-39 vs. Orlando).
They’ve given up too many second-chance opportunities, allowing opponents to capitalize on extra possessions. Against the three opponents, they surrendered a total of 31 offensive rebounds, which fueled the opposing team’s ability to stay in the game and build massive leads, ballooning to over 30 points against the Bucks and Bulls.
This issue is especially concerning because Jaxson Hayes, their primary starting center in these games, isn’t a dominant presence on the boards. The Lakers desperately need more from their big men.
Teams are exploiting the lack of size and effort on the glass, and if the Lakers don’t fix this, they’ll keep losing crucial games. Adding a true rebounding anchor could be the difference between a deep playoff run and an early exit.
2. The Lakers’ Bench Has Been a Disaster
Depth has been a major issue throughout this losing streak. The second unit has failed to provide any real spark, with multiple players barely making an impact.
Against the Bulls, the Lakers’ bench combined for just 27 points, while Chicago’s bench gave them 38. In a game where LeBron (17 points) and Doncic (34 points) did their part, they needed more contributions from the supporting cast, and they simply didn’t get it. Even against the Magic, the Lakers’ bench scored 14 points compared to 30 from the opposition.
Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt have struggled to make a real impact, while Gabe Vincent and Shake Milton have been inconsistent at best. The lack of reliable scoring off the bench puts more pressure on the starters to carry the load, which isn’t sustainable. Come playoff time, role players often decide games, and right now, the Lakers’ bench is a liability instead of an asset.
3. Three-Point Shooting Has Gone Ice Cold
The Lakers have been unable to generate consistent shooting from beyond the arc, and it’s costing them games. Against the Bucks, they shot a miserable 34.4% (11-for-32) from deep.
They improved against the Bulls (41.5%), but in the loss to the Magic, they fell back down to 31.3% (10-32). Luka Doncic has been their best shooter during this stretch (4-10 against the Magic and 8-13 against the Bulls), but outside of him, the rest of the team has been unreliable.
Dorian Finney-Smith, Austin Reaves, and even LeBron have been streaky from deep. While Reaves is normally a reliable shooter, he went 1-for-6 against Orlando, highlighting how inconsistent the Lakers’ perimeter game has been. The modern NBA is a three-point-driven league, and if the Lakers can’t get their shooters back on track, opposing defenses will pack the paint and make life miserable for Doncic and James.
4. Turnover Struggles Are Costing Them Easy Points
For most of the season, the Lakers have taken care of the ball, but during this losing streak, they’ve been careless with possessions. The turnovers against the Bulls (21) were particularly damaging, as Chicago scored 27 points off those mistakes.
Similarly, against Milwaukee, they committed 22 turnovers, and those giveaways led to 29 points—a staggering number. The problem isn’t just the turnovers themselves but the kind of turnovers they’re committing.
Sloppy passes, miscommunication, and rushed plays have led to easy fast-break points for the opposition. This is an issue that falls on both the ball handlers and coaching staff—JJ Redick needs to emphasize better decision-making, or else these self-inflicted wounds will keep costing them games.
5. Defensive Identity Is Slipping
At their best, the Lakers have been a tough, physical defensive team. But during this losing streak, that identity has vanished. They allowed 146 points to the Bulls, who are not an offensive juggernaut by any means.
They also conceded 118 points to both the Bucks and Magic, failing to get key stops against the latter, meaning the team is simply leaking points right now.
The biggest issue? A lack of rim protection and perimeter containment. Jaxson Hayes and the Lakers’ bigs aren’t deterring shots in the paint, and the perimeter defense has been inconsistent, allowing opponents to shoot at high efficiency.
Orlando hit 15 threes against them, while Chicago knocked down 19 threes. Even the Bucks nailed 11 threes to match the Lakers’ number. The Lakers need a defensive reset—whether it’s better rotations, increased effort, or a lineup adjustment, they can’t afford to enter the playoffs with a shaky defense.
Final Thoughts: Can the Lakers Fix These Issues in Time?
The good news? These are all fixable problems. The bad news? The Lakers don’t have much time to get it right. With just 11 games left, they need to find a solution fast, or they risk heading into the playoffs with no momentum. LeBron James and Luka Doncic are good enough to lead this team deep into the playoffs, but to truly beat the elite teams, they need to fix the issues quickly.
Overall, the Lakers are still a contender, but right now, they look more vulnerable than ever. If they don’t clean up their defense, rebounding, and bench production, this season could end much earlier than expected. The clock is ticking, and the Lakers need to respond fast.
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