SI:AM: Lakers' Frustration Mounts in Puzzling Home Loss Against Orlando

Good morning, I’m Tyler Lauletta, here with another edition of the SI:AM newsletter. Hope your inbox is shining this morning.

In today’s SI:AM:

🏀 Vanderbilt’s Rise

🏉 Combine Prospects to Watch

🏉 Free Agent QB Pool

Some grumblings in Los Angeles after a frustrating Lakers loss

As the NBA season enters its homestretch, it’s safe to say that it’s been a solid year for the Lakers. Are they the best team in the West? No. But, they’ve been in the top six of the conference and comfortably out of the play-in tournament for most of the year.

While good enough might be good enough for some teams, it’s a bit more complicated for the Lakers, who saw a win turn into a loss on Tuesday night against the Magic.

Los Angeles led Orlando 80-79 after three quarters. Heading into the night, the Lakers had an NBA–best 25–0 record in games in which they led after three quarters. Whenever you see a stat like that, you have a pretty good idea of what’s coming next.

The Magic gained the lead early in the fourth. It was a back-and-forth battle from that point on. With under a minute remaining, Magic guard Desmond Bane hit a three to put Orlando up 108–107. LeBron James responded with a dunk that nudged the Lakers back in front, and then Orlando center Wendell Carter Jr. emerged from a chaotic sequence with the ball and laid it in to give the Magic a 110–109 lead with 6.7 seconds left.

Los Angeles called a timeout and set up for what should have been one final play for a clean shot. It’s a situation the Lakers are especially well-suited for, with an array of good options at the team’s disposal. Obviously, Luka Dončić or James would be expected to shoot the potential game-winner, with Austin Reaves as a potential outlet in case their preferred look was unavailable.

The Lakers’ final play was a bust from the start. James inbounded the ball to Dončić, who appeared to have an open, if extremely deep, look from beyond the arc. He hesitated, dribbled and gave the Magic defense a chance to swarm him. He dumped the ball back to James, who rushed up a difficult turnaround jumper that was well off the mark, and the buzzer sounded.

Such an ending would be compelling on its own, but the quotes from the Lakers’ locker room after the game brought a whole new level of storyline into play.

Asked by reporters about the play, James said he was just as confused as the rest of us.

"Obviously, you have to ask Luka what he saw on that. I thought he had a good look. I was kind of off balance when he gave it to me. I thought he had a great look."

Coach JJ Redick was also perplexed.

"I haven’t had a chance to really get into it with Luka. We obviously ran a play for him to get a look,” he told reporters. “I feel like he had a decent shot."

For his part, Luka explained his moment of hesitation as… a moment of hesitation.

"I know I was open, but I just thought I was a little bit far,” Dončić said. “Tried to take one dribble closer. And I probably shouldn't have picked up the ball and just tried to attack."

For most NBA teams, a loss like the one the Lakers suffered on Tuesday is a frustrating reality of playing in a competitive league. But because the Lakers are the Lakers—and because they have two of the best offensive players on the planet—a fumbled final possession gets scrutinized.

As things stand, the Lakers remain in sixth place in the West, two games ahead of the Suns, who are the first team in the play-in tournament. It’s just one loss, and Los Angeles will be in Phoenix tomorrow night. But at the same time, it sure feels like that defeat is one the Lakers are going to need to flush from their memories immediately and get back on track. Hesitation and doubt have a way of leading to more hesitation and doubt.

The best of Sports Illustrated

In today’s Digital Cover, Emma Baccellieri goes inside how guard Mikayla Blakes and coach Shea Ralph have turned the Vanderbilt women’s college basketball program from an afterthought into a contender.
Albert Breer identifies the players to watch at the NFL combine—and only one is a quarterback.
What did Raiders GM John Spytek say about Maxx Crosby’s future in Las Vegas? Gilberto Manzano has that and more in his notes from the NFL combine.
All roads lead to two quarterbacks taking center stage in NFL free agency, writes Matt Verderame.
NFL GMs took to their respective podiums on Tuesday at the NFL combine, revealing some of their roster plans as free agency approaches. Verderame dives into the news from around the league.

The top five…

… things I saw last night:

5. Fernando Mendoza, do not google the Raiders.

4. Cameron Boozer has got the goods.

3. Scott Van Pelt’s tribute to Mike Tirico after a stellar run at the Olympics.

2. Jaden McDaniels, a true hooper.

1. ABS absolutely ruining this umpire’s day. We’ve all been there.