The Los Angeles Lakers are rapidly dropping down the Western Conference standings after going four games without a victory. Every game counts in this fiercely competitive conference, and the Lakers have recently struggled.
This has been partly caused by injuries that have struck this team at the worst possible time. Due to a groin ailment, star forward LeBron James has been sidelined for a week.
Rui Hachimura, a forward, has also been sidelined for a while because of an injury. Jaxson Hayes, the centre, has also fallen out, leaving the Lakers severely shorthanded at a pivotal point in the season.
But head coach JJ Redick has given a significant update on each player’s condition. According to Redick, all three might make a comeback in the upcoming week.
They are all on the verge of returning, the first-year head coach noted, but it might take two or seven days.
For a struggling Lakers squad, this is fantastic news. The Lakers have dropped from the No. 2 seed in the West to the No. 5 seed due to all of the injuries.
However, they should be able to turn things around if they can get their players back in a reasonable amount of time. The Lakers were winning eight games in a row before the injuries started to pile up.
As long as the Lakers remain healthy for the playoffs, they believe they can compete with anyone in the NBA. With James and co-star Luka Doncic at the helm, Los Angeles is as dangerous as anyone in the league.
The health of these key players is critical, and it is hoped that they will be able to return to the lineup as soon as possible. The Lakers’ playoff placement is expected to hinge on their return to the team soon.
The team’s weakest link going into the playoffs is the recently acquired Laker.
The Los Angeles Lakers are now in fifth place in the Western Conference after dropping four straight games. LeBron James and other important players have been injured, leaving head coach JJ Redick with a roster that is lacking in depth. The club was unable to overcome the notable absences due to a challenging road schedule that included games against the Celtics, Nets, Bucks, and Nuggets.
The Lakers now have a five-game home schedule that begins on Sunday against the Suns. LeBron, Luka Doncic, and Jaxson Hayes are all expected to return.
On paper, Hayes’ return might not seem like much, but for the Lakers, who have suffered greatly since he was sidelined due to a right knee injury, it will be a huge game-changer. The primary cause of this has been the subpar play of Alex Len, his replacement.
After joining the Lakers, Alex Len has been a huge letdown. Len played 44 minutes in the last three games after being added to the starting lineup.
The Lakers suffered a 27-point loss in these minutes. During that time, he did not contribute to either end of the court and scored four points on 2/6 shooting.
Since Len was signed after the trade deadline, this has been an issue for the Lakers. Len has played in seven games, averaging 12.1 minutes per game, 1.1 points, and 2.7 rebounds while shooting 36.4% from the field. He only has two blocks and has never reached the free-throw line.
Most significantly, the team defence during his minutes has been a complete mess. In his minutes, the Lakers have given up 133.8 points per 100 possessions, according to Cleaning the Glass. For an entire season, this would undoubtedly be the NBA’s worst defensive rating ever. When Len is absent on the court, the Lakers give up 113.4 points per 100 possessions.
Even if the Lakers don’t have many centre choices, it’s clear that Len isn’t the answer, particularly during the postseason. Because of his defensive deficiencies and lack of versatility, he must be removed from the postseason rotation. Regardless of the opponent, Redick is probably better off playing small-ball lineups with players like Rui Hachimura, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Jarred Vanderbilt at centre.
Without LeBron, Skip Bayless negates Luka’s significance, saying that “the majority of his points felt like empty calories.”
Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Dončić delivered an impressive stat line on Thursday against the Milwaukee Bucks, but his efforts ultimately didn’t translate into a win. Sports commentator Skip Bayless was critical of Dončić’s performance, arguing that many of his points were what he described as “empty calories,” meaning they had little impact on the outcome of the game.
Bayless used this game as an example of why the Dallas Mavericks decided to trade Dončić, a move he personally supported. He suggested that the 26-year-old guard is feeling the absence of his star teammate, LeBron James.
“Tonight’s Lakers game at Milwaukee on national TV was exactly why Nico Harrison and the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Dončić and why I was good with it,” Bayless said on *Undisputed*. “Now, obviously, in Dallas, as soon as Anthony Davis got there, he got hurt, and everybody—including Kyrie [Irving]—got hurt, so we gotta wait until next year to grade the trade.
“But tonight at Milwaukee was yet another testament to just how great LeBron James is playing at age 40 in year 22. Never seen anything like it. The league’s never seen anything like it. We’ll never see anything like it again, at least as long as I live—maybe as long as you live.
“Tonight at Milwaukee, Luka Dončić scored 45 points. He had 29 by halftime. He had a hot streak from three in the first half in which he scored 10 straight points, and he wound up making five out of nine threes in the first half. But then he went cold for a stretch, and most of his points felt like empty calories.
“Most of his points had little to no impact on the scoreboard, and tonight at Milwaukee on national TV, we saw how much Luka Dončić is missing LeBron bleeping James.
“… It has become the ultimate basketball joy for me to watch these two combine their genius on the basketball floor. … I got hooked on it because it was like watching two Magic Johnsons on the floor. Now, without LeBron, Luka’s like half a Magic.” (*Undisputed*, Fox Sports, March 14, 2025).
Despite Bayless’ criticism, Dončić put up an impressive individual performance, finishing with 45 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, two steals, and one block while shooting 14-of-27 from the field and 7-of-13 from three-point range. His 45-point effort tied his season-high, which he had previously recorded while still playing for Dallas.
Meanwhile, LeBron James has been sidelined since sustaining a groin injury during the Lakers’ game against the Boston Celtics on Saturday. The Lakers lost that game after James exited, and they have since dropped two more, extending their losing streak to three.
While Bayless has been vocal in his critiques of Dončić, it’s evident that he appreciates the chemistry between Dončić and James. Fans are hoping to see both stars return to the court together soon. However, they will both be out for Friday’s matchup against the Denver Nuggets.
The Lakers, who recently held the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, have slipped to the No. 4 spot amid their recent struggles. Although they remain a legitimate contender, they will need to turn things around in the coming weeks if they hope to secure a favorable playoff position.
Bayless’ harsh assessment of Dončić’s 45-point performance is likely to generate debate, but the Lakers’ newest star is probably more focused on getting back to winning rather than media commentary.
Leave a Reply