The energy inside Crypto.com Arena was weird from the jump last night. You could feel it. Fans expected a bounce-back, maybe even a statement win, but instead, they watched the score of lakers game last night spiral into a 135-117 disaster against the Charlotte Hornets.
Honestly, it wasn't just a loss. It was a wake-up call.
LaMelo Ball didn't just play well; he basically dismantled the Lakers' perimeter defense single-handedly. He dropped 30 points, and 27 of those came in a blistering second half where he couldn't seem to miss from the parking lot. He tied his career high with nine triples. Every time the Lakers tried to mount a mini-run, Ball would just pull up from thirty feet and silence the crowd. It was surgical.
Breaking Down the Score of Lakers Game Last Night
If you just look at the final score, 135-117, you might think it was a close game that got away late. It wasn't. The Hornets led by as many as 21 points.
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The Lakers actually started okay. Luka Dončić, who has been carrying an ungodly load lately, came out aggressive. He scored 19 points in the first quarter alone, finishing the night with 39 points and making six 3-pointers. But basketball is a team sport, and the Lakers' supporting cast was essentially a ghost town.
Look at the bench production. Or the lack of it. The Lakers' second unit combined for a grand total of nine points. Nine. They shot 4-for-19. You can't win in the modern NBA when your bench gives you less production than a single role player on the other side. Charlotte’s young core—Ball, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges, and rookie Kon Knueppel—combined for a staggering 100 points.
Defensive Meltdown and the Glass
The Lakers gave up 105 points in the final three quarters. Read that again. That is a defensive "death certificate," as some beat writers are calling it. They were outrebounded by 15 and gave up 56 points in the paint.
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Deandre Ayton seemed a bit lost out there. He’s supposed to be the anchor, but Charlotte treated the paint like an open highway. They allowed 14 offensive rebounds, which the Hornets gleefully turned into 15 second-chance points. It felt like the Lakers were playing in slow motion while Charlotte was playing at 1.5x speed.
LeBron James did what he could, finishing with 29 points and nine rebounds, but at 41, he can't be the primary rim protector and the primary playmaker and the primary everything else for 40 minutes. He looked tired. You saw him watching several possessions where the whistle didn't blow, and he just stayed back, frustrated, while the Hornets sprinted the other way for an easy transition bucket.
What Went Wrong with the Lakers' Strategy?
The score of lakers game last night reflects a massive failure in perimeter containment. The Lakers threw different looks at LaMelo—Marcus Smart tried, Jarred Vanderbilt tried—but nobody could keep him from getting to his spots.
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- Lack of Perimeter Discipline: The Hornets shot 20-for-45 from deep. The Lakers were often a half-step slow on rotations, leaving shooters like Brandon Miller (26 points) wide open.
- The Missing Austin Reaves: Not having Reaves (calf strain) hurts more than people realize. He’s the secondary creator that takes the pressure off Luka and LeBron. Without him, the offense gets predictable and stagnant.
- Transition Defense: It was non-existent. Charlotte pushed the pace after every miss and even after most makes.
It’s easy to blame the stars, but when your bench shoots 21%, the margin for error for LeBron and Luka becomes zero. They have to be perfect, and last night, they were merely "very good," which isn't enough to beat a young, hungry Hornets team that just recently walloped the Thunder by 27.
Moving Forward: Can They Fix This?
The Lakers are now 24-15. That’s still a decent record, but they’ve lost four of their last five. The "vibes," as the kids say, are at an all-time low.
They head to Portland next to face the Trail Blazers at the Moda Center. That’s a game they should win, but if they defend the way they did last night, Shaedon Sharpe and Deni Avdija will have a field day.
Lakers fans should keep a close eye on the trade rumors as we approach the deadline. This roster feels top-heavy and thin. They need a consistent third scoring option and some actual depth in the frontcourt to help Ayton.
Your Next Steps
- Check the Injury Report: Keep an eye on Austin Reaves' status before the Portland game; his return is the quickest fix for the bench woes.
- Watch the First Quarter Intensity: In their next game, see if the Lakers commit to transition defense early. If they're jogging back in the first five minutes, it's going to be a long night.
- Monitor the Standings: The West is a bloodbath. A three-game slide can move you from the 4th seed to the play-in tournament in the blink of an eye.