Lakers Feeling the Weight of the Target on Their Backs Amid Skid
LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles Lakers are in the middle of a rough stretch, dropping eight of their last 13 games, including a deflating home loss to the Charlotte Hornets. And this wasn’t just a close call - Charlotte shot the lights out, hitting 54% from the field and 48% from deep, both well above their usual marks. For Marcus Smart, this kind of elevated play from opponents is becoming all too familiar.
“It doesn’t matter who it is - the team or the player - when they play us, everything goes through the roof,” Smart said postgame. “If they’re shooting 20 percent, they shoot 50 percent.
It’s not easy, especially when you play for the Lakers. You’re always the hunted no matter what.
We’re always going to get everybody’s best game.”
That’s the reality of wearing purple and gold. The Lakers are a marquee franchise, and every opponent circles them on the calendar.
Whether it’s a rising rookie or a veteran with something to prove, the energy level spikes when the Lakers are the opponent. And right now, that’s compounding the challenges for a team trying to find consistency.
At 24-15, the Lakers sit sixth in the Western Conference - still in solid playoff position, but with little breathing room. They’re just a game ahead of the Phoenix Suns, and slipping into play-in territory is a real possibility if the slide continues.
Injuries aren’t helping matters either. Luka Doncic, clearly laboring physically during the Hornets game, has been ruled out for the Lakers’ next matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Austin Reaves remains sidelined with no clear timeline for return. Jaxson Hayes is also out, and Deandre Ayton’s status is still up in the air.
And as if the losses and injuries weren’t enough, the schedule isn’t doing them any favors. The Lakers are heading into a brutal stretch - nine of their next 10 games are on the road.
That includes Saturday’s game in Portland, followed by a quick turnaround at home against the Toronto Raptors on Sunday. It’s a stretch that will test their depth, resilience, and ability to adapt on the fly.
Head coach JJ Redick knows exactly what kind of intensity his team is facing every night - and why.
“These guys grew up watching LeBron James play,” Redick said after the Hornets game. “And the Lakers, like the Celtics, are one of the most storied franchises in all of sports.
We’ve mentioned it as a team - I know all the guys know what we’re gonna get. We don’t get a lot of off nights from other teams in terms of energy and being optimal and all that stuff.”
Redick isn’t wrong. When teams face the Lakers, they bring playoff-level energy regardless of the calendar date. And right now, that’s exposing some of L.A.’s vulnerabilities - both in terms of health and execution.
The challenge ahead is clear: the Lakers need to weather the storm. That means staying afloat while key players recover, tightening up defensively to avoid more nights like the one Charlotte just had, and finding ways to win ugly if necessary. Because in this league, especially wearing a Lakers jersey, no one’s going to feel sorry for you - they’re just going to keep coming.