For the second time in two video games, the Los Angeles Lakers performed Monday with stars Luka Dončić and LeBron James following a seven-game absence by James.
For the second time in these two video games, the Lakers misplaced.
The Orlando Magic opened a 100-83 fourth-quarter lead, then held on for a 118-106 win. The victory snapped a six-game shedding streak at dwelling for the Magic, who hadn’t beforehand gained on the Kia Middle since Feb. 23.
Dončić and James every scored 24-plus factors. But it surely wasn’t sufficient to cease a stoop that is now seen the Lakers lose seven of their final 10 video games. The loss drops the Lakers to 43-28, which on the conclusion of Monday’s recreation dropped them right into a fourth-place tie within the West with the Memphis Grizzlies, a half-game behind the third-place Denver Nuggets.
The race for the No. 2 seed within the West stays tight with the Nuggets, Lakers and Grizzlies all inside 2.5 video games of the second-place Houston Rockets. The Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder are in charge of the No. 1 seed with a 13.5-game lead over Houston.
Monday’s loss to Orlando follows a 146-115 loss to the now 31-40 Chicago Bulls in James’ first recreation again from a groin damage. With Dončić and James again collectively, the Lakers had hoped to complete sturdy down the stretch within the race for the No. 2 seed. As an alternative, they continue to be mired in a mini-slump with consecutive losses to groups with shedding information.
Dončić led the Lakers with 32 factors, 7 rebounds and seven assists whereas hitting 4 of 10 3-pointers. However he struggled from the sector on a 9-of-23 capturing night time.
James posted 24 factors, 8 assists and 6 rebounds whereas capturing 9 of 18 from the sector. Austin Reaves (18 factors, six rebounds, 4 assists) and Dorrian Finney-Smith (14 factors, seven rebounds) joined the star duo in double figures for the Lakers.
However the Lakers had no reply for Orlando’s duo of Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero. Wagner, who scored 37 towards the Lakers in a November win in Los Angeles, torched the Lakers once more with 32 factors, 8 assists and 5 rebounds. Banchero added 30 factors and 7 rebounds to assist lead the season sweep of the Lakers.
The Lakers will look to get again within the win column on Wednesday towards the Pacers on the second leg of a four-game highway journey.
