Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick pointed to fatigue and execution issues following the team’s 118-106 loss to the Orlando Magic on Monday night.
Redick acknowledged the Lakers’ strong start but admitted that lapses in defensive execution proved costly. “We had a really good intention to start the game. We tried to clean some things up in film today. We still got to clean some things up with some of our execution in coverages,” he said postgame.
Despite jumping out to an early lead, Los Angeles struggled to maintain its energy in the second half. “We looked tired. I don’t know what contributes to that. That happens periodically throughout the season where the group gets tired. That’s what it feels right now. We weren’t able to sustain the level of intensity we started the game with,” Redick added.
Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero capitalized on the Lakers’ defensive struggles, combining for 62 points to power Orlando to victory. Wagner finished with 32 points and eight assists, while Banchero contributed 30 points and seven rebounds.
The loss marked Los Angeles’ third straight defeat, dropping them into a tie for fourth place in the Western Conference standings with the idle Memphis Grizzlies. Luka Doncic led the Lakers with 32 points, while LeBron James added 24 points and eight assists.
Austin Reaves chipped in 17 points, helping the Lakers build a nine-point lead late in the first half. However, Orlando dominated the third quarter, outscoring Los Angeles 34-18 to take control of the game.
Anthony Black provided a key spark off the bench for the Magic, tallying 17 points, five rebounds, and six assists. The Lakers made a late push, cutting the deficit to seven with 5:40 remaining, but Wagner and Banchero responded with a decisive scoring run to put the game away.
Orlando shot 49.4% from the field, drained 15 three-pointers, and committed just nine turnovers, exposing Los Angeles’ defensive lapses. With the Lakers dropping seven of their last 10 games, Redick and his team will need to quickly address their fatigue and execution issues as they fight for playoff positioning.
