If you checked your phone this morning and saw the score for the lakers, you probably did a double-take. It wasn't just a loss. It was a 135-117 dismantling at the hands of the Charlotte Hornets.
Honestly, it felt weird. The Lakers were coming off a massive high after dropping 141 points on Atlanta. Fans thought the ship had finally steadied. Instead, the team looked old, slow, and completely outclassed by a bunch of kids in purple and teal.
A Brutal Night at Crypto.com Arena
The game actually started like a dream. Luka Dončić, who has been the focal point of every Lakers conversation lately, came out firing. He had 19 points in the first quarter alone. For about twelve minutes, it felt like Los Angeles was going to run the Hornets out of the gym.
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Then the second quarter happened.
The Lakers' defense basically evaporated. Charlotte outscored them 34-16 in that period. You’ve seen bad quarters before, but this was different. It was a total lack of communication. While the Lakers were walking back on defense, LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller were already at the rim.
LaMelo Ball’s Career Night
You can't talk about the score for the lakers without talking about LaMelo Ball. He was possessed. The Chino Hills native returned home and absolutely torched the Lakers for 30 points and 11 assists.
He hit nine threes. Nine.
Eight of those came in the second half. Every time the Lakers tried to make a run, LaMelo would pull up from the logo and splash a triple. It was demoralizing. By the time he hit his seventh, the crowd was barely even booing anymore; they were just stunned.
The Scoring Breakdown
The final tally tells a gruesome story of two different halves.
- First Quarter: Lakers 39, Hornets 30
- Second Quarter: Lakers 16, Hornets 34
- Third Quarter: Lakers 38, Hornets 40
- Fourth Quarter: Lakers 24, Hornets 31
The depth—or lack thereof—was the real killer here. The Lakers’ bench was non-existent. They combined for a measly nine points on 4-for-19 shooting. You aren't winning many NBA games in 2026 when your second unit can't buy a bucket. Jake LaRavia gave some decent minutes with 18 points, but it wasn't nearly enough to offset the Hornets' onslaught.
The Luka and LeBron Dilemma
Luka finished with 39 points. LeBron James had 29 points and nine rebounds. On paper, your two superstars giving you 68 points should be a recipe for a win.
But basketball isn't played on a spreadsheet.
The Lakers are currently 24-15, and while that record looks okay, they’ve lost four of their last five. There’s a growing sense of frustration. During the post-game presser, Luka mentioned how hard it is to play against "youth and quickness." He’s right. The Hornets’ young core of Miller, Ball, and Miles Bridges (who had 25) just had too much juice.
What This Score Means for the Season
This 135-117 loss isn't just a random blip. It’s a warning sign. The Lakers have the 24th-ranked defense in the league right now. They're giving up 116.4 points per game, which is fine if you're the 2004 Suns, but it's a death sentence for a team with championship aspirations in this era.
The rebounding was another nightmare. They were outrebounded by 15. When you give a team like Charlotte second and third chances, they are going to punish you. They allowed 56 points in the paint. It looked like a layup line at Poinsettia Park.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're tracking the score for the lakers to see if this team is a contender, keep an eye on these specific areas over the next few games:
- Transition Defense: If they don't start sprinting back, Portland is going to do the exact same thing to them on Saturday.
- Bench Production: Watch for JJ Redick to potentially shake up the rotation. Relying on the starters for 90% of the offense is unsustainable.
- Luka's Workload: He’s playing heavy minutes. If the Lakers can’t blow teams out early, the fatigue starts showing in the fourth quarter, which is exactly what happened tonight.
The Lakers travel to Portland next. It’s a chance to wipe the slate clean, but if they defend like they did against the Hornets, it’s going to be another long night for Laker Nation. Keep an eye on the injury report for any late changes before tip-off at the Moda Center.