The Lakers dropped to 3-1 despite Dončic becoming the sixth Laker to notch 20 career 40-point games. He achieved the feat in only his 96th game with the franchise since being traded from the Dallas Mavericks in 2025. The Lakers probably needed Dončić to score 52 again, like he did Sunday in a 132-123 road win against the Utah Jazz. “We just got broken down a lot,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said of a Lakers defense that allowed 56 paint points, 41 free-throw attempts, and 18 3s out of 36 attempts. “I thought the game-plan discipline, KYP (know your personnel) discipline wasn’t where it needs to be. And I think sometimes early in the season, these are good learning lessons that we can all apply, both as coaches and as players. How can we teach the scheme better? It was also an incredible shot-making game. Let’s also factor that in.”
