By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Luka Dončić’s minutes restriction was lifted, but the Lakers still fell in their first game back from the break.
Los Angeles suffered a 100-97 defeat at Crypto.com Arena against Charlotte, despite the Slovenian star playing over 33 minutes.
Luka struggled to find his shooting rhythm, scoring just 14 points on 5-of-18 shooting from the field and 1-of-9 from beyond the arc. However, he was close to a triple-double, finishing with 11 rebounds and eight assists.
On the other hand, LeBron James had 26 points, 11 assists, and seven rebounds but missed two shots in the final seconds that could have forced overtime.
“I think sometimes when the group is trying to get acclimated with each other, you can try to play the right way too much and turn down shots. Then, you can try to get yourself into a rhythm and not make the extra pass,” Lakers coach J.J. Redick said following the loss to the Hornets.
Miles Bridges led Charlotte with 29 points, while LaMelo Ball added 27, along with six assists and five rebounds, hitting crucial free throws down the stretch. Mark Williams, whose trade to the Lakers was rescinded after he failed his medical, nearly had a double-double with 10 points and nine boards.
Jusuf Nurkić had an unusual stat line, recording eight rebounds, seven assists, and two blocks without scoring a single point. He became the first player to reach those numbers since 2018.