Jan. 23, 2026, 6:04 p.m. PT
The Los Angeles Lakers failed to put together their third win in a row on Thursday when they lost to the Los Angeles Clippers, 112-104. While their defense in the first half was lackluster and a step or two too slow, their offense thruoghout the entire game was arguably just as big a culprit.
They shot a mediocre 45.5% from the field and 33.3% from 3-point range, and only four players got into double figures in scoring for them. Only two of their players — Luka Doncic and LeBron James — got over 12 points, and overall, they had a lack of pace, ball movement and player movement.
Coach JJ Redick said that the Lakers didn’t pass the basketball enough, and he also said there wasn’t enough trust. He said that having trust in teammates has to start with Luka Doncic.
“There’s gotta be a trust factor with all our guys, just to trust the pass. That starts with Luka, he’s going to have the ball the most of everyone. He’s gotta trust the pass. He’s got two on him, he’s playing in a crowd, he’s gotta pass the ball. And I think as much as we can talk about being connected on defense, you gotta be connected on offense.”
Doncic did score 32 points and had eight assists, but he shot just 11-of-27 from the field and 3-of-13 from 3-point range. When the Lakers don’t move offensively, he ends up taking a lot of tough shots, especially from long range, and while he’s capable of making plenty of those shots, it isn’t a consistent recipe for success.
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Opponents often trap Doncic on the perimeter near the 3-point line and force him to give up the ball. While he does need to trust his teammates — and he often does — the other part of the equation is that his teammates need to move into open spots on the floor.
Redick even surmised that the approaching trade deadline could have something to do with the lack of team offense on Thursday.
“I think it just goes back to the human element of everything. Guys are worried about their futures, and that’s what happens when you’ve got a team full of free agents and player options. I think it’s just natural that you’re going to worry about the offense. I’ve been there, you can get in your head a little bit. Oh I’ve played five minutes, haven’t got a shot yet. And that’s a human thing, it’s not anybody’s fault.”
The heart of an eight-game road trip is coming up for Los Angeles. It will face the Dallas Mavericks and Chicago Bulls on Saturday and Monday, respectively, and both teams will be tougher than their mediocre records may suggest. L.A. also has contests against the potent Cleveland Cavaliers and an excellent New York Knicks team coming up on this trip.
It is natural for players to be a bit distracted near the trade deadline, especially while playing for a team such as the Lakers that needs to make a trade or two in order to become a contender. But the court needs to be their sanctuary during that time, and they need to leave their concerns behind when they step onto the hardwood for battle.