If you’re checking your phone and asking what is the score of the lakers game, you might want to brace yourself. It wasn't pretty. On Thursday night, January 15, 2026, the Los Angeles Lakers got absolutely dismantled on their home floor. The final score was 135-117 in favor of the Charlotte Hornets.
Honestly, it’s one of those games that makes you question the "Luka-LeBron" experiment just a little bit.
The Lakers are currently in a weird spot. They’re 1-4 in their last five games. They look slow. They look tired. Most importantly, they look like they’ve forgotten how to guard the perimeter. While Luka Dončić dropped 39 points and LeBron James chipped in 29, it felt like empty calories because the other end of the floor was a total sieve.
Breaking Down the Scoring: How the Hornets Stung
The game started off competitive enough, but things spiraled fast in the second quarter. Charlotte outscored LA 34-16 in that frame alone. The Lakers shot a miserable 27.8% in that stretch. You can't win games when you go cold for 12 straight minutes against a team that’s happy to run.
✨ Don't miss: What Place Is The Phillies In: The Real Story Behind the NL East Standings
By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, LaMelo Ball decided he was the best player on the court. He finished with 30 points and 11 assists. He was hitting shots from the "logo" and basically dancing on the Lakers' logo at center court. He hit nine three-pointers. Nine! That’s a career-high for him, and the Lakers just watched it happen.
Key Stats from the Lakers vs. Hornets
- Final Score: Charlotte 135, Los Angeles 117.
- Luka Dončić: 39 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists (Triple-Double).
- LeBron James: 29 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists.
- LaMelo Ball: 30 points, 11 assists, 9/17 from deep.
- Team Threes: Charlotte made 20; LA made 14.
- Rebounding: The Hornets won the glass 50-35.
What is the score of the lakers game telling us about the season?
People are starting to panic. It's January, and the "new car smell" of having Luka and LeBron on the same roster has worn off. They are 23-14 now, which isn't bad, but the momentum is gone.
The defense is the real culprit. They gave up 105 points in the final three quarters. Think about that for a second. You can't give up 35 points a quarter and expect to compete for a title. The Hornets—who had lost seven straight games before this week—looked like the 1996 Bulls against this Lakers perimeter defense.
🔗 Read more: Huskers vs Michigan State: What Most People Get Wrong About This Big Ten Rivalry
There’s a clear lack of chemistry with the second unit too. Gabe Vincent and Jaxson Hayes are trying, but the bench was outworked. Rookie Kon Knueppel had 19 points for Charlotte off the bench. He outplayed almost every Laker reserve.
The Defensive Meltdown
It's not just about the score. It’s about how the points were scored. The Lakers allowed 56 points in the paint. They were outrebounded by 15. When you’re old—and let’s be real, LeBron and the supporting cast aren’t getting younger—you have to win with smarts and positioning. Last night, they were just out-athleted.
Where do the Lakers go from here?
The schedule doesn't get much easier. They host the Toronto Raptors on Sunday, January 18, at 6:30 PM. If they don't find a way to stop the bleeding, that game could be another trap.
💡 You might also like: NFL Fantasy Pick Em: Why Most Fans Lose Money and How to Actually Win
Fans at Crypto.com Arena were actually booing at one point in the fourth quarter. That’s rare for a team with this much star power, but the effort just wasn't there. If you missed the game, you missed a masterclass in "how not to rotate on defense."
If you’re tracking the Lakers for your parlay or just because you’re a die-hard, the trend is downward. They need a spark. Maybe it's a trade, maybe it's a lineup change, or maybe they just need a week of practice where they don't touch a basketball and just work on defensive sliding drills.
Immediate Steps for Lakers Fans:
- Check the injury report for the Toronto game; if the defense doesn't tighten up, the Over is a lock.
- Watch the post-game interviews; LeBron's body language usually tells you if a trade is coming.
- Keep an eye on the standings, as the Lakers are sliding toward the play-in tournament range if this 1-4 slide continues.
The Lakers have the talent, but as the 135-117 loss to Charlotte proved, talent doesn't mean anything if you can't get a stop.