A game that went down to the wire, decided by an offensive rebound and a choice on the final possession. The matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Orlando Magic at Crypto.com Arena confirmed the recent trend in their meetings: balance until the final second. This time, however, it was the Magic who walked away smiling, prevailing 110-109 thanks to a decisive tip-in from Wendell Carter Jr..
After the game, JJ Redick summed it up in just a few words:
We’re a work in progress.
JJ Redick
A simple but weighty statement that captures the current state of a team still far from its final form.
Bitter Ending: Missed Opportunity on the Final Possession
In the fourth quarter, the Lakers looked poised to close it out. After a defensive lapse by the Magic, LeBron James found space for a transition dunk that made it 109-108. Momentum swung to the purple and gold, the crowd on its feet, the energy fully shifted.
Then came the dagger. On a missed mid-range jumper by Paolo Banchero, Wendell Carter Jr. was quickest to react: hand on the ball, put-back off the glass and the bucket that decided the game. And yet, there was still one last chance.
On the final possession, Luka Doncic opted not to take the three and instead kicked it out to LeBron Jameswho was forced to create a highly contested shot. The ball didn’t fall – and with it, the chance to flip the result disappeared.
JJ Redick explained the final offensive sequence this way:
We called a play to get Luka a good look. I thought we created a clean solution.
JJ Redick
The reference was to Luka Doncic, who twice passed up a potentially game-winning three. The Slovenian didn’t shy away from responsibility:
Yeah, I was open. But I felt like I was a little too far out.
Luka Doncic
The Lakers’ Real Problem? Defense
Beyond the final possession, the more troubling snapshot comes on the defensive end. If late last season the team built its identity on rotations and intensity, this year the numbers tell a different story.
The Lakers currently rank 24th in the NBA in defensive ratingallowing 116.6 points per 100 possessions. A significant figure, especially for a contender aiming for more than just a playoff berth.
This is where Redick’s words resonate: it’s not just one loss. It’s the awareness that the project requires timeadjustments and perhaps additional roster moves to truly compete around Doncic.
Standings and Outlook
With this loss, the Lakers fall to 34-23. A positive record, but not entirely reassuring given the franchise’s ambitions. The feeling is that it may take another season or two to fully maximize the context built around Luka.
The question now is simple: how much room for growth is there in the short term? If the answer is limited, then “work in progress” risks becoming an excuse. If the group finds defensive cohesion, this loss could be remembered as a necessary step in the process.
Right now, one truth remains clear: offensive talent alone is not enough.
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