Luka Doncic took accountability for the Los Angeles Lakers’ 111-108 loss to the Brooklyn Nets, acknowledging that communication issues were on him.
The Lakers started strong defensively, holding Brooklyn to 16 first-quarter points, but their intensity faded as the game progressed. Doncic admitted that the team became complacent, which contributed to the defeat.
“Like I said, we started the game good, defending,” Doncic said. “But then we just kind of let go of the rope. We got comfortable, and we shouldn’t have done that.”
Doncic struggled offensively, finishing with 22 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists but shooting just 8-for-26 from the field. His inefficiency, combined with Austin Reaves’ 3-for-14 shooting, left the Lakers searching for answers.
Brooklyn capitalized on Los Angeles’ lapses, with Noah Clowney leading the Nets with 19 points, including a key dunk in the final moments. Cam Johnson and Keon Johnson added 18 points each, while Tyrese Martin provided 14 points off the bench.
Gabe Vincent led the Lakers with 24 points, hitting six three-pointers, while Dalton Knecht contributed 19 points. Reaves flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 17 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds, but Los Angeles couldn’t complete the comeback.
The Lakers trailed by as many as 15 points before making a late push. Doncic drained a deep three-pointer with 10.6 seconds remaining to cut the deficit to two, but Brooklyn executed a crucial inbounds play that led to Clowney’s game-sealing basket.
JJ Redick was vocal about his team’s poor execution, particularly on defense and in passing. Doncic agreed with his coach, saying the team’s lack of communication was his fault.
“When JJ said about communication today that [it] wasn’t on point, that’s my fault,” Doncic said. “We should have done better than that.”
The Lakers played without LeBron James, who was sidelined with a strained left groin, while injuries to Jaxson Hayes, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Rui Hachimura forced Redick to adjust his rotation.
Brooklyn, which had dropped seven straight games, bounced back from a disappointing collapse against Charlotte and managed to close out the Lakers despite a strong showing from Los Angeles fans in the crowd.
Now 40-23, the Lakers will look to regroup as they push for better positioning in the Western Conference playoff race.
