The Los Angeles Lakers are in the thick of the Western Conference playoff picture, pushing for that coveted No. 2 seed. On paper, that should be enough to quiet the critics. But in L.A., expectations are always sky-high-and not everyone is impressed with how this team is getting there.
Case in point: popular streamer Adin Ross didn’t hold back during a recent live broadcast, unleashing a scathing critique of the Lakers’ supporting cast. While he made sure to exempt LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves from his tirade, the rest of the roster caught the full brunt of his frustration.
“I just wanted to let you guys know how bogus the Lakers are,” Ross said, in a profanity-laced rant. “Respect to Luka, and LeBron, and Austin Reaves, but these other guys are [expletive].”
Now, the language might’ve been extreme, but the frustration? That’s something Lakers fans can relate to-especially after a disappointing loss to a struggling Clippers squad.
LeBron poured in 36 of the team’s 88 points, doing everything he could to drag the Lakers across the finish line. But with Reaves sidelined and Doncic having an off night, there was little help to be found.
And when a 40-year-old James is still carrying that kind of load, it raises real questions about the depth and reliability of the rest of the roster.
The Lakers were hoping offseason additions like Marcus Smart and Deandre Ayton would provide some much-needed balance. And early on, there were promising signs-even during the stretch when LeBron was out dealing with sciatica. But as the season wears on and the schedule tightens, the cracks are starting to show.
And defense? That’s been a glaring issue.
Earlier this month, Kendrick Perkins didn’t mince words when diagnosing the Lakers’ biggest flaw. After their loss to the Spurs in the NBA Cup on December 10, Perkins pointed squarely at their defensive woes.
“They exposed the Lakers defensively by attacking them,” Perkins said. “The Lakers can’t stop cars at a crosswalk in a school zone. That’s how horrible they are on the defensive side of things.”
It’s a brutal metaphor, but the point stands: this team is giving up too many easy looks, and it’s costing them games.
Head coach JJ Redick echoed that sentiment, acknowledging that the Lakers are consistently getting beat in the same areas.
“We consistently got exposed on the same things,” Redick said. “The things that help you win on the margins-we’re just not very good at right now.”
That’s the kind of honesty you want from a coach, but it also underscores just how urgent the situation is. In a Western Conference loaded with talent, marginal gains matter. The Lakers don’t just need their stars to shine-they need the rest of the roster to step up, especially on the defensive end.
Because while LeBron is still performing at an elite level, asking him to carry this team every night at 40 years old isn’t a sustainable plan. And if the Lakers want to make a serious push this season, they’ll need more than just flashes of brilliance from their role players-they’ll need consistency, cohesion, and a whole lot more resistance on defense.