The Slovenian superstar turned 27 on Friday, but the real party happened at Chase Center. Doncic dominated from the opening tip, putting up a massive line of 26 points, six rebounds, and eight assists. He carved up the Warriors’ defense with surgical precision, shooting 9-of-17 from the field and connecting on four triples. It was the kind of performance that reminded everyone why the Lakers pushed all their chips into the middle to get him.

Steph Curry and Luka Doncic share some laughs after the Lakers win over the Warriors

pic.twitter.com/4OCdHHq84s

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 1, 2026

While the Lakers took care of business, Gui Santos did his best to keep Golden State in the hunt. The Brazilian finished with 14 points and two assists, hitting 6-of-12 from the field. The Warriors had no answer for the Lakers’ size and transition game, as Los Angeles outscored them in fast-break points.

The win is a massive momentum booster for a Lakers squad that has faced its fair share of criticism lately. LeBron James anchored the interior with 22 points and nine assists, while Austin Reaves chipped in 18 points to provide the necessary scoring balance.

For the Lakers, seeing their franchise cornerstone share a lighthearted moment with a legend like Curry signals a shifting of the guard in the Western Conference. If Doncic continues to play at this MVP level, Los Angeles might just be the “contender” everyone expected them to be.

The post Lakers’ Luka Doncic shares special moment with Stephen Curry after win over Warriors appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Barkley’s main gripe? He’s exhausted by the “contender” label constantly slapped on a team that, in his eyes, just isn’t very good. “I get sick of people talking about they’re contenders,” Barkley said. “The Lakers are not a good team. They’re not athletic, they’re not good defensively. I guess we’re contractually obligated to talk about them every day.”

"I get sick of people saying they’re contenders… The Lakers are not a good team. I just think it's funny how the media's turned on Luka [Doncic]… I guess we’re contractually obligated to talk about them every day."

— Charles Barkley pic.twitter.com/Bi0q2tu1sh

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 1, 2026

The “Chuckster” even turned his attention to superstar Luka Doncic. While the media’s honeymoon phase with the Slovenian guard seems to be cooling, Barkley took it a step further, joking that the Lakers are essentially “tanking” right now. He even went as far as to suggest that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver should step in with a fine because of their recent slide.

The numbers aren’t exactly silencing the critics. Following a narrow 113-110 loss to a Phoenix Suns team playing without Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks, the Lakers have now dropped three straight games. Despite the team’s struggles, Luka Doncic did his best to carry the load against Phoenix, putting up a massive stat line of 41 points on 12-of-21 shooting, along with eight rebounds and eight assists.

Currently sitting at 34-24 and holding the 6th seed in the Western Conference, the Lakers find themselves closer to the Play-In tournament than the top spot. With 24 games left, the pressure is mounting. If the Lakers want to prove Barkley wrong and stop the “tanking” narrative, they’ll need to find some defensive identity, and fast.

The post Charles Barkley is tired of talking about ‘not good’ Lakers appeared first on ClutchPoints.

LeBron James led the group in singing a “Happy Birthday” to the Slovenian international, who wears the number 77 both for the Lakers and his national team. Doncic’s teammates then brought out the highlight of the celebration which took place before their game against the Golden State Warriors, a birthday cake shaped like a jersey but split through the middle; one half representing his national team, and the other the franchise, per a post on X by ClutchPoints.

The Lakers sing happy birthday to Luka Doncic, who turns 27 today

(via @Lakers)pic.twitter.com/CfHfr8ekrn

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 1, 2026

“Slov-Lakers,” Doncic read out from the cake, which quickly became a slogan the entire room began to chant. The Lakers undoubtedly found cause for celebration despite the losses, with Luka Magic turning 27 on February 28.

Regardless, the Lakers are still sixth in the West with a 34-24 record but have lost crucial ground to teams such as the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Denver Nuggets, who both have a 37-23 record. Doncic and co. do have a rather straightforward route to bringing an end to the skid.

They have a relatively healthy roster with each of Austin Reaves, LeBron and Doncic to call upon. The Warriors in comparison are severely handicapped, with the Curry brothers out alongside Jimmy Butler and LJ Cryer, while Kristaps Porzingis is questionable and Draymond Green probable to play.

The Lakers need to steady the ship quickly in order to avoid dropping further down, with teams such as the Phoenix Suns (34-26) in close pursuit. The Suns also handed them the third of their three consecutive losses, with two of those coming against teams the Lakers would have expected to beat.

In addition to the Celtics, the Lakers also lost to the Orlando Magic 110-109, which again came despite the presence of their big three. A win will not only mean an end to the streak, but will also dampen the noise surrounding the fit of their three biggest stars on the same starting lineup.

The post Lakers have complete birthday celebration for Luka Doncic before Warriors matchup appeared first on ClutchPoints.

The Lakers have been handed a major boost considering Stephen Curry is confirmed to be out in addition to Jimmy Butler. They themselves have almost a clean injury report, and will once again look at Luka Doncic to provide the offensive impetus. The overall injury outlook has also translated in the odds, with DraftKings giving favorable odds to the visitors.

Lakers vs. Warriors Odds

Lakers: -4.5 

Warriors: +4.5 

Over: 229.5 

Under: 229.5

Lakers vs. Warriors Key Injuries

Stephen Curry has been officially ruled out due to a knee injury. The Warriors will also be without Jimmy Butler III, Seth Curry, and LJ Cryer. Forward Draymond Green is listed as probable, while big man Kristaps Porzingis is questionable to suit up. 

The Lakers enter the contest relatively healthy, with Rui Hachimura questionable and two absentees including Bronny James due to G League assignments.

Lakers vs. Warriors Betting Trends

The Lakers are 21-13 against the spread (ATS) as a favorite this season, including a sharp 10-6 ATS mark as a road favorite. Los Angeles has been highly profitable in tight lines, going 7-2 ATS when favored by between two and five points. They are also 4-2 ATS in their last six meetings with Golden State.

Golden State has struggled to cover recently, posting a 3-7 ATS record over its last 10 games. They are 5-8 ATS when entering as an underdog of 4.5 points or more this season.

The Over has been a dominant trend in this rivalry, cashing in eight of the past 10 head-to-head matchups between the Lakers and Warriors. The Over has hit in 57.6% of Golden State’s games overall this season, including five of their last six contests.

Keys to Lakers vs. Warriors Matchup

The Lakers (34-24) arrive at the Chase Center desperate to stop the three-game losing streak that includes a 22-point blowout against the Celtics and a narrow 113-110 defeat in Phoenix. They have all three of their big-3 fit and firing, although that has also been the case in the recent losses. Still, the Lakers know that they will face a lineup without their best players and have enough firepower to mount a resounding victory even.

Golden State will need Draymond Green to orchestrate the offense at anchor the defence while while they continue to rely on  Brandin Podziemski (12.3 PPG) and Moses Moody (12.0 PPG) for scoring.

Lakers vs. Warriors Prediction and Pick

The Lakers boast a stellar 18-12 straight-up record on the road and are looking much better on the injury report. The Warriors are always vulnerable without Curry and may struggle to keep up against a stack attack.

At the same time, LA continues to show vulnerability inside the paint and has actually been worse with their best players all on the court. Still, this should prove straightforward for Luka Doncic and company.

Spread Pick: Lakers -4.5

Over/Under Pick: Over 229.5

The post Lakers vs. Warriors prediction, odds, pick – 2/28/2026 appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Scott appeared on Rock 955’s The Morning Mosh Pit podcast and reflected on Bryant’s unforgettable finale against the Utah Jazz on April 13, 2016. Bryant, who spent all 20 seasons of his career with the Lakers, scored 60 points in a 101-96 victory at Staples Center, closing out one of the most decorated careers in league history.

Scott admitted Bryant struggled early in the game, prompting concern from the sideline.

“He started off horrible, couldn’t make a shot and I’m standing there and my first thought as I told him when I took over the job – I said, my job is to develop these young guys, that’s number one. Number two, to get you to game number 82 relatively healthy cause nobody plays in the NBA 82 games and you’re healthy like you started training camp… So, when he starts that game off the first 3/4 minutes I was like ‘this is not how I want him to go out.’ He couldn’t throw it in the ocean, then he got fouled and hit two free throws then all hell broke loose.”

Byron Scott details halftime decision that fueled Kobe Bryant’s 60 vs. Jazz

Bryant quickly found his rhythm after those free throws and began heating up offensively, energizing the crowd and his teammates. Scott then made a decisive adjustment at halftime.

“The second half I told him, third quarter ‘you’re not coming out. So get ready to play the rest of this game.’ And every timeout we’d get our board, the trainer gives me a board and I got a pen and an eraser and I would go sit down with the guys… I would sit down and I was like, ‘here’s the play guys. Kobe got the ball here, the rest of y’all get the hell out of the way.’ Just get the hell out of the way I said, ‘Kobe if you want a pick and roll just call one up.’ I said, ‘everybody get the hell out of the way, as simple as that.’ And he just went off.”

Byron Scott tells story of him coaching Kobe Bryant through his last NBA game when he scored 60

“He started off horrible, couldn’t make a shot… When he start that game off the first 3/4 minutes I was like ‘this is not how I want him to go out.’ He got fouled and hit two FTs… pic.twitter.com/QbiRhOYwTd

— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) February 28, 2026

Bryant scored 23 points in the fourth quarter alone, repeatedly delivering in isolation situations and late-game possessions. Despite the offensive surge, Scott said there was a moment late in the game when fatigue nearly caught up to the five-time NBA champion.

“There was a time with about six minutes left in that game where I didn’t think he would make it. He was so exhausted and it was just his will. His will got him through the last six minutes and I called a couple of timeouts just to give him rest.”

Scott recalls Lakers legend Bryant refusing to come out

Scott said Bryant never indicated he was ready to come out, even as exhaustion became visible.

“No, as matter of fact he told me opposite. Because I would look at him and said, ‘you got six more minutes left in that body?’ He wouldn’t answer, he looked at me like [nodding]. I was like damn… ‘You got three more minutes left in that body?’ [Nodding]. I was like okay, and I just let him go. It was a beautiful moment. That’s something else again, we won’t see this in our lifetime. You won’t see a guy who played 20 years in the NBA [and] score 60 in his last game. Michael Jordan had 20 something or 30 – not even close. So what we witnessed that night is history. It won’t be done again in our lifetime and no better guy to do it.”

Bryant finished his career with five championships, two Finals MVP awards and one regular-season MVP. His 60-point farewell remains one of the most iconic performances in NBA history and a defining moment for the Lakers franchise.

Nearly a decade later, Scott’s account provides further insight into the final chapter of Bryant’s career — a performance driven by endurance, willpower and an unwavering competitive edge.

The post Byron Scott shares behind-the-scenes story from Kobe Bryant’s 60-point Lakers finale appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Over the course of Doncic’s eight-year career, Saturday’s game will be just the sixth time he’ll be playing on his birthday. The now-27-year-old guard has recorded 30 or more points in the past three games he has played on his birthday. He scored 39 points in 2023, 30 points in 2024, and 31 points in 2025.

Birthday Luka Luka Magic

Dončić the past 3 years on this day:
39 PTS (2023)
30 PTS (2024)
31 PTS (2025)

What does he have in store for his 27th tonight in the Bay?

LAL/GSW | 8:30pm/et on ABC pic.twitter.com/igXpLif6hs

— NBA (@NBA) February 28, 2026

Luka Doncic should have a great chance to score at least 30 points against the Warriors. Especially considering he’s averaging a league-high 32.7 points per game. It’s the third time in his career so far that he is averaging over 30 points per game. The six-time All-Star is also averaging 7.8 rebounds, 8.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per contest while shooting 47.0% from the floor and 35.7% from beyond the three-point line.

He will also have an opportunity to snap the Lakers’ three-game losing streak. It’s been a rough go for Los Angeles lately, as the past two losses have been by three points or less. Both the Orlando Magic and Phoenix Suns defeated the L.A., thanks to some clutch shots to take the lead in the closing seconds of those games.

The Lakers and Warriors are set to tip off at 8:30 p.m. EST. It will be taking place in Golden State, making it the second consecutive road game for Luka Doncic and the Lakers.

The post Luka Doncic carries jaw-dropping birthday streak into Lakers’ matchup vs. Warriors appeared first on ClutchPoints.

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Rui Hachimura injury status vs. Warriors

After sitting out of the Lakers’ last game, a 113-110 loss to the Suns, Rui Hachimura is on track for a second consecutive absence. The team lists its seventh-year forward as doubtful with his lingering illness on the official injury report.

Hachimura has missed 11 games this year and has bounced in and out of the starting lineup. He is still a crucial part of JJ Redick’s vision, averaging the fourth-most minutes on the team.

Against the Suns, Hachimura’s playing time went to Jake LaRavia, who chipped in 11 points in 28 minutes off the bench. However, Jarred Vanderbilt could be in line for additional court time against a bigger Warriors team if the Japanese forward misses another game.

While Hachimura is the only significant absence for the Lakers, the Warriors are dealing with a plethora of injuries. Golden State will still be without Stephen Curry, who has not played since Jan. 30, though Draymond Green is on track to return from a one-game absence.

De’Anthony Melton, Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody have guided the Warriors in the absence of their stars. Rookie Will Richard is also coming off a 21-point outing in a win over the Memphis Grizzlies, his highest-scoring game since November.

Lakers injury report

Rui Hachimura — Doubtful, illness

Bronny James — OUT, G League

Adou Thiero — OUT, G League

Warriors injury report

Jimmy Butler — OUT, Right ACL surgery

LJ Cryer — OUT, G League

Seth Curry — OUT, Left sciatic nerve irritation

Stephen Curry — OUT, Right patellofemoral pain syndrome

Draymond Green — Probable, Left lower back injury management

Kristaps Porzingis — Questionable, illness

The post Is Rui Hachimura playing tonight? Lakers vs. Warriors injury report appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Draymond Green and Kristaps Porzingis are both on the injury report ahead of this matchup, per the official injury report. Green is currently listed as probable as he manages a left low back injury, while Porzingis is questionable with a general illness.

While those two players might still play, Stephen Curry will not as he is confirmed to be out with a right patellofemoral injury. Curry joins the likes of his brother Seth, Jimmy Butler and LJ Cryer, who are all out.

For the Lakers, Rui Hachimura is doubtful while Bronny James and Adou Thierro are out due to G League assignments.

*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)*

Draymond Green and Kristaps Porzingis injury status vs. Lakers

Given Draymond Green is probable on the injury report, the assumption is he will be suiting up in what is a marquee matchup. The veteran forward is currently averaging 8.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per contest while shooting 41% from the field.

Porzingis’s status is murkier, and he is less likely to play considering his questionable status. The division-leading Lakers (34-24) arrive in San Francisco desperate to snap a three-game losing streak following a narrow 113-110 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Thursday.

Despite their recent struggles, Los Angeles will look at their Big-3 for inspiration once again. Luka Doncic leads the NBA in scoring at 32.7 points per game (while adding 7.8 rebounds and 8.6 assists), Austin Reaves is enjoying a career year averaging 24.6 points, and the ageless LeBron James is contributing 21.5 points, 7.0 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per night.

Los Angeles and Golden State have split their first two head-to-head matchups this season, with both previous games taking place in Los Angeles. The Lakers are 18-12 on the road this year, while the Warriors are 19-11 on their home floor.

Lakers injury report

Rui Hachimura: Doubtful (Illness)

Bronny James: Out (G League – On Assignment)

Adou Thiero: Out (G League – On Assignment)

Warriors injury report

Draymond Green: Probable (Left Low Back Injury Management)

Kristaps Porzingis: Questionable (Illness)

Stephen Curry: Out (Right Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome)

Seth Curry: Out (Left Sciatic Nerve Irritation)

Jimmy Butler III: Out (Right ACL Surgery)

LJ Cryer: Out (G League – Two-Way)

The post Are Draymond Green, Kristaps Porzingis playing tonight? Warriors vs. Lakers injury report appeared first on ClutchPoints.

There’s no denying that James is in the final stages of his career; whether or not this season is the final one, it’s happening sooner rather than later. Cowherd would mention James being 41 years old, how some statistical categories show his age, and how the initial move of the star to Los Angeles was a “Hollywood marriage” and how it’s ending with the focus moving to Luka Doncic.

“LeBron [James] is 41, he’s averaging the fewest minutes of his career, the fewest points per game since his rookie season, and he is the second slowest player in the entire league,” Cowherd said. “LeBron had leverage over the NBA for 21 years. 22 years, it’s all dried up. Let’s be totally honest about LeBron and the Lakers. It was always a Hollywood marriage, two hot stars. And you know what happens in Hollywood; One of the stars eventually starts dating somebody younger. That’s Luka.”

LeBron and the Lakers are headed for a Hollywood divorce @colincowherd pic.twitter.com/VHpimdYaet

— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) February 27, 2026

Still, James is averaging 21.5 points, seven assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game while shooting 49.8 percent from the field, and while other seasons in the past are better, some could argue this year still is impressive, given his age. Whatever the case may be, there’s no doubt that the Lakers have found their next face of the franchise in Doncic, who is leading the league with 32.7 points per game to go along with averaging 8.6 assists and 7.8 rebounds on 47 percent shooting from the field.

Subsequently, James and Los Angeles look to have as much success as possible with the team at a 34-24 record, putting them sixth in the Western Conference.

The post Colin Cowherd draws up ‘Hollywood’ comparison for LeBron James-Lakers relationship appeared first on ClutchPoints.

The latest was GOAT, where he was a voice actor and co-producer of the animinated move. Brian Windhorst shared on the Hoop Collective that he went to see the movie.

“I went with my son’s basketball team to see the GOAT movie, Steph Curry’s movie,” Windhorst said. “I don’t know if it’s his movie.”

He then decided to rank the movie over a LeBron James classic.

“Awesome. With all due respect to Space Jam 2, GOAT is the GOAT. That’s all I’m going to say,” Windhorst said.

It’s hard to know if other people agree with Windhorst’s take, but many enjoyed Space Jam 2 and what it had to offer as a new era version of the first one, which starred Michael Jordan.

This also doesn’t seem to be a subtle shot at James from Windhorst, even though both had some jabs for each other last season.

James went on the Pat McAfee Show last season and spoke about Windhorst.

“I’ve seen Brian Windhorst on one of these shows not too long ago… This guy says he’s like my f—— best friend,” James said. “These guys are just weird.”

Windhorst responded with respect and honesty instead of hatred.

“LeBron doesn’t owe me anything. I owe him a lot. He has been a great friend to my hometown and my alma mater. That I would stand on. Anything else, I would never say or never stand on,” Windhorst said on ESPN Cleveland.

The post Brian Windhorst ranks Stephen Curry’s new GOAT movie above LeBron James’ Space Jam 2 appeared first on ClutchPoints.

During a recent appearance on the Los Angeles radio station Power 106, Scott spoke about why he thinks the Lakers’ future after this season should not include LeBron James.

“I just thought it was laughable, coming from one of the greatest players to ever play the game, that it was harder to play now than it was then,” Scott said. “I’m a fan, but I don’t mince words. I think this should be his last year here. . .you don’t got to go home, but you got to get the hell up out of here.”

Judging by Scott’s comments, it looks as if his reasoning is based more on emotion rather than James’ talent and fit with the current Lakers team. The debate between the strength of eras among players and fans doesn’t seem like it will end anytime soon.

What isn’t up for debate is how the Lakers’ acquisition of James helped bring the franchise out of irrelevancy following the retirement of Kobe Bryant. After signing as a free agent with the Lakers in the 2018 offseason, James led the organization to their first championship in a decade and has helped keep the Lakers a relevant playoff contender in subsequent years.

This season, James has appeared in 40 games, at a little over 33 minutes per game. He’s been averaging 21.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 1.1 steals with splits of 49.8 percent shooting from the field, 29.9 percent shooting from the 3-point line, and 74.8 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

The post Why Byron Scott believes this should be LeBron James’ final season with Lakers appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Howard posted on X, formerly known as Twitter:

“People like Taj Gibson & Al Horford is the reason I ain’t retired I want a farewell tour”

The message came shortly after the Memphis Grizzlies agreed to sign Gibson to a two-year contract following their buyout of Kyle Anderson, who joined the Minnesota Timberwolves. Gibson, 40, played during the 2024-25 season with the Charlotte Hornets, averaging 2.9 points and 3.2 rebounds in 11.1 minutes per game across 37 appearances, including 11 starts. He shot 49.5% from the field, 50% from three-point range and 60% from the free-throw line.

Horford, 39, also secured a new deal this offseason, signing a two-year, $12 million contract with the Golden State Warriors that includes a player option for the 2026-27 season. Horford has maintained a consistent role this season, averaging 21.2 minutes over 37 games with seven starts. He’s posting averages of eight points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.1 blocks while shooting 43.1% from the field, 35.4% from three and 89.5% from the free-throw line.

Dwight Howard points to Al Horford, Taj Gibson as blueprint for potential NBA return

Howard, 39, last appeared in the NBA during the 2021-22 season with the Los Angeles Lakers. In 60 games, including 27 starts, he averaged 6.2 points and 5.9 rebounds while shooting 61.2% from the field and 53.3% from three-point range in limited attempts.

A former No. 1 overall pick by the Orlando Magic in 2004, Howard built a Hall of Fame résumé over 18 seasons. He earned eight All-Star selections, three Defensive Player of the Year awards and led the Magic to the 2009 NBA Finals. He won an NBA championship with the Lakers during the 2019-20 season.

Howard was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in September as part of the 2025 class that also included Carmelo Anthony.

While Howard has not formally announced comeback plans, his remarks suggest he remains motivated by the sustained careers of Horford and Gibson as he considers the possibility of a farewell tour in the NBA.

The post Dwight Howard using Al Horford, Taj Gibson as examples for possible NBA return appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Check our Sneakers news for more upcoming releases and breaking content!

The Forum opened in 1967 in Inglewood, California as an architecture marvel at the time and immediately became one of the most recognized indoor venues in the world. The arena housed the Los Angeles Lakers throughout the “Showtime Lakers” era, along with the Los Angeles Kings and Wayne Gretzky gracing the ice.

The Lakers notably moved to the Staples Center in 1999, but not before Kobe Bryant was able to play his first three seasons (1996, 1997, 1998) on the same floor that legends like Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar graced during their iconic careers. Honoring that early “Mamba Magic,” this pair is inspired by the lights illuminating The Forum during it’s heyday.

Nike Kobe 3 Low “Mamba Magic”

Early look: Nike Kobe 3 Low Protro “Forum” inspired by the pink lights that surround the arena

: @dchatlani pic.twitter.com/kMfEp9w5oM

— Complex Sneakers (@ComplexSneakers) February 25, 2026

Detailed look: Nike Kobe 3 Low Protro “Forum”

: (IG) sam_tabak pic.twitter.com/faRvle4jvH

— Complex Sneakers (@ComplexSneakers) February 25, 2026

FIRST LOOK: Nike Kobe 3 Low Protro “Mamba Magic”

RELEASE DETAILS: https://t.co/RNLVWJZscw pic.twitter.com/97DeR9nmJ6

— Sneaker Bar Detroit (@SBDetroit) February 25, 2026

Donned on the updated Nike Kobe 3 Low silhouette, the colorway is identified as Doll/Pink Foam/White to emulate the light pinks lights around The Forum. We see a lavender purple along the rubber webbed uppers, appearing slighty translucent to match the lighter shade along the outsole. A black streak along the midsole feeds into the back heel plate, matching itself to the black sockliner.

While the looks are still limited, we see chrome Nike branding throughout as well as on the Mamba tongue logo. The laces and tongue are finished in white mesh to provide further contrast, completing the overall palette for this interesting colorway.

We’re still awaiting word on an official release date, but the Nike Kobe 3 Low “Mamba Magic” is expected to drop sometime during the spring season of 2026. Expect an online release through Nike SNKRS along with a more selective stock at partnering Nike locations.

The post New Nike Kobe 3 sneakers are inspired by The Forum appeared first on ClutchPoints.

The Lakers have now lost five of their last seven games, and they’re looking to get back on track during the second half of the season. After the game, Doncic spoke about what the team needed to do to get into the win column again.

“Just go game-by-game, try to win every game. Obviously, we didn’t start good [out of the All-Star break], but nothing is over. We just got to keep bringing the mindset of trying to win every game,” Doncic said.

“Just go game-by-game, try to win every game. Obviously we didn’t start good [out of the All-Star break], but nothing is over. We just got to keep bringing the mindset of trying to win every game” – Luka Doncic on what the Lakers, losers of 5 out of 7, must do to get on track pic.twitter.com/Bjbd9nJutO

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) February 27, 2026

Head coach JJ Redick offered another perspective on the recent losses, and he knows the spotlight is weighing heavily on them just because of who they are.

“Our losses are louder than other teams. Because we’re the Lakers — and how we lose,” Redick said via Benjamin Royer of The Orange County Register.

The Lakers have been healthy over this stretch as well, which probably makes things more frustrating for them. The past two losses are not something to be overly concerned about since they’ve come down to the final possession, but those are games they definitely want to win.

The Lakers are now 34-24 and are sixth in the Western Conference standings, and there’s a chance they could fall into the Play-In. There’s still enough time in the season for them to tighten up and start stringing together some wins so they can get a comfortable spot in the top six.

The post Luka Doncic’s defiant declaration after Lakers gets exposed again in last-second loss to Suns appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Royce O’Neale deserves to bask in the limelight after nailing the game-winning 3-pointer with less than one second left on the clock, but the public is focusing much of its attention on Ayton. In what was the Lakers’ second straight devastating loss, he disappeared against his former team and was force-fed a gigantic piece of humble pie. His performance effectively tells the story, but fans are expressing their opinions on the matter just the same.

NBA fans come for Lakers’ Deandre Ayton

“Deandre Ayton said the Los Angeles Lakers were trying make him Clint Capela, and in his first game following those comments, he ended up playing more like Kwame Brown,” Chris Walder of Odds Shark posted on X, referencing the former No.1 pick and LA big man who severely underachieved during his NBA career.”

For those wondering, Capela recorded four points, six rebounds, three assists and four blocks in just 17 minutes of action, as the Houston Rockets edged out the Orlando Magic on the same night as Ayton’s dud.

“On everything I love Deandre Ayton would literally be delivering my doordash if He wasn’t 7 foot tall,” @BeenHim16 proclaimed. “The Deandre Ayton signing is going exactly how the haters said it would go,” @jeff_on_sports commented. “Finally earned the #1 pick for the Suns,” @The_MilesFiles quipped. “Their best player tonight.”

Ouch. Ayton has experienced some good moments while wearing the Purple and Gold — totaled 21 points and 13 boards Tuesday versus the Magic — but his first season in LA is not going how fans hoped. The 27-year-old was averaging 13.2 points and 8.5 rebounds through 49 games entering the Suns clash. Fans rip him apart, but he could be a true difference-maker when at his best.

Ayton averages a double-double for his career, so he should have the ability to make a consistent impact. The Lakers and NBA fans are just not seeing it, however. Following this rough outing in Phoenix, the Bahamian has reached a pivotal point in his Los Angeles tenure. He can allow himself to be inundated by the struggles and subsequent ridicule, or he can use this low point as motivation for the remainder of the campaign.

Which path will he walk?

The post Lakers’ Deandre Ayton trolled hard by fans after embarrassing loss to Suns appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Royce O’Neale was the unlikely hero for the depleted Suns, draining the game-winning three-pointer with 0.9 seconds left.

The Lakers had the chance to send the game into overtime, but Austin Reaves missed his last-gasp attempt from deep. They fell to 34-24, while the Suns improved to 34-26.

Lakers coach JJ Redick once again pointed out their lack of defensive effort as a big factor in their latest loss, as reported by The Athletic’s Dan Woike.

“JJ Redick said the Lakers talked about limiting their shooters, not in terms of makes but attempts. Suns took 50 (three-pointers). Said that’s the part that ‘hurt us a lot,'” wrote Woike on X.

The Lakers shot better from the field at 51% compared to the Suns’ 46%. Phoenix, however, had 11 more three-pointers, going 22-of-50 from long distance.

Los Angeles is allowing 36.5 three-point attempts this season.

The Purple and Gold still failed to get the job done even though Phoenix played without its top two scorers, Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks, due to injuries.

Since being hired by the Lakers last season, the 41-year-old Redick has repeatedly harped on the importance of buckling down on the defensive end. They are giving up 115.9 points on 48.7% shooting this season—both in the bottom half of the league.

The Lakers stormed back from a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter to give them a chance to win against the Suns.

Luka Doncic had a game-high 41 points on top of eight rebounds and eight assists. Reaves and LeBron James combined for 29 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists.

Deandre Ayton had another woeful game with two points and four rebounds.

The post What hurt Lakers in narrow loss to Suns, per JJ Redick appeared first on ClutchPoints.

“Very high,” Reaves stated during his postgame media sessions.

The difference between the Magic game and the Thursday night was the Lakers ended up taking the late game shot they wanted. Against the Magic, Luka Doncic was freed up by a Deandre Ayton screen to take the potential game-winner. In a bewildering moment, he passed the ball to LeBron James who was forced into a rushed fadeaway.

Trailing by three against the Suns and looking to send the game into overtime, Austin Reaves ran through a series of screens to free himself up in the corner for an open three. Marcus Smart found him, but his shot was slightly off.

As with the Magic game, the Lakers held a double digit lead in the second half, only to watch the Suns storm back and surge ahead. When the game becomes close down the stretch, that’s when all the little things are magnified. For Reaves, there were plenty of blunders for the Lakers on the margins that could have changed the outcome if they had been better, as per Khobi Price of The California Post.

“Control the controllables. There was a handful of plays tonight where I felt like if we are better, then it can swing the game,” Reaves said. “Every possession matters. That sounds like a cliche because there’s so many of them, but it can swing the game in either direction throughout the game. One little play, one little mistake can ignite a crowd, ignite a team, whatever it may be. Control those controllables.”

Against the Suns, Reaves finished with 14 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals. It was only his third game back in the starting lineup since his minutes restriction was lifted following his return from a calf injury.

The Lakers’ mini road trip concludes with a trip to visit the Golden State Warriors on Saturday. The team will then return home for the second night of a back-to-back with the Sacramento Kings in town on Sunday evening.

The post Austin Reaves’ 2-word mic drop after crushing loss vs. Suns appeared first on ClutchPoints.

The latest was another painful one that went down to the wire, as Los Angeles got knocked off by a clutch 3-pointer by Royce O’Neale in a 113-110 road loss at the hands of the Phoenix Suns.

The losses have indeed been piling up for JJ Redick’s team, making the spotlight the Lakers are eternally under even more intense.

That is also the point that Redick made following the setback in Phoenix.

“Our losses are louder than other teams. Because we’re the Lakers — and how we lose,” Redick said, via Benjamin Royer of The Orange County Register.

To refresh, the Lakers were blown out of the water by the Boston Celtics in a 111-109 loss at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday before losing to the Orlando Magic, 110-109, at home on Tuesday.

The ending to that Magic game made the defeat harder to accept for Lakers fans. Then, against the Suns, Los Angeles got beaten by a perfectly executed play down the stretch by Phoenix that did not even have Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks.

The loss to the Suns wasted Luka Doncic’s 41 point-eruption, while LeBron James and Austin Reaves combined for 29 points.

However, the Lakers got repeatedly burned by Phoenix’s outside shooting, with the Suns making 22 3-pointers on an absurd 44 percent success rate. It is always going to be hard to beat teams that shoot that well, but the Lakers could have also gotten better performances from Doncic’s supporting cast, including Deandre Ayton, who coughed up just two points and grabbed four rebounds in 23 minutes.

The post Lakers’ JJ Redick drops ‘loud’ truth bomb about lakers’ losses appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Now, add to that esteemed list: Deandre Ayton and Clint Capela? Emphasis on the question mark.

Ayton recently addressed his reduced role on the Lakers, saying, “They’re trying to make me Clint Capela.”

After the Lakers lost to the Phoenix Suns on Thursday, 113-110, Capela found the perfect time to clap back at Ayton.

“You got two of the best floor generals in the game, my dawg. Lock in,” wrote the veteran center on his Instagram Story, adding two laughing emojis.

Clint Capela calls out Deandre Ayton on IG

“U got 2 of the best floor general in the game my dawg Lockinnn ” pic.twitter.com/fn2q1qGwV2

— LakersMuse (@LALMuse) February 27, 2026

It was a clever response from the 31-year-old Capela, who has learned to embrace his minimal role in his second stint with the Rockets. Of course, he was referring to Luka Doncic and LeBron James, who are among the most selfless playmakers in the league.

Ayton finished with two points and four rebounds in 23 minutes against the Suns.

His first stint with the Lakers has been up-and-down, to say the least. There has been a stretch when he was an instant double-double, and there have been games wherein he looked like he just started playing basketball a few months ago.

There have always been concerns about Ayton’s competitiveness and motor, and the Lakers have experienced them recently.

Ayton is averaging 13.0 points and 8.0 rebounds this season.

The Lakers will have to answer many questions about Ayton. But really, the most interesting one is: Will he fire back at Capela?

The post Clint Capela claps back at Lakers’ Deandre Ayton after woeful game vs. Suns appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Check our Sneakers news for more upcoming releases and breaking content!

In a story from ESPN’s Baxter Holmes, Nike creators originally intended for the “Black Mamba” moniker to be attached to Michael Jordan. While Jordan is widely know as the “Black Cat” to many for his jaguar-like movement on the court and several sneaker colorways with the nickname, the mamba concept was born when developing the Air Jordan 19 sneakers.

Michael Jordan had wanted a new concept for the 19th sneaker in his signature collection, to which a design team looked to innovated the first laceless basketball sneaker. The weave locking system resembled snakeskin, so the creative team jumped at the idea of branding Jordan as “The Black Mamba.”

Kobe Bryant emerging as “The Black Mamba”

As it turns out, Michael Jordan was “visibly uncomfortable” during the pitch as the creative team wasn’t previously aware of Jordan’s phobia of snakes. The blunder was a complete afterthought and Nike executive diverged from the idea for some time. That is, until Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant left Adidas in 2003 to join Nike.

The talented, yet controversial talent was then dubbed the new “Black Mamba,” an alter ego Bryant fully embraced with his mindset and play on the court. Growing up a fan of the “Kill Bill” films, Bryant was able to transform into the “Black Mamba” en route to winning five championship rings.

The Nike Kobe signature line

The Nike Kobe signature line grew into a phenomenon of its own, spanning across 12 name-bearing silhouettes and pioneering the designs of the most popular basketball sneakers in the current landscape. Legendary Nike sneaker designer Eric Avar spearheaded the operation and truly helped to convey the Mamba Mentality through sneakers that would fit the same attitude.

Several designs like the Nike Kobe 3 and Nike Kobe 6 took direct inspiration from snakes, while recent releases play even further into the ‘Black Mamba’ moniker with updated colorway. In the NBA today, the Nike Kobe sneakers are the most widely-worn shoe out of any other model.

Transcending basketball

Not only is the Nike Kobe line dominating the footwear of the NBA, but the hottest football cleats on the market currently are the Nike Kobe 6 PE sneakers-turned-cleats players have been wearing around the NFL. Athletes across all sports have been inspired by Kobe Bryant’s play on the court, but it’s been the Mamba Mentality that transcends all sports and speaks to the competitor in all of us.

While the “Black Mamba” may have not been the clear choice for the greatest player of all time in Michael Jordan, they couldn’t have landed on a better player to represent as the “Black Mamba” than Kobe Bryant. He lived the moniker throughout his entire NBA career, addressing the fans in a Lakers’ uniform one last time by saying “Mamba out.”

The post Michael Jordan received Nike’s first Black Mamba pitch before Kobe Bryant earned moniker appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Doncic later took accountability for the mistake, which countered his reputation as one of the NBA’s most lethal performers in the clutch. In fact, Doncic has bizarrely not shown up in the clutch with any consistency for the past two seasons, dating back to his time with the Dallas Mavericks.

“Over the last two seasons, 207 NBA players have made a shot to tie or go-ahead in the final minute of a game,” per Stathead, via Tom Haberstroh on X, formerly Twitter. “Luka Doncic is not among those 207 players. Tuesday night’s bizarre grenade to LeBron is no aberration.”

Doncic has made several big plays at the buzzer throughout his career, including his shot to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 2 of the 2024 Western Conference Finals, but that trend has tapered off significantly over the last two years, which is hard to explain.

The Slovenian star can get his shot off against most any defender in the league, and has a vast array of moves at his disposal that he can use to get to his spots. The Lakers for the most part have been elite in close games this season, which goes a long way in explaining their solid record despite a mediocre net rating, so Doncic’s clutch shortcomings haven’t been impacting the team much, outside of the loss against the Magic.

However, Los Angeles will certainly want Doncic taking and making those last-second shots once the playoffs roll around.

The Lakers will next take the floor on Thursday evening vs the Phoenix Suns on the road.

The post Lakers’ Luka Doncic bizarrely not among last-second shot-takers in NBA appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Capela was never a big-time scoring threat in the NBA, and he never was one to take many shots during a game. He holds a career average of 8.1 field goal attempts per game, and throughout his 12-year career thus far, he’s only ever had two seasons where he took double-digit shot attempts.

But then again, Capela was a late first-round draft pick. He was never expected to turn into a star player of any sort. He’s always known what his role is in the NBA and he’s played that role to perfection. Ayton, on the other hand, was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. There has only been one season of his eight-year career where he’s taken less than 10 shots attempts per game, and that’s this season with the Lakers.

When the Lakers initially signed Ayton as a free agent this past offseason, it was not without some reservations. His previous stops with the Phoenix Suns and Portland Trail Blazers were overshadowed by reported behavior issues. But Ayton insisted that he knew what was at stake in terms of his career when joining the Lakers.

And now, with more than half of the season gone by, some of those issues are starting to creep up again. But if Deandre Ayton wants to continue to shape his image and the overall perception of him in a good way, he needs to embrace the Clint Capela role for the Lakers.

Deandre Ayton becoming Clint Capela will help Lakers

The way that Ayton referred to his role turning into Capela seemed to suggest that, that was beneath a player of his caliber. But all of that aside, Capela actually played a major role as the starting center during a period when the Rockets were viewed as a legitimate contender in the Western Conference.

His Rockets career averages are 11.1 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocked shots while shooting 61.4 percent from the field. During the playoffs, his averages were 8.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocked shots with 60.2 percent shooting from the field. Again, Capela knew his role and played it to perfection.

Coming into this season, Ayton himself knew he was going to have to sacrifice some of his offense while playing alongside Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves, as per Daniel Starkand of Lakers Nation. Those three players will always have the ball in their hands the majority of the time, and will take the lion’s share of shot attempts. That’s not a bad thing, and that’s how the Lakers should operate.

Ayton has already shown he can be a good defensive anchor for this Lakers team. He’s shown he can be engaged on both ends of the court and on the glass. Back before the Lakers squared off against the Atlanta Hawks on Jan. 13, head coach JJ Redick mentioned how Ayton can’t fool anyone in terms of the effort he can bring on the defensive end on a consistent basis.

“When he’s engaged, he’s been good. There’s some technique stuff that we’ve worked on with him all season, in his individual workouts and our defensive shells,” Redick said. “It‘s just more consistency. He’s shown he can do it. . .Deandre has told on himself. He can be a really good defender.”

For a Lakers team that has had their issues defensively, Ayton can be the piece that makes a major difference. It’s just that he’s been more engaged on the defensive end when he’s consistently getting shot attempts.

There’s a trade off for that, however. Ayton is taking a career-low 9.0 shot attempts, but he’s shooting a career-high 66.7 percent from the field. Playing alongside creators like Doncic, James and Reaves, the quality of looks he’s going to get are going to be better.

Embracing the Capela role of playing strong defense and hitting the glass hard, is not only crucial as far as raising the team’s ceiling, but also extending his NBA career. Ayton potentially has one more year left on the contract he signed with the Lakers should he exercise his team option.

Whether he stays with the Lakers or opts to go elsewhere, if he can show that he’s able to buy into that Capela-like role, he will have a spot in the league. The NBA is often a rude awakening for guys who are used to having the ball in their hands and being a primary offensive option. That was Ayton’s role during his lone season at Arizona. That was his role in high school.

But in the NBA, players don’t just sprout into No. 1 options late in their career. It’s either there or it isn’t. And Ayton has the ability to be a good complimentary player on a winning team. He just needs to realize that before it’s too late.

The post Why Deandre Ayton must embrace Clint Capela role he hates for Lakers’ success appeared first on ClutchPoints.

After the game, Ayton was asked if he thinks his effort is being recognized by his teammates.

“The ball finds energy,” Ayton said via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “They believe in me when I’m down there and sealing and they see me running hard to the rim and crashing, they reward me.”

After doing media, Ayton walked to the showers and shouted, “They’re trying to make me Clint Capela.”

That seemed to be a reference to how Capela has been used throughout most of his career, which is a rim-running, lob threat who can grab rebounds at a high level. Ayton is basically saying he has more than that in his game, and he’d probably like to be utilized more to his strengths.

Unfortunately for Ayton, his role on the Lakers is more like Capela’s role, according to a team source.

“When he’s at his best, and we’ve seen it, we’ve seen glimpses of it, he’s playing with force,” the team source said. “And that’s playing with great force on both ends of the floor when it comes to screening. Then rolling and putting pressure on the rim; [when the] shot goes up, crashing the glass; sprinting back in transition; loading to the basketball; calling out your communication; being in the right positioning; contesting shots; boxing out. Those things for a big are just really thankless when you’re a skilled big. But on this team, that’s what his role is.”

With all the other talent on the Lakers such as Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves, it’s going to be hard for Ayton to be who he truly believes he is.

The post Deandre Ayton made sure media knows he’s upset with Lakers ‘making him Clint Capela’ appeared first on ClutchPoints.

However, Rui Hachimura is on the official injury report alongside Jaxson Hayes. While Hachimura was originally listed as questionable, he was downgraded to out a couple of hours before the game. Hayes was listed as probable. Hachimura is dealing with an illness, while Hayes is nursing a right ankle sprain.

The two join Bronny James and Adou Thiero, who are both confirmed to be out.

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Rui Hachimura injury status vs. Suns

Given that Hachimura is ruled out, the Lakers will need other players in the second unit to step up. He came off the bench against the Magic to add 10 points and two steals and may once again prove useful off the bench.

The Suns, meanwhile, still have Dillon Brooks, Devin Booker, Cole Anthony and Haywood Highsmith confirmed to be missing. The Lakers (34-23) have slipped to sixth in the tightly packed Western Conference after suffering back-to-back losses, including the humbling against the Boston Celtics.

Meanwhile, the Suns (33-26) have dropped seven of their last ten games to fall to seventh in the standings. Hachimura is averaging 11.7 points and 3.4 rebounds per game and will add another threat against a team that is majorly depleted.

Phoenix currently leads the season series 2-1, making this fourth and final meeting critical for potential postseason tiebreaker scenarios.

Lakers injury report

Rui Hachimura: Out (Illness)

Jaxson Hayes: Probable (Right Ankle; Sprain)

Bronny James: Out (G League – On Assignment)

Adou Thiero: Out (G League – On Assignment)

Suns injury report

Cole Anthony: Out (Not With Team)

Devin Booker: Out (Right Hip; Strain)

Dillon Brooks: Out (Left Hand; Fracture)

Jordan Goodwin: Out (Left Calf; Strain)

Haywood Highsmith: Out (Right Knee; Injury Management)

The post Lakers’ Rui Hachimura ruled out for Suns game appeared first on ClutchPoints.

After being blown out by the Boston Celtics on Sunday, the Lakers followed that up with a crushing 110-109 loss to the Orlando Magic. The loss dropped Los Angeles to 34-23, two games ahead of the Phoenix Suns in the Pacific Division.

On Thursday, the teams will square off in the desert. Thankfully for the Lakers, Phoenix will once again be missing some of its most important pieces.

Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, Jordan Goodwin, Haywood Highsmith, and Cole Anthony have all been ruled out, per AZ Central’s Duane Rankin. Booker is, of course, the biggest loss for the Suns.

Booker suffered a right hip strain against the San Antonio Spurs last week. In the three games since, Phoenix’s offense has been paltry. They were also blown out by the Celtics, losing by 16 points, 97-81, Tuesday night. They managed just 77 points in the game prior against the Portland Trail Blazers.

With the Lakers’ big three likely playing, it might prove difficult for the Suns to keep up.

Los Angeles’ second unit might even get a boost. Backup center Jaxson Hayes was upgraded to probable on Wednesday, while Rui Hachimura is listed as questionable with an illness.

The Lakers have had their troubles, but offense, for the most part, has not been among them. The defensive end of the court has left plenty to be desired. But with Jalen Green struggling in his return, and the Suns lacking many other scoring options, Thursday appears to be a prime opportunity to get back into the win column.

This game may very well go a long way to determine the division winner. The Suns have won two of the first three meetings and a Lakers loss would ensure the tiebreak for Phoenix.

The post Suns injury report will inspire confidence Lakers can snap losing streak appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Speaking on NBA Today, Spears pointed to the final sequence of the Lakers’ 110-109 loss to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night, when Los Angeles had 6.7 seconds remaining and a chance to win. James inbounded the ball to Doncic, who later passed up an open look to James for a contested fadeaway 3-pointer over Jonathan Isaac on the left wing.

“There’s not many players in the NBA that close games better than LeBron James and in the one to two minute mark, Luka shot a three, Austin shot a three. LeBron James is standing over the side with Desmond Bane guarding him, he’s taller than Desmond Bane, fifty pounds heavier, and he’s there while they’re doing this one-on-one. And I think as great as Luka is, I want the ball in LeBron James’ hands because he can take the ball to the basket, pass out to Luka, pass out to Austin, I don’t think he should’ve taken the ball out at the end of the game. I think he should’ve gotten the ball… and he’s a great closer and didn’t get a chance to close.”

“I think as great as Luka [Doncic] is, I want the ball in LeBron James’ hands because he can take the ball to the basket, pass out to Luka, pass out to Austin [Reaves]… he’s a great closer and he didn’t get a chance to close.”

– Marc J. Spearspic.twitter.com/WTkSYy3lio

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 25, 2026

LeBron James, Luka Doncic stat lines fuel Lakers closer debate

James finished with 21 points, six rebounds, four assists and two blocks in 32 minutes. He shot 8-for-13 from the field and 3-for-4 from the free-throw line while also knocking down two 3-pointers.

Doncic recorded 22 points, 15 assists and nine rebounds in 38 minutes but struggled with efficiency. He shot 8-for-24 from the field, 2-for-10 from 3-point range and 4-for-9 from the free-throw line.

The late-game decision has fueled discussion about roles in critical possessions for the Lakers, who fell to 34-23 with the defeat and dropped their second consecutive game. James, a four-time NBA champion and four-time MVP, has long been regarded as one of the league’s most reliable closers, particularly in playoff settings. Doncic, meanwhile, has built a reputation as a high-usage playmaker capable of creating shots under pressure.

The Lakers now look to regroup as they begin a two-game road trip starting Thursday night against the Phoenix Suns (33-26) at 6:00 p.m. PT. With the Western Conference standings tightly contested, clarity in late-game execution could prove pivotal as Los Angeles navigates the final stretch of the regular season.

The post NBA Insider picks LeBron James over Luka Doncic as Lakers closer appeared first on ClutchPoints.

However, the script was flipped when Jaylen Brown ran the show for a disastrous 111-89 loss for the Lakers, even if the sheer historic value of this rivalry was also evidenced by the number of people who watched the game on NBC streams. The network giants announced that the Lakers-Celtics game averaged around 5.6 million viewers, making it the most-watched regular-season Sunday night game since 2000, per a post on X by ClutchPoints.

That may make the performance even more difficult to digest for fans. Before tip-off, the Lakers unveiled a nearly eight-foot bronze statue of legendary coach Pat Riley outside Crypto.com Arena, celebrating the architect of the “Showtime” era who brought four championships to the city as a head coach.

The pre-game festivities were supposed to set the tone for a heavyweight clash against their most bitter, historic rivals. Instead, the Lakers came out completely flat despite all three of their Big-3 fit and firing.

Jaylen Brown was the tip of the spear, orchestrating the offense with a masterclass 32-point, eight-rebound, and seven-assist performance. However, it was reigning Sixth Man of the Year Payton Pritchard who served as the ultimate dagger.

Pritchard poured in 30 points off the bench, knocking down six 3-pointers and dishing out eight assists. The duo combined for 38 points in the second half alone, burying the Lakers with a barrage of step-back jumpers and aggressive drives.

Despite the dysfunction around him, James officially became the first player in NBA history to reach 43,000 career regular-season points, achieving the feat on a third-quarter layup. Furthermore, he logged his 1,600th regular-season appearance, tying Celtics legend Robert Parish for the second-most games played in league history.

Luka Doncic led the team with 25 points but struggled with his mid-range efficiency, missing five of his six long two-point attempts, while Austin Reaves (15 points) completely vanished in the second half, attempting just 10 total shots on the night, adding 15 points.

The post Lakers-Celtics NBA clash accomplishes feat not seen since 2000 appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Wendell Carter Jr., who recorded 20 points, 11 rebounds and two assists in 36 minutes — including the game-winning putback — praised Banchero’s defensive focus and competitiveness.

“Man, when P is locked in defensively he’s one of the best in this league. He has the potential one of the best two way players to ever play this game in my opinion. He had two big challenges with Kawhi the other night and then Luka tonight. He took that challenge head on. When he’s in that mode, when he’s locked in, man, it unlocks his team and takes us to whole another level.”

On Sunday, Leonard scored 37 points against Orlando, adding eight rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks while shooting 14-for-25 from the field. Two nights later, Doncic faced a more disruptive defensive presence from the Magic. The Lakers star finished with 22 points, 15 assists and nine rebounds but shot 8-for-24 from the field and 2-for-10 from 3-point range while committing two turnovers.

Wendell Carter Jr. on Paolo Banchero’s defense this season:

“When P is locked in defensively, he’s one of the best in this league. He has the potential to be one of the best two-way players ever… When he’s in that mode, it takes us to another level.” pic.twitter.com/qHDu8BIgJ6

— Julian Ojeda (@jowepafm) February 25, 2026

Paolo Banchero accepts challenge of guarding elite scorers

Banchero addressed the defensive responsibility of guarding premier scorers across the league.

“Yeah, I think it’s just me, you know, accepting the challenge. You know, I think a lot of times, you know, coaches want, you know, some of the better players to guard a guy. They don’t have to expend as much energy. But, you know, having Jalen out, having Franz out, Those are two of our best perimeter defenders. And so I know that I got to step up on that side of the ball. And I’m a big guy, I can move. I feel like I’m a good defender, especially one on one, guarding bigger guys, bigger guards.”

He acknowledged the difficulty of containing stars but emphasized effort and physicality.

Paolo on defending Kawhi Leonard, Luka Dončić the last two games:

“With Jalen and Franz out, I know I’ve got to step up on that side. I’m a big guy, I can move. You’re not going to stop guys like that, but you can make it hard on them — make them miss a couple, make them work.” pic.twitter.com/HMurC2OMrI

— Julian Ojeda (@jowepafm) February 25, 2026

“And so guarding guys like that, you’re not going to stop them from scoring, but you can make your heart on them, make them miss a couple shots, just make them expend a lot of energy. So that’s just what I’ve been trying to do. Kawhi obviously had a big night, but getting a couple of stops and just making it difficult and you know, look at him being a hell of a player and just a creator with the ball in his hands, you know, trying to just show my body and you know, be there when he’s trying to get looks, make plays.”

Banchero’s offensive output remained steady. Against the Lakers, he added 10 rebounds and six assists while shooting 12-for-22 from the field and 10-for-11 from the free-throw line in 38 minutes.

Magic contain Luka Doncic as Banchero delivers late vs. Lakers

Head coach Jamahl Mosley emphasized the collective challenge of defending Doncic while highlighting Banchero’s timely shot-making.

“Listen, sometimes when he shoots, you just gotta hope it doesn’t go in. Because he’s that good and when the game was on the line, he took the big three that put them up three. And Paolo comes back and hit one. As soon as that one went up in the corner, you know it’s good because that’s what he’s done. I’ve seen him do it. He did it when we played Portland when we were in Dallas. I’ve seen that same exact shot. So you’ve just got to keep mixing the coverages up against him, make it difficult, do your best to do it without fouling, and just continue to make it tough on him.”

Orlando held Doncic below his season average of 32.5 points while limiting his efficiency. With the win, the Magic improved to 31-26 and secured road victories over both Los Angeles teams in the same season for the first time since 2012-13.

The Magic return home Thursday to begin a four-game homestand against the Houston Rockets (35-21). As Orlando continues its push in the Eastern Conference standings, Banchero’s willingness to defend elite scorers while carrying the offensive load underscores the franchise cornerstone’s growing two-way ceiling.

The post How Magic’s Paolo Banchero showed all-time 2-way potential in Kawhi Leonard, Luka Doncic showdowns appeared first on ClutchPoints.

“We’re thrilled and honored to welcome Tony as an advisor to the Lakers basketball operations department,” Pelinka said in the team’s statement on Wednesday. “As we refine and build out our NBA draft scouting processes, we could think of no better basketball mind than Tony Bennett to have as a resource. Tony’s track record of forming culture, with high-character, high-skill, and high-IQ players, is revered and respected across all basketball circles.

“Tony will be an incredible asset to our basketball leadership, to our scouts, and to our draft department as a whole. We are truly excited.”

Bennett, 56, retired as the head coach of Virginia in 2024, stunning many around the college basketball atmosphere with his decision. He left after being named the national coach of the year three different times and leading Virginia to a national championship in 2019, becoming the fourth former NBA player to win a national championship as a head coach.

As the head coach of Virginia, Bennett went 364-136 (.728), including 189-82 (.697) in ACC play.

“When Rob and I began talking, what stood out to me was the chance to help out such a storied organization,” Bennett said. “The Lakers carry a tradition that speaks for itself, so to be connected to it and assist Rob and the Lakers in any way I can is exciting.”

At Virginia, Bennett was known for developing several notable NBA talents through the years, like Malcolm Brogdon, Joe Harris, De’Andre Hunter, Trey Murphy III, Ryan Dunn, Jay Huff, and Ty Jerome.

Tony Bennett joins new-look Lakers’ operations department

The addition of Bennett to their basketball operation staff comes roughly one week after the Lakers hired Lon Rosen, who has served as a key executive for the Los Angeles Dodgers through the years, as the organization’s new president of business operations. Rosen was handpicked by new Lakers owner Mark Walter, who also owns the Dodgers.

Walter finalized his $10 billion purchase of the Lakers from Jeanie Buss and her family in October.

With the Lakers clearly entering a new era headlined by superstar Luka Doncic, Rosen made it clear recently that Pelinka will remain in his role as the head of the franchise’s front office, according to ESPN.

“I just run the business side, Rob’s empowered to do what he does,” Rosen said. “Look, I have a really good relationship with Rob. I’ve known Rob Pelinka from when he was representing Kobe [Bryant]. I met him many, many years ago.”

Walter’s vision of turning the Lakers into the powerhouse of the NBA, much like he has done with the Dodgers in the MLB, seems to be taking shape after the latest additions of Rosen and now Bennett.

The post Tony Bennett surprisingly joins Lakers as special NBA Draft advisor appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Of course, James’ retirement also doesn’t seem to be too far off, and recently, Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report reported on a big plan that the star might have as it pertains to NBA expansion.

“…there’s a rumor going around the league that he will be the face of the NBA’s expansion team in Las Vegas,” reported Pincus.

Apparently, the plan also includes James’ longtime friend Rich Paul.

“One line of thinking is that he might retire, and his agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, might sell the rest of his agency to UTA (United Talent Agency). With financial backing, they then might look to step into ownership roles,” reported Pincus.

NBA expansion rumors have been circling for quite some time now, with Las Vegas being listed among the prime candidates, along with Seattle, which was previously home to the SuperSonics.

Pincus noted that “the league will let multiple candidates pitch locations.”

James has become more and more prominent with his business interests off the court in recent years. Paul, meanwhile, hasn’t exactly been a fan favorite of the Lakers this year, after he publicly suggested that the team move on from Austin Reaves via a trade.

However, his potential teaming with James on an expansion team in Las Vegas would occur long after James’ Lakers days, and NBA days as a whole, are over.

For now, the Lakers will focus on trying to get back in the win column on Thursday on the road against the Phoenix Suns.

The post NBA rumors: The LeBron James-Rich Paul Las Vegas rumor floating around the league appeared first on ClutchPoints.

However, if the Lakers are to retain James for their future, they’ll have to align their ducks in a row, which is landing another superstar, such as Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo, according to Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus.

“The Lakers are one of the few teams this summer projected to have significant room below the cap to chase top-tier free agents or go after a star like Giannis Antetokounmpo via an unbalanced trade,” Pincus wrote. “That $54-$80 million in cap room won’t amount to much if James is back at a maximum salary of $58 million. Plan A for the Lakers, per competing executives and player agents, appears to be moving on from James to build around the younger star, Luka Dončić.

“Scouts across the league are skeptical that LA can defend well enough with a core of Austin Reaves, Dončić, and James. Reaves is expected to opt out of his final year at $14.9 million, to try and re-sign as close to the max as he can get (about $41.5 million starting salary).”

How Reaves’ new deal could ultimately factor into whether James stays for at least one more season.

“As a free agent, Reaves takes up a projected $26.5 million of the team’s cap room. The Lakers can use that difference between his salary and cap hold to maximize flexibility this summer,” Pincus added. “Still, Plan A may not bear fruit. If the Lakers strike out on their top goals, they could delay until 2027. If so, perhaps James returns for one final goodbye, farewell tour, etc. It may not be LA’s primary goal, but it’ll sell tickets while giving James a proper sendoff.”

How the Lakers fare in the postseason should also weigh heavily on their offseason plans.

Brian Windhorst’s blunt take on LeBron James, Lakers

Perhaps the issues that have plagued the Lakers’ regular season aren’t related to injuries, but rather the chemistry of players’ overall fit alongside All-Star LeBron James. The Lakers are a better team without James in the lineup, according to NBA insider Brian Windhorst, he said, per ESPN’s First Take.

“When Luka [Doncic], LeBron [James], and Austin Reaves play together, they’re just not a good team,” Windhorst said. “When it’s just [Austin & Luka] out there, the Lakers are an excellent team.”

"When Luka [Doncic], LeBron [James], and Austin Reaves play together, they're just not a good team… When it's just [Austin & Luka] out there, the Lakers are an excellent team."

– Brian Windhorst

(via @FirstTake)pic.twitter.com/WGd6h44gLv

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 25, 2026

The Lakers fell to the Magic 110-109 on Monday.

Use code CLUTCHPOINTS to get $5 of free coins when you sign up at Novig, America’s #1 Sports Prediction market.

The post Lakers rumors: Insider reveals offseason ‘Plan A’ with LeBron James out of picture appeared first on ClutchPoints.

In comments on ESPN’s Get Up, McMahon went in on Doncic about complaining to the referees.

“Luka had two glaring flaws throughout the course of his career conditioning and crying. The conditioning he has made major strides in, he’s crying as much as he ever has… What I can tell you is Luka vents his frustration at the referees. So the more he’s frustrated, the more he’s whining, he’s crying and he, he worries more about sometimes the three guys in the gray jerseys and the five guys in the opposite jerseys. And look, he’s gonna have defensive problems regardless. It’s hard to play defense if you never cross half court ’cause you’re worried about a call that you didn’t get.”

McMahon isn’t the only media member who has complained about Doncic’s approach. In a recent edition of his podcast in collaboration with sports agent Rich Paul Game Over, Max Kellerman facetiously proposed that if Luka Doncic were to get a statue, it would be a pose of him arguing with officials.

“And you know how [Pat] Riley has his statue? You know what Luka Doncic’s statue, if he ever gets one, outside of Crypto now is going to be? It’s going to be like this. This is the Luka statue. With his arms out, like this…Every single trip down the floor, you’re complaining to the refs? Luka. Every trip down the floor? Even when he hits the shot? No, you’re not going to get the and-1. It can’t be that the refs blow every call on Luka Doncic.”

Bill Simmons recently spoke about what he considers Doncic’s foul-baiting on his The Bill Simmons Show podcast.

“The foul b*tching stuff is the worst it’s been in a while. It’s back to peak unwatchability. It’s every single play. Now it’s back to where it was at, it at its very worst in Dallas when it got so bad that the Mavs had to finally call him out publicly. Yeah. It’s so bad that even LeBron’s like, wow. Wow, what’s this guy? This guy’s really b*tching for calls.

On a recent episode of FanDuel TV’s Run It Back, Lou Williams also criticized Doncic, saying that his complaining over fouls causes the Lakers to lose basketball’s “game of inches.”

“Basketball is a game of inches. You lose by one point because you give up possession after possession after possession worrying about referees.”

On paper, Luka is having a phenomenal season. He’s currently first in the league in points per game, averaging 32.5, and he has also added 7.8 rebounds and 8.6 assists. But the 110-109 loss to the Orlando Magic in clutch time on Tuesday evening has amplified criticism of the team and, notably, Luka’s behavior in these moments.

The Lakers look to snap their two-game losing streak against the Suns on Thursday at 9 p.m.

The post Luka Doncic’s constant ‘crying’ is drawing major media pile-on appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Much has been made about the Lakers’ perceived roster deficiencies in recent weeks, and now, ESPN NBA analyst Brian Windhorst has added more fuel to the discourse.

“When Luka [Doncic], LeBron [James], and Austin Reaves play together, they’re just not a good team… When it’s just [Austin & Luka] out there, the Lakers are an excellent team,” said Windhorst on First Take, per NBA Courtside on X, formerly Twitter.

Indeed, James, Doncic, and Reaves in many ways have skillsets that cancel each other out, with none of them being good defenders and all of them needing the ball in order to be at their best offensively.

Many have floated the idea that the Lakers will either let James walk or bring him back on a much more team-friendly deal this offseason in order to construct a more viable roster around Doncic, one similar to the Dallas Mavericks squad that made the Finals back in 2024 before the team inexplicably traded him to Los Angeles.

Doncic and Reaves have formed a lethal one-two punch in the games they’ve played together without James, but when all three are in the lineup, none of them are able to be their full productive selves on offense, and the team’s defense tends to flounder.

Still, despite this, the Lakers sit 11 games over the .500 mark at 34-23, and are not out of the picture to secure home court advantage in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

The Lakers will next take the floor on Thursday evening on the road vs the Phoenix Suns.

The post Brian Windhorst says quiet part out loud about LeBron James’ bad Lakers fit with Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves appeared first on ClutchPoints.

And as things stand, NBA insider Jovan Buha has claimed there is no team with more cap space to take on a player of Kawhi’s stature than their closest rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers.

“Either scenario of Kawhi is forced to be traded or his contract is voided and he is a free agent, no one has more cap space this summer than the Lakers. So the Lakers are in a prime position. Living in LA for the past six years, I don’t know if he would want to relocate..That could put the Lakers in a position to acquire him or sign him,” he said per HoopsHype, before claiming that he wanted to tread lightly on this thread.

“Now, the Lakers can bid high. They have three picks, and they have the cap space. So maybe that’s enough to entice the Clippers, depending on what that potential trade package looks like. But for now, I think it’s just noise, and until we have clarity on what the potential punishment is going to be, I think it’s nothing more than that,” he said.

However, Buha still claimed that the Clippers may be unwilling to trade him to their rivals, and the situation may eventually result in a bidding war.

“I don’t think the Clippers would love trading Kawhi to the Lakers. And at that point, if you’re forced to trade him, I think the league’s not gonna be like, ‘You have to trade him to the Lakers, you have to trade him to team X.’ It’s gonna be, ‘Alright, let’s get into a bidding war here,’ he said.

There is undeniable bad blood between the ownership groups, highlighted by Lakers owner Jeanie Buss nicknaming Clippers owner Steve Ballmer “Ballz,” alongside the Lakers’ lingering institutional embarrassment over the lopsided Ivica Zubac trade. Hence, while there may be a ‘geographical convenience’ for a Kawhi-Lakers trade, it currently seems to be a mere figment of imagination, rather than anything real.

The post NBA rumors: Lakers insider tip-toes around Kawhi Leonard possibility amid Clippers uncertainty appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Doncic then stepped in, but he picked up his dribble, leading him into no man’s land. He tried to find a pass, and LeBron James was the closest person to him. By that time, the clock was near zero, and James had to take a turnaround three-pointer, which did not go in, and the Lakers walked away with the loss.

After the game, James was asked about the final play and what he saw.

“I’m not sure,” James said. “Obviously, you’ll have to ask Luka what he saw. I thought he had a good look, and it looked like he kind of lost his balance and didn’t have a rhythm with the ball.”

“I’m not sure. Obviously you’ll have to ask Luka what he saw. I thought he had a good look and it looked like he kind of lost his balance and didn’t have a rhythm with the ball” – LeBron James on the Lakers’ final inbounds play to Luka Doncic pic.twitter.com/ajWVYjl4sP

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) February 25, 2026

Doncic was also asked about the play, and he noted that he didn’t have any communication with James afterwards. He did explain what happened in those finals seconds.

“I mean, I just saw him open and I didn’t want to lose the ball. We didn’t have timeouts. … [But] I shouldn’t have picked up the ball. I should have attacked. … That’s on me,” Doncic said.

Q: Did you have any communication with LeBron after the final play?
Doncic: "No." 
Q: When you passed it to him, did you think he had a shot or did you recognize it would be a tough opportunity?
Doncic: "I mean, I just saw him open and I didn’t want to lose the ball. We didn’t… pic.twitter.com/It6GfGJ2m2

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) February 25, 2026

In those moments, everybody knows that Doncic is likely going to take the last shot. It’s surprising that he passed the ball in that situation, but he picked up his dribble and had nowhere to go. James is one of the only other people who should get the ball in the final seconds, so Doncic did right with that, it was just not enough time on the clock.

The post What Lakers’ LeBron James, Luka Doncic said about totally botching final play in loss to Magic appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Deandre Ayton, who starred with 21 points and 13 rebounds against the Magic, said something that may as well be true for a majority of fans as well.

“It’s a bit upsetting. We still got a lot of chances to just get in as good of a position as we can. Did feel weird in the homestand, just being 4-4,” he explained, per ESPN.

“It’s a bit upsetting… but we’ve got 24 games left.”
Deandre Ayton reflected on missed opportunities at home, defensive lapses late, and the team’s focus on building momentum down the stretch. pic.twitter.com/zTi1NtlcFg

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) February 25, 2026

The Lakers did play some big teams during the stretch, including the Celtics, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Los Angeles Clippers, and the San Antonio Spurs.

“It was tough losses and played against some really good teams. But … just get back in the lab and just get ready for the next game,” Ayton concluded.

The collapse against Orlando was especially concerning. It was their first loss of the season after holding a lead post three quarters, a scenario during which they were 25-0 coming into the matchup.

Despite mounting a 12-point second-half advantage fueled by Austin Reaves scoring all 18 of his points after the intermission, the Lakers’ defense cratered. They were torched by Paolo Banchero’s 36-point masterpiece, with Wendell Carter Jr.’s game-winning putback coming with just 6.7 seconds on the clock.

As a matter of fact, Ayton proved to be the silver lining, which is exactly what happened with LeBron against the Celtics. The 41-year-old became the first NBA player to score more than 43,000 points and tied Robert Parish for the second-most regular-season games in NBA history, with 1600.

However, the Lakers ended up losing both games, albeit they were very much alive until the end against Orlando.

The post Lakers’ Deandre Ayton makes ‘upsetting’ confession about mediocre homestand that exposed LA appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Rosen was the Los Angeles Dodgers’ executive vice president & chief marketing officer, and Walter called upon him to take on the role as president for the Lakers. With the connections he made during his time with the Dodgers, Rosen will be enlisting the help of Dodgers executives Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi, the combo who spearheaded the operations for LA during their back-to-back World Series title-winning seasons.

What this means for Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka is that he would be working closely with those two, collaborating with them on matters of roster personnel. As per Dan Woike of The Athletic, Pelinka “will continue to handle basketball operations” while working within an “expanded front office”.

The next few years are going to be pivotal for the Lakers; they have to start fully building around Luka Doncic, which should take a year or two for them to do.

Lakers front office gears up for pivotal next few seasons

The Lakers’ trade for Doncic is one they would make 10 times out of 10, but the roster they had constructed was geared towards maximizing the James-Anthony Davis led core. They lack so much defensive infrastructure that it would take a year or two before they emerge as a legitimate contender in the West.

The team has been gearing up for the free agency period of 2027, when the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic could conceivably hit free agency. It’s not quite clear if Pelinka would still be with the Lakers by then, but it’s clear what the intention is from their front office.

The post Lakers’ plan for Rob Pelinka amid new ownership, business ops president appeared first on ClutchPoints.

However, on Tuesday night, the Lakers failed at the things they were supposed to be good in. They led after three quarters in their contest against the Orlando Magic (80-79 after three), and they were in the middle of a clutch game against a middling Eastern Conference team. They somehow lost, as a combination of late-game hesitation and late-game defensive issues undid the Lakers.

With the Magic breaking the Lakers’ hearts, 110-109, courtesy of a Wendell Carter Jr. game-winner, the Purple and Gold have now lost their first game this season when leading after three quarters, as per X user @dmai21. They won their first 25 such games this season, but now, the Magic have dealt them a devastating blow.

Lakers’ defensive issues surface in crunch time

Luka Doncic endured a rough shooting night but began to turn up near the end of the game. It looked like he was going to take over the game, but instead, he hesitated to take the last shot, which put LeBron James in such a tough situation with the clock dying down — leading to the Lakers’ defeat.

But it’s LA’s defense that is to blame for their latest defeat. They allowed the Magic to carve them up in the paint to the tune of 58 points, with Paolo Banchero getting to the basket over and over again. The game-winner they allowed came from their inability to control the defensive boards.

The Lakers have some soul-searching to do if they were to figure it out this season.

The post Lakers’ loss to Magic snaps crazy 25-game streak in 2025-26 appeared first on ClutchPoints.

It did look as though the Lakers had momentum in the fourth, but their defense failed to get the stops they needed when they needed them.  They took a 109-108 lead after a lazy defensive possession from the Magic saw LeBron James find space for a go-ahead wide-open dunk, but they couldn’t complete the defensive stop, as Orlando recovered possession after a midrange miss from Paolo Banchero, paving the way for Carter’s game-winner.

The Lakers still had a chance to win, but Luka Doncic passed up an open three-point try to win the game twice, which led to James taking a difficult turnaround shot for the game-winning attempt, which he missed.

After the game, head coach JJ Redick summed up the Lakers’ situation as they fell down to 34-23 on the season.

“We’re a work in progress,” Redick said in his postgame presser, via @ohnohedidnt24 on X (formerly Twitter).

JJ Redick: "We're a work in progress" pic.twitter.com/Vjd9KZoIIq

— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) February 25, 2026

The Lakers’ defense needs plenty of work

The Lakers’ defense was so good for the final few months of the 2024-25 season, but that hasn’t carried over at all to this current campaign. Deandre Ayton faces his bouts of lethargy, Doncic and Austin Reaves have their shortcomings on that end of the floor, James is old, and the team does not have the personnel quite yet to build a sturdy defensive infrastructure.

They currently rank 24th in the NBA in defensive rating, allowing 116.6 points per 100 possessions. It may take the Lakers a year or two more before they maximize the roster around Doncic.

The post JJ Redick hits Lakers with ‘work in progress’ truth bomb after Magic loss appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Working a two-on-one fast break, James fed the ball to a running Reaves who then tossed it up for the four-time NBA Finals MVP and four-time regular season MVP. Once again, he defied his 41 years of age. James later broke free for a dunk late in the contest, positioning the Lakers for a hard-fought home win. Wendell Carter Jr. and the Magic had other plans, however, as LA came up on the losing end of a wild finish.

SHOWTIME IN LA!

Austin Reaves with the LOB to LeBron James in transition

pic.twitter.com/07Lc9V9b3k

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 25, 2026

James missed the game-winning bucket in the final seconds of the 110-109 loss, but he still posted 21 points on 8-of-13 shooting to go with six rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Furthermore, the all-time scoring leader reminded fans that he is one of the most exciting players in NBA history when attacking the rim. With lob threat Jaxson Hayes nursing an ankle injury, the Lakers have limited options to finish off an alley-oop. Fortunately, James was willing to occupy that role.

Unfortunately for LA, it was not enough to spur the team to victory. The Purple and Gold have now lost four of their last six games and currently reside in sixth place in the West. LeBron James and company will regroup and head to The Desert for a Thursday night meeting with the Phoenix Suns.

The legendary forward will keep a hand in his deep bag of tricks and try to pull out something that can help the Lakers (34-23) get back in the win column.

The post Lakers’ Austin Reaves connects with LeBron James for insane transition lob appeared first on ClutchPoints.

The play began with a turnover from James, as his pass back to Austin Reaves was deflected by the Magic guard. Black then took the ball in transition where he’s usually prolific, and it looked as though he only had Reaves to beat. Reaves did just enough to distract Black, giving the Lakers star enough time to track back and sky for the epic chase-down block that he’s made his signature move.

CHASEDOWN BLOCK BY LEBRON JAMES AND MARCUS SMART! pic.twitter.com/ZmYneUTgfg

— Italo Santana (@BulletClubIta) February 25, 2026

However, it was troubling when the Magic had three players back to the Lakers’ two — with Paolo Banchero rebounding Black’s blocked shot. But then the Lakers hustled back to defend the fastbreak, and Marcus Smart made it just in time to deny the Magic a field goal by swatting Banchero’s attempt.

The sad part was that the Lakers could not capitalize on these incredible defensive plays, as James proceeded to turn the ball over yet again on the ensuing possession.

LeBron James sets the tone for the Lakers vs. Magic

James came out of the gates on Tuesday night against the Magic with a fire in his eyes; at present, James has 12 points in 14 minutes of play to go along with his epic block of Black earlier in the second quarter.

The Lakers star has been slowing down as of late, but perhaps he’s ramping up yet again with the battle for positioning in the West being ever so heated.

The post Lakers’ LeBron James throws it back with signature chase-down block vs. Magic appeared first on ClutchPoints.

“Unfortunately no one on our team can jump as high as him except maybe LeBron. So we’ll make do with Maxi [Kleber] and Vando,” Redick said. “And the good news is he’s day-to-day. And he’s already made improvements. He did a light court workout today. Still dealing with a little bit of pain, but we hope he’s gonna be back this week.”

Jaxson Hayes was initially listed as doubtful on the Lakers’ injury report for their game against the Magic, but was downgraded to out a few hours before tip-off. Hayes had dealt with ankle issues this season, but has for the most part been an integral piece of the Lakers’ rotation.

Hayes is in his third season with the Lakers after initially signing as a free agent in the 2023 offseason. He originally signed a two-year contract with the team, and then re-signed on a one-year deal this past offseason. Hayes filled in admirably last year as the starting center following Anthony Davis’ departure, but was ultimately benched by Redick amid the Lakers’ disappointing playoff flameout against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

This season, Hayes has appeared in 47 games, including seven starts, at a little over 17 minutes per game. He’s averaging 6.8 points and 3.8 rebounds with splits of 77 percent shooting from the field and 64.1 percent shooting from the free-throw line. Hayes represented the Lakers in the Slam Dunk Contest over All-Star Weekend, but was eliminated in the opening round.

With Hayes out of the lineup, the backup center role will fall to the combination of Maxi Kleber and Jarred Vanderbilt. Kleber gives the Lakers more of a traditional big man in terms of size, while Vanderbilt has worked in small-ball lineups.

The post The LeBron James-like ability Lakers lose amid Jaxson Hayes injury appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Throughout the game, Doncic could be seen frequently complaining to the referees, as has become his trademark throughout his career, and one person who is fed up with the antics is The Ringer’s Zach Lowe.

“Are you playing to draw a foul? Or are you playing basketball? It’s every single possession now. It’s completely out of control… It’s unwatchable,” said Lowe, per NBA Courtside on X, formerly Twitter.

Indeed, Doncic has made a habit of both embellishing contact to draw fouls, as well as outright yelling at game officials, throughout his career, but both seem to have picked up over the last couple of seasons, dating back from his time with the Dallas Mavericks and continuing to Los Angeles.

Doncic remains one of the best offensive talents in the league today, and he clearly doesn’t need to flop for calls in order to get his points, which makes it all the more frustrating for fans from a watchability perspective when he does it anyway.

Meanwhile, several of the Lakers’ glaring flaws were on full display in the loss against the Celtics, including their lack of perimeter defenders, as well as their tendency to play stand-and-watch basketball on offense when things aren’t running smoothly.

Of course, Doncic is still one of the best players in the NBA, and his presence alone makes Los Angeles a scary opponent for potential playoff teams.

However, for now, there seems to be a hard ceiling on just how far this Lakers team can go, and Doncic’s antics are only adding to the frustration.

The post Lakers star Luka Doncic’s complaining to refs draws ‘unwatchable’ Zach Lowe rant appeared first on ClutchPoints.

So far this season, Doncic has been averaging a league-high 32.8 points, 8.5 assists, and 7.7 rebounds per game while shooting 47.1 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from beyond the arc. Cowherd would still say on his show, “The Herd,” that Los Angeles trading for Doncic is “still not working out that week,” further saying how his “athleticism is regressing.”

“We’re a year into the Luka trade. It’s still not working out that well. It can’t take this long,” Cowherd said. “It’s not on 41 year old LeBron to make it work. It’s on Luka to make it work. And two things can be true: the Lakers stole him from the Mavs. It was a great trade. And secondly, he is aging quickly. The numbers don’t lie. He gets four times more technicals now than dunks.”

“His athleticism is regressing,” Cowherd continued. “People used to say, well, he’s Larry Bird. No Bird made all defense three times. Larry Bird made every teammate he ever played with better. We’re a year into Luca and the Lakers. It’s not really working yet. How long can it take? Everybody plays well with LeBron, Austin Reeves is not a ball hog. He’s a hard worker. He’s a shot creator. You can’t work with that for free.”

“We’re a year into the Luka trade. It’s still not working out that well. It can’t take this long. It’s not on 41 year old LeBron to make it work. It’s on Luka to make it work… [Luka Doncic’s] athleticism is regressing.”

– Colin Cowherd

(via @TheHerd)pic.twitter.com/0mvkMZkbGa

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 24, 2026

At any rate, the Lakers are 34-22, which puts them fifth in the Western Conference as the team’s next game is on Tuesday night against the Orlando Magic.

The post Colin Cowherd blasts ‘athletically regressed’ Luka Doncic for lack of Lakers chemistry with LeBron James appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Following Lakers practice on Monday, Marcus Smart admitted that it isn’t always easy to get players to buy into roles, especially when shot attempts and playing time is involved.

“Just understanding the game. Understanding what the game calls for and just the way the game flows. Sometimes you might get a shot, you might not. You might get more shots than the night before, Smart said. “And minutes, you might get more minutes than the night before, you might not. It just depends on the game,”

“And it sucks sometimes because we are competitive,” Smart continued. “We want to win and we always want to be out there to help our team. But understanding whatever the game needs and what the game is giving you, you got to take advantage.”

The Lakers do not win that game against the Clippers without Smart’s contributions. And prior to the team’s game against the Boston Celtics on Sunday, Lakers head coach JJ Redick spoke about the sacrifices that Smart has made as the fifth starter who isn’t necessarily going to get many shots playing alongside the other starters.

“I think how Smart, it’s important to sort of embrace that,” Redick said. “I think it’s down the line for all our guys, something that we’ve, in some ways, going to back to free agency stuff and just having a lot of guys with uncertain futures, I think something we’ve had to deal with all season. But it’s down the line, we just got to play the game. The game is going to dictate how many shots you get.”

Smart was one of the Lakers’ key free agent acquisitions in the offseason. He signed a two-year contract that contains a player option for next season. He’s appeared in 46 games, including 39 starts, at a little over 28 minutes per game.

He’s been averaging 9.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.2 steals with splits of 39.8 percent shooting from the field, 32.3 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 81.2 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

Now that the Lakers have a fully heathy rotation, Redick appears to have settled on Smart as the final starter alongside LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Deandre Ayton.

The post Marcus Smart stresses ‘understanding’ for Lakers to buy into their roles appeared first on ClutchPoints.

When people accuse Smith of entering an arena as if he’s going to take the court as a player, he says his swag is a testament to his outfits, he said, per ESPN’s First Take.

“People will say he’s walking in like he’s one of the players, and I said, no, totally false, I’m not on their level. I’m walking in like I’m the best-dressed in the arena. That’s what I was walking in like. I said the players needed to take notes, and now, here we are this year, and I’m still telling the players they need to take notes. All that damn money LeBron and them making, you can’t dress better than that?

“I’m so happy Pat Riley brought that up. He got a statue outside of the arena, and he’s letting everybody know there should be a dress code, at least for the coaches. All this money y’all make, dressing like y’all shopping at Target or something.”

"All that damn money LeBron and them making, you can’t dress better than that? I’m so happy Pat Riley brought that up…All this money y’all make, dressing like y’all shopping at Target or something." – Stephen A. Smith pic.twitter.com/8WtWHFyvVN

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 23, 2026

Riley had a reputation for wearing some of the more expensive suits during his coaching days, which is an NBA trend that’s faded over the years, and one that ESPN’s Stephen A Smith clearly misses. Between most players, including Lakers’ LeBron James, entering the arena in more casual outfits and most coaches wearing a pullover and black pants, the NBA doesn’t see as many expensive suits as it used to during the early 1990s and the late 2000s.

JJ Redick takes responsibility for Lakers’ shortcomings

Head coach JJ Redick took responsibility for the Lakers’ offensive shortcomings in Sunday’s 111-89 loss to the Celtics. As part of a bad trend, the Lakers failed to respond to the defensive adjustments by one of the better defending teams in the NBA, which Redick says falls on him, as the team’s head coach, he said, per the California Post’s Khobi Price.

“When teams play the deep drop, we have our counters, and we just got to [execute],” Redick said. “I took ownership of that. We have our counters for deep drop. We got to do a better job of….we looked it up today. Our lowest potential assist games are all against the deep drop, so I got to do a better job.”

JJ Redick's response when asked about the Lakers' ball movement, and whether the lack of it makes them more predictable for defenses:

"When teams play the deep drop, we have our counters and we just got to [execute]…I took ownership of that. We have our counters for deep… pic.twitter.com/wwfRZ1OAXl

— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) February 23, 2026

The Lakers, 34-22, have lost three of their last five games.

The post Stephen A. Smith calls out Lakers’ LeBron James after Pat Riley’s statement appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Smart believes the Lakers have enough talent to reach their full potential, and is confident that they’ll find their stride between now and the end of the regular season, he said, per the California Post’s Khobi Price.

“We’re good. The talent is there, we’ve got the pieces. It’s just making them mesh. We haven’t been healthy, which is a big part when you’re trying to get pieces to mesh. You’ve got to be healthy. Different lineups in play, but I think that’s going to help us in the long run because we’ve got to see different lineups — guys in different spots and different roles that they’re not used to. We definitely have some work to do.

“Everybody knows that. But we’re hanging in there. The objective of it is that everybody in this league is coming around the right time, getting ready to play the best basketball you can play.”

Marcus Smart on how good he thinks the Lakers are and how close the group is to being its best version: "We're good. The talent is there, we've got the pieces. It’s just making them mesh. We haven't been healthy, which is a big part when you're trying to get pieces to mesh." pic.twitter.com/2xlR7CE262

— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) February 23, 2026

Marcus Smart and the Lakers scored a season low 89 points in their blowout loss to the Boston Celtics (111-89) on Sunday.

JJ Redick takes responsibility for Lakers’ offensive shortcomings

Head coach JJ Redick took on the blame for the Lakers inability to find their offensive rhythm in their 22-point loss to the Celtics. After Lakers forward Rui Hachimura discussed their failing offense, Redick took on the responsibility.

For the Lakers head coach, he has to set his team up to be ready to counter an elite defense as the Celtics, which Redick said, he failed to do, as the California Post’s Khobi Price noted.

“When teams play the deep drop, we have our counters, and we just got to [execute],” Redick said. “I took ownership of that. We have our counters for deep drop. We got to do a better job of….we looked it up today. Our lowest potential assist games are all against the deep drop, so I got to do a better job.”

JJ Redick's response when asked about the Lakers' ball movement, and whether the lack of it makes them more predictable for defenses:

"When teams play the deep drop, we have our counters and we just got to [execute]…I took ownership of that. We have our counters for deep… pic.twitter.com/wwfRZ1OAXl

— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) February 23, 2026

The Lakers will host the Magic on Tuesday.

The post Marcus Smart identifies key reason Lakers haven’t peaked appeared first on ClutchPoints.

After the loss, Redick said the Lakers struggles in countering the Celtics’ defense falls on him, he said, per California Post’s Khobi Price.

“When teams play the deep drop, we have our counters, and we just got to [execute],” Redick said. “I took ownership of that. We have our counters for deep drop. We got to do a better job of….we looked it up today. Our lowest potential assist games are all against the deep drop, so I got to do a better job.”

JJ Redick's response when asked about the Lakers' ball movement, and whether the lack of it makes them more predictable for defenses:

"When teams play the deep drop, we have our counters and we just got to [execute]…I took ownership of that. We have our counters for deep… pic.twitter.com/wwfRZ1OAXl

— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) February 23, 2026

JJ Redick and the Lakers will look to bounce back from their season-low 89 points in Sunday’s loss to the Celtics when they host the Magic on Tuesday.

Rui Hachimura on the Lakers’ loss to the Celtics

Veteran forward Rui Hachimura addressed the Lakers’ failing offense after Sunday’s loss to the Celtics. For Hachimura, rebounding is critical for the Lakers to supplement offense, he said, per The Athletic’s Law Murray.

“I think it’s a quicker offense, and it allows us to shoot more threes. . .That’s one of the lineups that we’re looking for, 3-point shooters and a faster offense in transition. It opens up the floor,” Hachimura said. “To be physical. It’s a smaller lineup so be physical and especially rebound too. Everybody’s got to go rebound.”

Asked Rui Hachimura about this lineup, and what Hachimura needs to do for it to work defensively with him as the de facto center

Hachimura mentioned the obvious: optimal shooting, and Hachimura needs to lead the physicality and rebounding for it to survive https://t.co/3wDXoU2YIt pic.twitter.com/FnoB7xVm3X

— Law Murray (@LawMurrayTheNU) February 23, 2026

The Lakers have lost three of their last five games.

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Paul and Kellerman took part in a Feb. 18 episode of the Game Over podcast. The latter didn’t hold back on Doncic, calling the Lakers star out for his constant complaining to the officials while making a bold take about him and Boston Celtics standout Jaylen Brown.

“Every single trip down the floor, you’re complaining to the refs. Luka, every trip down the floor? Every trip down the floor, you’re complaining to the refs. Even when he hits the shot. No, you’re not going to get the and one. And it can’t be that the refs blow every call on Luka Doncic,” Kellerman said at the 18:08 mark.

“Rich, you and I both saw last night. Jaylen Brown is better than Luka Doncic. Better player, I’d rather have him on the team. If I had to start a team, I’d rather start it with Jaylen Brown.”

Paul responded with, “Jaylen Brown is a damn good player,” as Kellerman quickly responded with, “He’s better than Luka.”

What lies ahead for Luka Doncic, Lakers

It’s clear that Luka Doncic stands out as one of the best players in the entire NBA. However, his tendency to draw fouls a lot and complain to officials could present a flaw towards his on-court mindset.

Doncic is going through his seventh season in the league, his second with the Lakers. He is playing at a high level, producing 32.8 points, 8.5 assists and 7.7 rebounds per game throughout 44 appearances. He is shooting 47.1% from the field, including 35.5% from beyond the arc, and 77.6% from the free-throw line.

Los Angeles has a 34-22 record on the season, holding the fifth spot in the Western Conference standings. They have a tiebreaker advantage over the Minnesota Timberwolves and lead over the Phoenix Suns by two games. However, they trail the Houston Rockets by 0.5 games and the Denver Nuggets by one game.

The Lakers will prepare for the final game of an eight-game homestand. They host the Orlando Magic as tip-off will take place on Feb. 24 at 10:30 p.m. ET.

The post Max Kellerman unloads on Lakers star Luka Doncic as Rich Paul remains noticeably silent appeared first on ClutchPoints.

One of the lineups the Lakers trotted out against the Celtics was a small lineup consisting of Hachimura, LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Luke Kennard.

“I think it’s a quicker offense, and it allows us to shoot more threes. . .That’s one of the lineups that we’re looking for, 3-point shooters and a faster offense in transition. It opens up the floor,” Hachimura said. “To be physical. It’s a smaller lineup so be physical and especially rebound too. Everybody’s got to go rebound.”

The Lakers have a chance to wipe away the bitter taste of the Celtics defeat with another home game on Tuesday against the Orlando Magic.

For Hachimura, he is adjusting to a different situation than the one he was in when the season began. He was slotted in as one of the Lakers’ starting forwards, but since he’s returned from a calf injury in mid January, he’s been part of the team’s second unit.

In the 15 games that he’s come off the bench, Hachimura is averaging 9.4 points and 2.9 rebounds with splits of 45 percent shooting from the field, 40.7 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 69.2 percent shooting from the free-throw line. It’s a slight drop from his starter averages of 12.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 52.7 percent shooting from the field and 45.7 percent shooting from the 3-point line.

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Hayes saw action for just five minutes before leaving and getting ruled out for the rest of the evening due to an ankle issue.

Fortunately for Hayes and the Lakers, his injury doesn’t seem to be of a serious nature.

“Lakers Coach JJ Redick said center Jaxson Hayes got imaging done on his right ankle and has a small bruise,” reported Benjamin Royer of the O.C. Register via a social media post on X, formerly Twitter.

However, Hayes’ status for the Lakers’ next game is still up in the air, with Redick noting that the former Texas Longhorns star is “day to day.” Los Angeles is scheduled to take on Paolo Banchero nad the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night in LA.

Before he left the Celtics game, the 25-year-old Hayes had two points on 1-for-2 shooting with a rebound. His absence the rest of the night didn’t help Los Angeles’ cause, as the Lakers got dominated by Boston, especially on the glass. The Celtics grabbed 50 rebounds to only LA’s 39 boards.

So far in his third season with the Lakers, Hayes is averaging 6.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 0.9 blocks per game.

If Hayes gets ultimately ruled out for the Magic game, DeAndre Ayton could get more minutes, while Maxi Kleber and Drew Timme may also see an uptick in playing time.

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That potential insider information didn’t help the Lakers when they hosted the Celtics on Sunday afternoon, as Boston left L.A. with a 111-89 blowout win over its hated rival. However, it did help Smart reach a conclusion that others are finally starting to catch on to: Mazzulla is one of the top minds in the Association.

“Joe’s a great coach,” Smart said in the locker room ahead of the second meeting of the season between the Celtics and Lakers. “And he’s been on the team, he’s seen these teams in the past, and he got to take notes from there, and make his own adjustments. So, Joe’s been doing a really good job. ”

Before Mazzulla was a head coach with a ring and multiple 60-plus-win seasons, he was an assistant coach with the Celtics. And while he was largely unknown in the basketball world prior to becoming the head coach of the Green Team in 2022, Smart isn’t shocked by what he’s been able to accomplish in Boston, especially this season when the Celtics were expected to struggle without star forward Jayson Tatum.

“I mean, for me personally, I’m not surprised,” Smart said. “They got a lot of great players over there. These guys been playing together for a while…I definitely think they’re doing what I expected them to do, but it is fun to watch.”

The Celtics continued their winning ways shortly after Smart’s comments, completing a season sweep of the Lakers for the first time since the 2022-23 campaign (Smart’s final season with the C’s) and holding their historic foes to their worst offensive output of 2026.

Following the 22-point victory, the Celtics are 37-19 overall, an impressive 19-10 on the road, and in second place in the Eastern Conference. What they’ve been able to do with Tatum rehabbing from a ruptured Achilles and multiple starters missing from last season is quite impressive.

What JJ Redick had to say about Joe Mazzulla’s ‘phenomenal’ season

Even Lakers head coach JJ Redick said as much, pointing out Mazzulla’s role in the success.

“I think Joe is — there’s a handful of coaches that I think are doing a tier-one job this year,” Redick stated during his pregame press conference. “And Joe’s in that group of coaches, he’s really doing a phenomenal job.”

JJ Redick on the job Joe Mazzulla has done this season with the Celtics:

“I think Joe is — there's a handful of coaches that I think are doing a tier-one job this year. And Joe's in that group of coaches, he's really doing a phenomenal job.” pic.twitter.com/1c66auE6A1

— Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) February 22, 2026

While Smart and Redick, who Mazzulla tried to hire in Boston multiple times, both share a relationship with the Celtics skipper, their praise is genuine and not swayed by personal connection. They’re simply two basketball experts with an understanding of why Mazzulla is a true Coach of the Year candidate.

But, in Mazzulla’s mind, the Celtics haven’t achieved much.

“The story is the story is not done,” he said postgame when asked how to summarize the Celtics’ 2025-26 season. “We’re only a product of what we do tomorrow and what we do the next day…We haven’t done anything. All we’ve done is stick to the process of winning on both ends of the floor.”

Joe Mazzulla on whether he was offended, tired, or flattered about all the praise the Celtics have received for overachieving:

“The season's 82 not 55…you can't get caught up in what you've done in the past, whether it was good or bad.” pic.twitter.com/9lOWZNxzhg

— Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) February 22, 2026

The next chapter of the Celtics’ unfinished story will feature a Tuesday night showdown with the Phoenix Suns, who are in some ways Boston’s Western Conference counterparts, given their surprising 33-25 record.

As always, Mazzulla will use this matchup as an opportunity for improvement, regardless of the result.

“Don’t overreact to a good win or a bad loss, and get better the next game,” Mazzulla reiterated.

The post Marcus Smart, JJ Redick praise Celtics’ Joe Mazzulla amid COTY campaign appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Throughout the evening, Doncic could be seen throwing his hands up and complaining to the referees, as well as blatantly flopping in an attempt to get calls, which drew a slew of mockery on social media.

Recently, The Ringer’s Bill Simmons, a noted Celtics fan, weighed in on the drama.

“The foul b******* stuff is the worst it’s been in a while,” said Simmons, per MrBuckBuck on X, formerly Twitter. “It’s so bad that even LeBron’s like, ‘Wow, this guy’s really b******* for calls.’ But I don’t think it helps them.”

James has been known to embellish a foul or two throughout his illustrious career, but even his antics have never come anywhere close to the acrobatic routines that Doncic puts on display in an attempt to draw calls on a nightly basis.

This issue has been noted for Doncic dating back to his days with the Dallas Mavericks, as has his propensity to relentlessly argue with the referees, and at certain points, it’s threatened to overshadow the brilliance he is able to achieve on the basketball court, which he doesn’t need to rely on foul baiting to produce.

Meanwhile, Lakers fans’ concerns about Austin Reaves’ ability to perform against good defenses proved to be justified with his performance on Sunday night, as was the team’s lack of viable perimeter defenders.

Los Angeles currently sits at 34-22 on the season, and will have to fight to stay in the top six of the West down the stretch of the season.

The Lakers will next take the floor on Tuesday evening against the Orlando Magic at 10:30 pm ET.

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Redick was particularly vocal about a missed goaltending call involving Celtics center Neemias Queta, who reportedly reached through the rim to block a LeBron James layup. Even Luka Doncic, who struggled to 25 points, noted with a smirk that the officiating was clearly problematic if even he wasn’t the one being penalized most.

This loss to a premier rival has brought a troubling trend to the forefront for the 34-22 Lakers. According to Jovan Buha on X, the Lakers have really struggled against teams with a .600 win % or better (the top 10 teams record-wise).

They’re 4-11 against them, with three of their wins coming in the first two weeks of the season (MIN twice and SAS once). 10 of the 11 losses have been by double digits.

This lack of competitiveness against the league’s elite raises significant questions about their ceiling as a championship contender, as they appear to be losing the “punch” necessary to trade blows with top-tier talent.

Amidst the on-court struggles, the evening served as a moment of reflection for LeBron James, who watched the team unveil a statue for legendary coach Pat Riley. James expressed his “utmost respect” for Riley, whom he worked under during their time with the Miami Heat.

While acknowledging the “Showtime” architect’s immense impact on the game as both a coach and executive, James noted that while it is human nature to wonder “what could have been” regarding their past together, he remains focused on the present.

As the Lakers move forward, they must find a way to translate that respect into results against top-tier opponents if they hope to secure another banner.

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Riley believes James could have led the Heat to a third title, he said, per the Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang.

“I thought getting the Big 3 — Dwyane, Chris Bosh, and especially LeBron — that we had finally put together what I thought could become a dynasty,” Riley, 80, said Sunday when asked during a news conference in Los Angeles what James’ four-year run with the Heat meant to him.

“It was. Four trips to the Finals in a row, two world championships. It was an incredible run. And as a coach and somebody who really thought about how to build that particular team and had built it, I saw something that could have lasted eight to 10 years.”

Still, Riley understood James’ decision to return to Cleveland, which ultimately led to the Cavs winning their first championship in franchise history.

“I understood,” Riley said of James’ decision to leave the Heat, now seemingly at peace with the way things played out 12 years after James’ departure. “The business in the NBA is the business in the NBA. Players have an opportunity to go somewhere else; he went to Cleveland and won a title up there. So I wish him nothing but the best.

“But I’m going to be selfish here and say I wish I had him for another six or eight years. That would have been great. But we’ll never know, will we?”

James would go on to win his fourth title, and first with the Lakers, in 2020.

LeBron James reflects on his leaving the Heat

All-Star LeBron James paid respect to Heat president Pat Riley, who led the Lakers to four championships from 1982 to 1988 as a head coach. From his front-office position, Riley, who also led the 2006 champion Heat to a title as coach, wished James would lead his team to at least three championships.

James discussed his time with the Heat when a reporter relayed Riley’s comments, as the Miami Herald noted.

“I never said I’m going to go there four years and decide to go somewhere else,” James said to reporters in Los Angeles on Sunday when asked about Riley’s comments. “That’s just how the cards were played. But, yeah, it’s human nature to look back and say what could have been. But that’s part of life. I thought the four years that we had were great, obviously.

“We were able to pick up two championships, we lost two of them, unfortunately. But a lot of great memories, a lot of great time there. It would have been interesting to see what could have happened.”

The Lakers lost to the Celtics, 111-89, on Sunday.

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The tension centered on a few specific non-calls that left the Lakers coaching staff searching for answers. According to a post by Oh No He Didn’t on X, JJ Redick addressed the three technical fouls by highlighting a missed goaltending call on a LeBron James layup.

Redick noted that Celtics center Neemias Queta used a “sneaky” strategy that left him stunned. ”They missed a blatant LeBron layup that was goaltended off the backboard, and Queta stuck his entire, I can’t jump that high, so he stuck his entire hand through the rim,” Redick said.

The coach said he would seek clarification on the legality of the move, jokingly adding that “honestly, that’s a great way to defend floaters.” A separate video surfaced showing Redick even attempting to mimic the reach by grabbing the rim himself to emphasize the point.

Woah didn't know JJ can jump like that lolpic.twitter.com/ccdLWEt7wh

— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) February 23, 2026

Despite the officiating drama, LeBron James offered high praise for Jaylen Brown’s ability to keep the Celtics afloat during Jayson Tatum’s absence. James acknowledged that Brown is playing with a chip on his shoulder after the Boston roster was revamped in the offseason.

While James alluded to past friction, specifically Brown’s viral Summer League comments regarding Bronny James, he maintained that their relationship has remained civil and respectful.

For the 34-22 Lakers, the focus now shifts to controlling their emotions and finding more offensive consistency as they look to move past this bitter loss in the rivalry.

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Brown led the way with 32 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists in 36 minutes. He came close to a triple-double while guiding a Boston team that has been without Jayson Tatum since Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on May 12, 2025, due to a torn Achilles.

After the game, James questioned why Brown’s name is not mentioned more often in MVP talks. He pointed out that Brown is averaging around 30 points per game and suggested that MVP discussions can sometimes turn into a popularity contest.

“This whole MVP thing, I don’t understand why his name is not getting talked about as well,” James said of Brown after Sunday’s game. “Like, nobody gave them a shot to start the season. And he’s averaging what, 30? Just under 30? It’s a popularity contest sometimes, I tell you.”

Brown later responded to the praise after the game as he spoke to the reporters. He insisted he tunes out both criticism and praise, though he made his case for the award in his own way.

“I feel like I’m the best two-way player in the world,” Brown said. “I play both ends on the court. Night to night, I’m available, which is hard to do. I’m a leader. I help lead my team, empower my team to come out and play confidently, stuff that doesn’t always show up on the analytics. And I’m a winner. I come out and try to win every single night. So I’m grateful.”

Jaylen Brown to @ramonashelburne on LeBron James talking about Brown’s MVP case after the Celtics’ win over the Lakers:

“Just come with the same mentality as I have from day one. Don't let the praise or the warmth or the criticism make or break you. Just come out and be Jaylen… pic.twitter.com/bCN0IofO70

— Bobby Krivitsky (@BobbyKrivitsky) February 23, 2026

He called it an honor to receive recognition from James, whom he described as arguably the best player ever. Brown, who won Finals MVP in 2024 after averaging 20.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game, said he feels grateful every day.

“It’s an honor to play the Celtics-Lakers rivalry. It’s an honor for LeBron, who’s arguably the best player to ever play the game, giving me some high praise. So, I’m just grateful. I wake up every morning grateful (and) humbled.”

Even without Tatum and after trading Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis in the offseason, Boston is 37-19 and second in the East. What many thought would be a reset has turned into a serious run at the conference crown.

Brown is a big reason for that. He ranks fourth in the NBA in scoring at 29.2 points per game while also averaging career highs of 7.0 rebounds and 4.9 assists. Brown sits fourth in the league in scoring this season.

Meanwhile, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, the last two MVP winners, have largely controlled the MVP conversation.

Plenty of games remain, and the MVP race is anything but decided. The door isn’t closed, but Brown still has ground to cover if he wants to kick it open.

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After the game, Brown shared a story of what James told him in his first start of his career.

“But when I first got into the league, my first start was against the Cleveland Cavaliers,” Brown said. “After the game, he came up to me and told me in my ear, ‘You’re going to be an All-Star one day. You’re going to be a great player.’ And he also said, ‘You’re playing for a great coach—just keep your head up and keep doing what you’re doing.’

“That was my first start in the NBA—back in 2017, I think, or 2016. He told me that, so we talked about it at the All-Star Game. He smiled like, ‘Of course—I’m not surprised at anything you’re doing right now.’ He was like: just keep proving people wrong, keep doing what you’ve got to do, keep leading your team, and people will take notice.”

Fast forward to now, and Brown is a multi-time All-Star, and this season, he’s in MVP talks. He has so much more to accomplish as well, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him keep elevating in his career.

Brown also noted that he wouldn’t tell everything that he and James talked about, and some suspect it may be about what he said about Bronny James during the Summer League last season. James spoke about his and Brown’s relationship in his presser.

“Our relationship has been pretty respectful. Besides the s— he said about Bronny in Summer League. But other than that, we’ve been all right,” James said with a smile.

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Douglas spoke at the statue reveal of Riley. He joked that the look of his Wall Street character was inspired by Riley in a very specific way.

“Gordon Gekko’s hairdo came from Pat Riley” – Michael Douglas on finding inspiration for his iconic role in the movie Wall Street from the Hall of Fame Lakers coach pic.twitter.com/TERNYPDLpq

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) February 22, 2026

“And yes, I am going to have to confess that Gordon Gekko’s hairdo came from Pat Riley,” Douglas said, which made some members of the crowd laugh.

Gordon Gekko is Douglas’ character in the Wall Street series. The first movie was released in 1987, and a sequel followed in 2010. Douglas starred in Wall Street alongside Charlie Sheen, Martin Sheen, and Daryl Hannah.

Pat Riley’s legendary run with the Lakers

Riley is largely associated with his time with the Lakers. He played for them from 1970 to 1975, winning the 1972 NBA Finals with them.

After retiring as a player, Riley joined the Lakers as an assistant coach in 1979. He would then be promoted to the head coach in 1981, remaining in the position until 1990.

During his tenure as the Lakers’ head coach, Riley led the team to four NBA Championships. They won titles in 1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988. The Lakers also won the NBA Finals in 1980 when Riley was still an assistant coach.

He would then join the New York Knicks from 1991 to 1995, and Riley would then coach the Miami Heat for several years, winning one NBA Championship.

As an executive, Riley has won two NBA Championships. The Heat went back-to-back with the “Big Three” (LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwayne Wade) in 2012 and 2013.

Finally, the Lakers have honored Riley in fitting fashion. His statue resides outside Crypto.com Arena. He has been immortalized with the likes of Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

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The halftime ceremony was a special tribute to Riley to celebrate his statue, which was unveiled outside Crypto.com Arena before the game.

LeBron James admitted that he took a peek at the halftime ceremony, which was hosted by Magic Johnson and attended by former players of Riley, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, Jamaal Wilkes, AC Green, and Byron Scott, among others.

The 41-year-old James only had good words to say about the 80-year-old Riley, stressing that he has the “utmost respect” for the legendary mentor.

“He’s one of the all-time greats that has ever been part of this league, not only as a player, (but as) a coach, an executive, front office, everything. Obviously, what he did with the Lakers organization in the 80s goes without saying, and rightfully so, they made a statue of him outside the building,” said James in a video posted by EssentiallySports’ Mark Medina.

LeBron James called Pat Riley “one of the all-time greats that has ever been part of this league” after seeing Riley’s halftime ceremony. LeBron on Riley imagining Heat could’ve had a 6-10 year title window had he stayed instead of return to Cleveland in 2014. pic.twitter.com/IScCJcWxqO

— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) February 23, 2026

Of course, James and Riley spent four years together on the Miami Heat, where the latter has served as team president for over three decades. James led the Heat to two titles before leaving in 2014 to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

James’ decision to join Miami changed the NBA’s landscape, while also underscoring the continued influence of Riley.

While many believe that they could have won more championships together, James said he is not hung up on the past.

“It’s human nature to look back and say, ‘Okay, what could have been.’ But that’s part of life,” added the four-time MVP, who had 20 points, four rebounds, five assists, and two steals against the Celtics.

Riley coached the Lakers to four championships as the architect of the famed “Showtime” era.

The post Lakers’ LeBron James shows major respect to Pat Riley after incredible halftime ceremony appeared first on ClutchPoints.

It was a tight battle through the first three quarters before the Celtics took control and broke away in the final frame, outscoring the Lakers, 27-18.

Los Angeles was whistled for three technical fouls—one each on Austin Reaves, Marcus Smart, and coach JJ Redick—for arguing calls, swinging the momentum to Boston during pivotal junctures.

After the game, Luka Doncic was candid about it.

“You’re surprised it wasn’t me, huh? Then you know it’s bad,” said Doncic, who is notorious for complaining to the referees, as quoted by The Athletic’s Dan Woike.

He finished with 25 points on 9-of-22 shooting. He also had five rebounds and three assists. His numbers were far from his usual output, as the Celtics clamped down on defense.

The Lakers only shot 39% from the field and were outrebounded, 50-39. The Celtics, on the other hand, were impressive on offense, shooting 48% form the floor and tallying 29 assists.

Doncic was outplayed by Jaylen Brown in their marquee matchup, with the latter ending up with a game-high 32 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and three steals.

The 26-year-old Doncic has accumulated 13 technical fouls this season, just three shy of being automatically suspended.

He has acknowledged in the past that he has to stop whining to the referees to avoid being thrown off his game. Doncic knows that he has to reel in his competitive instincts and take better control of his emotions to give the Lakers a better chance of winning.

They fell to 34-22 after their loss to the Celtics.

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Brown finished with a game-high 32 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and four steals, as the Celtics improved to 37-19. The Lakers fell to 34-22.

No less than LeBron James has lauded Brown’s performance this season, carrying the cudgels for Boston amid the continued absence of Jayson Tatum due to an Achilles injury.

“He’s using the motivation of a lot of people saying they’re going to have a down year because obviously, JT being out, them losing Jrue (Holiday), Al (Horford) leaves, (Kristaps) Porzingis leaves, their whole championship team pretty much revamped. He’s using that as motivation to keep them afloat. They’re playing great basketball because of him and the rest of those other guys. He’s taking that next step,” said James in a video posted by CLNS.

James maintained that he and Brown have remained civil, even if the latter criticized the former’s son, Bronny James, last year.

“Our relationship has been pretty respectful. Besides the s*** he said about Bronny in Summer League. But other than that, we’ve been all right,” said the four-time MVP with a smile.

“It’s all good. Bronny has a long way to go, but that’s another story.”

LeBron James on his relationship with Jaylen Brown:

“Our relationship has been pretty respectful. Besides the sh*t he said about Bronny in Summer League. But other than that we’ve been all right.”

(via @CelticsCLNS)

pic.twitter.com/rV9KrpCj4q

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 23, 2026

While watching the Summer League at courtside, Brown was caught on video muttering, “I don’t think Bronny James is a pro.” It quickly went viral, and obviously, James took note of it.

The younger James has been widely criticized, with many fans sharing Brown’s view. He, however, has shown improvements in his second season.

The elder James, meanwhile, maintained that Brown has been playing “great basketball,” adding that the Celtics star is not being talked about enough for the MVP award.

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“I think they were playing physical. They were playing great defense,” Doncic said during his postgame press conference. “We need better offense. We scored 89 points. That’s not like us so we got to be better.”

Coming into the game against the Celtics, the Lakers were 12th in the NBA in points per game at 116.2. They were 10th in offensive rating at 117.6. On the flip side, the Celtics came in second in the league in opponents points per game at 108.4, and eighth in defensive rating at 113.5.

The Celtics swarming defense was certainly on display, especially their use of a deep drop and strong perimeter ball pressure.

“You’ve just got to match the physicality. . .especially on the defensive end,” Doncic said. “You got to match the physicality.”

Doncic finished the game with 25 points in 33 minutes while shooting 9-of-22 (40.9 percent) from the field and 4-of-7 (57.1 percent) from the 3-point line. He also added five rebounds, three assists and one steal.

The Lakers offensive struggles were also highlighted by head coach JJ Redick, who felt like the team generally played good enough defense to win the game. It was a reverse from the team’s norm this season in which they’ve usually put up a lot of points, but struggled to contain opposing offenses.

“We did a good job limiting their fast break points, did a good job limiting their points in the paint. . .we did enough defensively,” Redick said. “We were just awful offensively tonight.”

For Redick, one of the key areas that the Lakers struggled with offensively was getting shots at the rim and putting more pressure on the Celtics’ defense.

“There were opportunities, I think, to put more pressure on the rim, particularly in the first half,” Redick said. “We took 11 non-paint twos. We were 13-of-29 on paint twos, non-rim paint twos. That’s not normally what we shoot. And then we got some good looks from three, we didn’t knock them down. You got to make shots in this league.”

“I think a lot of times when teams are on that deeper drop versus all our guys that play pick and roll, it kind of puts you a little bit in a bind of not having the obvious choice to pass,” Redick continued. “We just got to do a better job of just finding guys and moving the ball.”

Prior to the game, the Lakers honored legendary coach Pat Riley, who had his battles against the Celtics in his days, with a statue outside the team’s arena.

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He was a larger-than-life figure in his two decades in Los Angeles. Now, it has become more literal with the eight-foot bronze tribute. It was unveiled in a ceremony before the Lakers hosted the Boston Celtics on Sunday.

It was only fitting, as Riley coached the Lakers to four titles, two of those at the expense of the Celtics.

The 80-year-old Riley, who began as a TV analyst for the Purple and Gold, was extremely thankful for the generous acclaim.

“I’m so grateful. I really am. It’s beyond gratitude. I’m so grateful to be honored and to be with those who are the giants that I jumped up on their shoulders, and they carried me,” said Riley in a report from New York Post’s Khobi Price.

Aside from Riley, the Lakers have also built statues for NBA legends Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, and play-by-play commentator Chick Hearn.

Riley, who has served as team president of the Miami Heat since 1995, has not held a position with the Lakers since he left in 1990, he remains revered by the team.

He steered the Lakers to their dynastic run in the 1980s, giving birth to the “Showtime” era with their thrilling and fast-paced style. They were as glitzy as his slicked-back hair and designer suits.

Riley was perfect for Hollywood, helping shape a culture where excellence wasn’t hoped for, it was expected. Now, his legacy remains even more permanent.

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Riley stepped inside the Lakers’ home venue to accept his newest honor. But the 80-year-old still has jokes especially for James Worthy and others he coached.

Pat Riley's speech at halftime, where he showed appreciation to James Worthy for being the only former player to wear a tie and joked about handing out $2,000 fines to everyone else: https://t.co/fqcqzh11fh pic.twitter.com/cUa6lBKVzP

— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) February 23, 2026

The night became filled with laughs, especially from Riley’s famed players. But there was still a serious tone from Riley, particularly with this message emblazoned on his statue:

“There will come a time when you are challenged. And when that time comes, you must plant your feet. You must stand firm. You must make a point. About who you are, what you do, and where you come from. And when that time comes, you do it,” the message reads.

That quote came during the 1985 NBA Finals won by L.A. against the rival Boston Celtics.

Current Lakers coach compared to Pat Riley?

The four-time NBA champion with the Lakers Riley established the famed “Showtime Lakers” of the 1980s. Riley turned to names like Kareem Abdul-Jabar, Magic Johnson, Worthy, and others to dominate the 1980s.

JJ Redick now holds down the post Riley made famous around four decades ago. Redick was a child in the 80s during the Lakers run — yet many believe his coaching style mimics the legendary leader.

The current Lakers leader, though, decided to give Riley his roses.

“I didn’t think much of the comparisons at the time. I think Pat, to me, sort of set the standard for modern NBA coaches and I kind of have always looked at the NBA in sort of two very distinct eras,” Redick said to reporters. “You can sort of make the demarcation point either right at the merger, or in 80-81 right around the time when Dallas joined as the 23rd team.”

Redick continued with: “Pat just set the standard for what a modern NBA coach should be.”

Riley joins Shaquille O’Neal, Johnson, Abdul-Jabar, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Chick Hearn and Kobe Bryant as Lakers to have a statue outside of Crypto.

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Prior to the Lakers’ game against the Boston Celtics on Sunday, Pat Riley was honored outside Crypto.com Arena with a statue, the latest in a long list of franchise legends who have been immortalized outside of the Lakers’ home arena.

During his pregame press conference, JJ Redick spoke about the comparisons to the Lakers’ legendary coach, as well as the influence Riley has had on coaching as whole.

“I didn’t think much of the comparisons at the time. I think Pat, to me, sort of set the standard for modern NBA coaches. I kind of have always looked at the NBA in sort of two very distinct eras,” Redick said. “You can sort of make the demarcation point either right at the merger, or in 80-81 right around the time when Dallas joined as the 23rd team.”

“And that’s sort of, to me, the beginning of the modern NBA. And that’s right when the Lakers run of ‘80 started,” Redick continued. “Pat just set the standard for what a modern NBA coach should be.”

Redick is in his second year of a four-year contract he signed in the 2024 offseason as head coach of the Lakers. In his first year, he led the Lakers to a 50-32 record and the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference playoff picture.

In comparison, Riley led the Lakers to a 50-21 record after taking over as head coach during the 1981-82 season. Their overall record was 57-25. The Lakers would win the title that year, starting off a string of eight consecutive NBA Finals appearances with four total championships.

Pat Riley’s thoughts on JJ Redick

Pat Riley’s final two seasons at the helm as head coach coincided with JJ Redick’s first two seasons of his NBA career. But he still had to worry about game-planning for Redick once he moved back into an executive role with the Miami Heat.

Although Riley has been employed by the Heat organization since 1995, he still keeps tabs on his old team, and believes they hit a home run with the Redick hire.

“I love JJ, I really do. I competed against him, my teams competed against him. . .he was a fiery guy. He could shoot the hell out of the ball. He was tough as nails,” Riley said during a media availability session before the game. “Sometimes I look back and I remember myself at that time. And I looked at JJ and I think they picked the right person. There’s just this quality about him I think that goes above and beyond.”

While not quite the same as the roster that Riley was working with when he first became Lakers head coach, Redick has had to integrate the talent of LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves all together. Riley believes the Lakers have a good team, and that the organization has put Redick in a position to succeed.

“They have a hell of a team for him right here with [Luka] Doncic and [Austin] Reaves and obviously with LeBron,” Riley said. “I think Rob [Pelinka]. . .and the new ownership will build the team to compliment those players, but they have a great opportunity. I think JJ will be a good coach for them.”

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Befittingly, the Showtime recently unveiled a statue commemorating his legacy, and Riley was asked a simple question about current NBA coaches.

The Miami Heat president stated that he wishes current NBA coaches “went back to coats and ties” when asked if he would still wear Armani suits if he coached today, per a post on X by journalist Khobi Price. And well, there is no surprise as far as that response is concerned.

Riley, now 80 and still serving as president of the Miami Heat, becomes the first coach in Los Angeles Lakers history to receive a statue, placing him alongside names such as Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Jerry West and Chick Hearn. With the Lakers, Riley reached seven NBA Finals during his nine-season tenure from 1981 to 1990.

However, that is only a small part of his legacy. Across his career as player, assistant coach, head coach and executive, he owns nine championship rings, including a 1972 title as a Lakers player, multiple titles as the architect of Showtime, the Miami Heat’s breakthrough 2006 championship as head coach, and executive titles during Miami’s Big Three era in 2012 and 2013. He remains the first major North American sports figure to win championships in all four of those roles.

A Hall of Fame member since 2008, Riley is often regarded as “The Godfather” of the NBA, and there was never any doubt that he would still wear Armani suits if he coached in the best basketball league in the world.

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Ahead of the game, the Lakers got a pep talk from an unexpected source: golf legend Tiger Woods.

“The Lakers continued their ‘Genius Talks’ series with a field trip to Riviera Country Club on Saturday for the Genesis Invitational, with Rob Pelinka arranging a visit and address from Tiger Woods for the team,” reported NBA insider Dave McMenamin of ESPN on X, formerly Twitter.

Previous guests in the series have included actor Will Smith, among others.

The Lakers will certainly need all of the expertise they can get on Sunday against a Celtics team that has defied expectations so far this season, looking like a legit contender in the Eastern Conference despite playing without Jayson Tatum, who is seemingly nearing a return from his Achilles injury.

The Celtics began their post All-Star game slate with a blowout win over the shorthanded Golden State Warriors on Thursday, and the Lakers will have their hands full trying to guard Boston wing Jaylen Brown, who has worked into his way into fringe MVP conversations for his play so far this year.

Of course, the Celtics won’t have an easy task in their own right as they attempt to guard the Lakers’ three-headed snake of Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves, who all had solid games against the Clippres on Friday.

In any case, the Lakers and Clippers are set to tip off at an unusual start time of 6:30 pm ET on Sunday in Los Angeles, with the game to be televised by NBC.

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That, led to the Showtime immortalizing his legacy by unveiling a statue outside the Crypto.com arena, with the now 80-year-old himself attending the event alongside a range of prominent figures from the Lakers’ past, including Magic Johnson, per a post on X by Heat Culture.

PAT RILEY STATUE REVEAL pic.twitter.com/IIDuJqgNTn

— Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) February 22, 2026

Riley’s nine-year head coaching run with the Lakers from 1981 to 1990 produced a staggering 533–194 record (.733 win percentage), four NBA championships, and seven Finals appearances. More importantly, he served as the architect of the Showtime Lakers, a dynasty built around superstars such as Magic and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

The statue makes Riley the first coach in Lakers history to receive such recognition, joining icons like Magic himself, Kobe Bryant, Jerry West, Shaquille O’Neal, and legendary broadcaster Chick Hearn. While Showtime is often remembered for its highlight offense, Riley also emphasized physicality and defensive discipline, popularizing principles such as the 1-3-1 half-court trap and reinforcing his famous championship mantra that rebounding and defensive commitment drive titles, the same system that he brought forth to the Heat as well.

Glad the Lakers put up a statue of their greatest coach [squints] Nic Cage

— Robby Kalland (@rkalland.bsky.social) 2026-02-22T21:55:05.053Z

His Lakers teams reached four consecutive Finals and produced one of the greatest single-season teams ever in 1987, finishing 65–17 before defeating Boston for the championship. Riley also delivered on one of the NBA’s most iconic guarantees, promising a repeat title in 1988 and becoming the first team in nearly two decades to successfully defend a championship.

Across his coaching career, Riley accumulated five championships as a head coach, produced 17 seasons of 50-plus wins, seven 60-win campaigns, and earned Coach of the Year honors with three different franchises, the Lakers, Knicks, and Heat.

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In just his fourth game with the team, Bennedict Mathurin scored 26 points off the bench to go along with seven rebounds and two assists. He continued a hot-scoring start to his stint with the franchise he was traded to at the NBA trade deadline. He also fouled out of the game late in the fourth quarter and picked up a costly technical foul.

With 7:35 remaining in the second quarter and the Lakers leading 54-42, Bennedict Mathurin was fouled by Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt. Mathurin appeared to push him off, and the game officials responded by issuing a technical foul to the Clippers guard.

Jarred Vanderbilt should be fined for flopping https://t.co/nIEgX7sKvh pic.twitter.com/lg0ftTwDim

— BGB♛ (@BonesGotBizzy) February 21, 2026

Mathurin was puzzled with the technical foul, but continued to play through the call. Austin Reaves went on to make the free throw.

The Clippers went on to lose Friday night’s game against the Lakers, 125-122.

On Saturday morning, the NBA announced that they would be rescinding the technical foul issued to Bennedict Mathurin. It would reduce his technical foul count for the season and also prevent him from paying a fine, but the free throw made by Reaves ended up playing a crucial part in the end of the game, as the Clippers would not have needed to take a three-pointer on their final shot for the tie.

Luka Doncic paced the Lakers with 38 points, six rebounds, 11 assists, and three steals while Austin Reaves scored 29 points with six rebounds and two assists for the Lakers.

Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers in scoring with 31 points, four rebounds, and five assists while shooting 11-of-19 from the field and 4-of-6 from three. Bennedict Mathurin recorded his 26 points on 7-of-16 shooting from the field and 11-of-14 shooting from the free throw line.

The Clippers will move on to face the Orlando Magic on Sunday night, but a lot of questions remain. Will Kawhi Leonard play after leaving the game due to ankle soreness with five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter? Will John Collins avoid being placed in the NBA’s concussion protocol after taking a nasty spill on a lob attempt late in the first half of Friday’s game?

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James finished the night with 13 points, three rebounds, and 11 assists on 5-of-13 shooting for the Lakers, who defeated the Clippers 125-122. Kawhi Leonard poured in 31 points, four rebounds, and five assists on 11-of-19 shooting in 31 minutes of play before departing with 5:10 remaining in the fourth quarter.

After the game, LeBron James was asked about Kawhi Leonard and his resilience to keep coming back from injury and perform at an All-Star level.

“Kawhi is awesome, man,” James said. “He’s the best. He’s one of the best players ever. And I couldn’t care less about the injuries. Those things, you can’t control. You only can control the control-ables, and the things that he’s been controlling is how he comes back and how much perseverance he has every single time.”

In 42 appearances this season, Kawhi Leonard is averaging 27.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.0 steals per game while shooting 49 percent from the field, 37.8 percent from three, and 90.7 percent from free throw line.

His strong play throughout the season, but especially since the middle of December has been a big reason the Clippers have been able to get out of the 6-21 hole they started the season with.

“He’s a— That guy is awesome,” LeBron James continued. “I swear. I have nothing but great things to say about Kawhi and the type of basketball that he’s been playing over the last couple months. I mean he is who is he for a season. I’m not surprised by it. On another note, I was like disappointed on the 2024 Olympic Team when he wasn’t able to go with us.I was looking forward to teaming up with ‘Whi too as well. I was a little disappointed about that when he had to deal with another injury. I was looking forward to spending some time with him, but listen, he’s great. He had 31 points in 12 minutes the other night. That was— He’s awesome. I could speak about him all night, obviously.”

LeBron James was incredibly complimentary of Kawhi Leonard when I asked him about the resilience he’s seen from him:

“Kawhi is awesome, man. He’s the best. He’s one of the best players ever. I couldn’t care less about the injuries… That guy is awesome. I swear I have nothing… pic.twitter.com/GipDxoJRfX

— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) February 21, 2026

Kawhi Leonard has dealt with a slew of injuries over his career, from a torn ACL to a torn meniscus in recent years, not to mention the quad and knee swelling difficulties he’s dealt with as well.

LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard have not played 40 matchups against one another — 28 in the regular season and 12 in the playoffs. Leonard has won 15 of those 28 regular season games and seven of those 12 playoff games.

James and his Miami heat won the 2013 NBA Championship against Kawhi Leonard and the San Antonio Spurs. Leonard and his Spurs then defeated James and his Heat in the 2014 NBA Finals.

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Austin Reaves made a terrific outlet pass to LeBron James, who quickly served the ball up for Ayton. The alley-oop stretched the Lakers’ lead to 14 and ignited the home crowd in Crypto.com Arena, but it also displayed the impact the 27-year-old big man can make when his instincts are on point. He ran the floor beautifully and perfectly read James’ eyes, and the end result was a big play that gave LA overwhelming momentum (at least for the time being).

Ayton was incredibly grateful to be part of such a rhythmic experience on the basketball court, and it will stick with him for a long time. “That was one of the highlights of my career,” he said of the fast break, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “I needed that one.”

LeBron James throws it up for the Deandre Ayton SLAM

pic.twitter.com/1WyeV5zYCL

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 21, 2026

Deandre Ayton could be the X-factor on this team. If he can operate at full force, the Lakers should be a legitimate championship contender. But which version of Ayton will show up on the floor?

The former Arizona Wildcats star recorded a modest 13 points and seven rebounds against the Clippers. His scoring is naturally going to decline alongside offensive dynamos like Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves, but he could still make a discernible difference on the glass.

Ayton is posting a career-low 8.4 rebounds per game (his minutes are slightly down, but the statement still holds true on a per 36 minutes basis). The Lakers grab 40.9 boards per contest, which ranks 28th in the NBA. They need him to be strong in the paint.

He averages a double-double for his career. This is not a role player. It is time for him to remind everyone what he is capable of accomplishing. Perhaps the alley-oop can be the forerunner to a Deandre Ayton reawakening.

The play obviously left an impression on him. He will try to build on it when Los Angeles (34-21) welcomes in the Boston Celtics (36-19) this Sunday night.

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ESPN sideline reporter Jorge Sedano asked Doncic if Barkley and Doncic were in their prime, how Doncic would “cook” Barkley. Doncic facetiously replied:

“I would cook him for sure. I think he’ll talk a lot between us… I think it will be very fun.”

Although Doncic’s remark was in good birthday fun, perhaps it was a precursor to Barkley’s comments that the Lakers are not a championship contender and wouldn’t beat the Thunder or the top teams in the West.

“It depends on the seeding because if they’re six, seven or eight and they have to play Denver, Houston or OKC, they’re not going to beat those teams. I’m not even sure they can beat San Antonio,” Barkely said following the interview.

This led to a brief response by Lakers guard Austin Reaves, who was being prepared to be interviewed by the Inside the NBA crew following the victory.

Reaves replied, “Yeah, I heard a little bit. Everybody’s entitled to their own opinion.”

Nevertheless, the hypothetical matchup between Doncic and Barkley would certainly be interesting. Ever since being drafted in 2018, Doncic has emerged as one of the best one-on-one scorers in the NBA. He has a penchant for shooting unguardable shots and hitting three-pointers at a high volume. He also plays at his own pace, rarely ever being sped up and using his strength to effortlessly muscle to the basket and even get to the foul line.

But Barkley in his prime was an anomaly. A 6’4″ power forward, Barkley was a strong force under the basket and gave his team more life on the offensive end by nabbing a high quantity of rebounds. He was also an adept scorer with a bruising back-to-the-basket game and could hit mid-range shots as needed in the flow of the offense.

The Lakers host the Boston Celtics on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock.

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“It depends on the seeding because if they’re six, seven or eight and they have to play Denver, Houston or OKC, they’re not going to beat those teams. I’m not even sure they can beat San Antonio,” Barkely said.

The Pro Basketball Hall of Famer turned studio analyst has been consistent about his beliefs regarding the Lakers, even before Doncic was traded to the Lakers. He’s never seen the Lakers as a true contender and has continued his skepticism throughout the season.

But yesterday’s moment was different. As the Lakers guard, Austin Reaves, was waiting to be interviewed by the Inside the NBA crew, he had the headset on as Barkley spoke about his team’s prospects. Ernie Johnson asked if Reaves had heard the conversation.

Reaves replied, “Yeah, I heard a little bit. Everybody’s entitled to their own opinion.”

Currently, the Lakers sit as the fifth seed in the Western Conference coming out of the All-Star break. They’re one game ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves and three games in the loss column ahead of the seventh-seed Phoenix Suns.

This season, the Lakers have earned victories over Minnesota and San Antonio, as well as a Denver team without Nikola Jokić. Thus far, they have yet to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the Spurs have beaten them three times since their November 5th victory.

But the Lakers are in the midst of a two-game win streak and host the Boston Celtics on Sunday at 6:30 PM. The game will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock.

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Head coach JJ Redick shared a tidbit that he claimed LeBron himself would not have wanted him to share.

“He probably doesn’t want me to share, but he was dealing with a migraine as well pregame and just again, he just rings the bell over and over,” he revealed per a post on X by The Athletic’s Benjamin Royer.

James’ availability was in doubt pre-game as well, as he appeared on the Lakers’ injury report with left knee soreness. However, per Redick, he also fought against a migraine to play a pivotal role for his team.

This was only the 11th time in 55 games that the trio of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and LeBron played together, something the Lakers will hope becomes the norm as we move ahead. James was instrumental throughout, scoring seven first-quarter points as he perfectly complemented Doncic’s early explosion.

He eventually finished with 13 points on 5-of-13 shooting, 11 assists, three rebounds and a steal. And well, while fatigue did seemingly play a part in the second half, LeBron still fought through and logged minutes late in the game as well.

While Doncic’s 38 points and 11 assists carried the scoring load and Reaves added 29 points, James acted for might of the night as the glue that kept things ticking. That will exactly be the kind of role fans will want James to embrace, especially in the business part of the season.

The Lakers have thus far carefully managed James’ workload throughout the season, and while he has missed 18 games already, fans will hope he plays a major role in the coming weeks.

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