Short-Handed Lakers Struggle in Loss to Clippers, But Jake LaRavia Embraces the Challenge
The Los Angeles Lakers found themselves in a tough spot Saturday night, missing key rotation pieces and trying to piece together a lineup against the Clippers. Deandre Ayton, Austin Reaves, Gabe Vincent, and Rui Hachimura were all sidelined, and things got even more complicated when Luka Doncic exited early with a leg injury. That left the Lakers leaning heavily on role players like Jake LaRavia and Marcus Smart to carry the load.
And from the opening tip, it was clear the Lakers were going to have to grind for everything. Offense came at a premium - L.A. managed just 15 points in the first quarter and never really found a rhythm, finishing the game shooting 39% from the field and a rough 16% from beyond the arc.
That’s 6-for-38 from deep, plus seven missed free throws. In today’s NBA, those numbers are a recipe for a long night.
LaRavia, who stepped into a larger role with so many teammates unavailable, didn’t sugarcoat it postgame. Speaking to Spectrum SportsNet, he acknowledged the effort was there - but the shots just weren’t.
“We’re all NBA players, so we know what’s asked of us when we go out there on the court,” LaRavia said. “We just didn’t hit shots tonight, that’s just what it was... Tough to win basketball games like that.”
He’s not wrong. There are off nights, and then there are nights where the rim feels like it’s got a lid on it. Saturday was the latter.
Still, LaRavia’s mindset is exactly what you want from a guy being asked to step up. Whether he’s playing 10 minutes or 30, starting or coming off the bench, he’s focused on bringing the same energy and aggression every time out.
“I think I’m a very adaptable player,” he said. “We do have a lot of lineups that succeed...
I’m going out there trying to get the same thing every time I’m out there. Be more aggressive, especially in a game like this where Luka went out.”
That adaptability has become a theme for this Lakers team. With the injury report reading like a roll call, the “next man up” mentality isn’t just a cliché - it’s a necessity.
LaRavia pointed out that even without Luka, Reaves, Hachimura, Vincent, and Ayton, there’s still enough talent to compete. But it takes more than just effort - it takes execution.
“It just becomes an effort offense, effort defense game,” he said. “I think we have that group.
Again, we played really hard tonight. And I think we would’ve won had we made just a couple shots.
It just didn’t happen tonight.”
Head coach JJ Redick offered a bit of optimism, suggesting that Reaves, Ayton, and Hachimura could be nearing returns. But now the team has to monitor Doncic’s status after he suffered a leg contusion. It’s been a revolving door of injuries lately, and the Lakers are being tested not just in terms of depth, but in chemistry and resilience.
And speaking of toughness - LaRavia’s been through more than just high-pressure minutes lately. He took a shot to the face during a recent game in Philadelphia, which left him with a loose front tooth.
The result? A root canal.
The impressive part? He didn’t miss a single game.
It’s that kind of grit that’s going to be essential for the Lakers moving forward. With a roster in flux and the standings tightening, every possession matters.
Every player matters. And right now, guys like LaRavia are proving they’re ready for the fight - even if they have to do it with a sore mouth and a short bench.