The Los Angeles Lakers came into Thursday night riding high off one of their most complete wins of the season against the Atlanta Hawks. With momentum on their side and a matchup against the struggling Charlotte Hornets on deck, this looked like another opportunity to stack a win. But instead, the Lakers were handed a humbling 135-117 loss-one that exposed a few familiar issues that have been bubbling beneath the surface all season.
Hot Start, Cold Reality
It all started the way you'd want if you're L.A. LeBron James opened the scoring with a smooth triple, Marcus Smart followed with five quick points, and Luka Dončić piled on with six of his own. When Jake LaRavia knocked down a three to make it 17-7, the Hornets were forced into an early timeout, and it felt like the Lakers were about to run away with it.
But Miles Bridges had other plans. He hit three straight threes to keep Charlotte within striking distance.
Dončić was still cooking-he dropped 19 in the first quarter alone-but the Hornets weren’t folding. The Lakers led 39-30 after one, but the warning signs were already starting to flicker.
Second Quarter Collapse
Then came the second quarter, and with it, the kind of letdown that’s haunted this Lakers team. Sloppy possessions, careless turnovers, and a sudden freeze from the field-L.A. managed just one field goal over an eight-minute stretch.
That’s not a typo. One bucket in eight minutes.
Meanwhile, LaMelo Ball was orchestrating the Hornets’ offense with poise and flair. He found Bridges for a highlight-reel alley-oop that tied the game at 43, and from there, Charlotte took control.
The Lakers, clearly frustrated with the officiating and their own execution, allowed the Hornets to dictate the pace. The result?
A 34-16 second quarter in favor of Charlotte and a 64-55 deficit heading into halftime.
Third Quarter Shootout
The third quarter turned into a shootout, but not the kind that favored the Lakers. Ball came out firing, knocking down back-to-back threes to stretch the lead to 15.
James responded by facilitating and creating good looks for his teammates, and Dončić found his rhythm again after a quiet second quarter. The Lakers poured in 38 points in the third, but the problem was they couldn’t get stops.
Charlotte answered with 40 of their own, and the deficit grew to 11 heading into the fourth.
Final Push Falls Short
Give the Lakers credit-they didn’t fold. A James layup cut the lead to 109-103 early in the fourth and forced a Charlotte timeout. It felt like the momentum might be shifting.
But just as quickly, the Hornets slammed the door shut with a 9-0 run. Ball continued to control the game, Bridges kept making timely plays, and the Lakers looked like a team running on empty. The energy, the urgency-it just wasn’t there when it mattered most.
By the time the final buzzer sounded, the Lakers had been outplayed in nearly every facet after the first quarter. They couldn’t string together stops, couldn’t sustain offensive rhythm, and couldn’t match Charlotte’s energy down the stretch.
What’s Next
Now the Lakers have to regroup-and fast. They get a day off before a tough back-to-back: Saturday on the road against the Portland Trail Blazers, followed by a return home Sunday to face the Toronto Raptors.
With the Western Conference as tight as ever, every game matters. And if the Lakers want to stay in the hunt, they’ll need to find a way to shake off nights like this and rediscover the consistency that’s eluded them all season.