For some time now, the Lakers have been flirting with an unserious loss. The second half of Sunday’s game against the Pelicans served as the perfect example of how the team was coasting by on its talent and not its effort.
So, when the Suns — a team whose identity is playing hard — came into Crypto.com Arena on Monday, it was a perfect combination for an ugly performance.
The Lakers carried over their unseriousness from Sunday’s game and Phoenix punished them ruthlessly for it. There are probably few people fans in attendance would have wanted to see celebrating after each made basket more than Dillon Brooks, but when you play stupid games, you win stupid prizes.
So, let’s dive into the loss. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.
LeBron James
31 minutes, 10 points, 3 assists, 3 turnovers, 2 fouls, 3-10 FG, 1-4 3PT, 3-4 FT, -6
I’m giving LeBron a bit of leeway still because he did miss all of the preseason and nearly the first month of the season, so he’s still working his way back. But as the only player on the court who didn’t play in Sunday’s game, his effort level was jarring.
Rui Hachimura
23 minutes, 1 rebound, 0-1 FG, -12
Great cardio from Rui tonight. In no world should he be grabbing just one rebound and attempting just one shot in a game. However, it didn’t help his case that the two lead ballhandlers were turning the ball over once every three possessions.
Deandre Ayton
28 minutes, 12 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 fouls, 6-8 FG, -9
While everyone around him was flailing around and being unserious, Ayton felt like the only Laker on the floor who gave a damn. Considering the reputation he had from his time in Portland and Phoenix — or at least the ones the fans shared — him being the only guy trying for most of this game while also injured was a bit ironic.
Austin Reaves
33 minutes, 16 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 turnovers, 2 fouls, 6-12 FG, 3-7 3PT, 1-1 FT, -11
A bit of a deceiving stat line because six of his points and two of his assists came in the fourth quarter when the game was over. This was a downright awful game from Reaves. His passing has been bad in each of the last two games and he mixed in a loose handle in this one, too.
Luka Dončić
32 minutes, 38 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 9 turnovers, 2 fouls, 15-26 FG, 3-8 3PT, 5-5 FT, -25
I don’t have an encyclopedic knowledge of every game in NBA history, but this has to rank up there with the worst 38-point games ever. After a great first quarter, Luka was awful the rest of the game.
The lazy way he tossed the ball all over the court in the second half was a perfect description of the Lakers’ disposition in this game.
Jake LaRavia
16 minutes, 2 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 1-3 FG, -20
LaRavia may be one of the first guys off the bench each night, but he really lacks a scoring punch, something the Lakers could really use.
Am I punishing him for not being something the Lakers need? Yes, but mainly to keep up the bit, if you haven’t caught on already.
Jaxson Hayes
14 minutes, 6 points, 2 rebounds, 1 foul, 1-1 FG, 4-5 FT, -13
This was just one play and perhaps only really bothered me, but Hayes going up for an offensive rebound and batting the ball into the corner that Maxi Kleber was crashing from, then getting upset at Kleber about crashing, was my last straw in this one. If I could have turned off the game, I would have.
Gabe Vincent
21 minutes, 3 points, 2 rebounds, 1 turnover, 1-6 FG, 1-4 3PT, -5
It’s becoming increasingly harder to rationalize playing Vincent. Give another guard those minutes. Try something else.
Dalton Knecht
16 minutes, 13 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 fouls, 5-7 FG, 3-5 3PT, -1
Sorry, Dalton, but burying a couple 3-pointers in garbage time to pad the stats isn’t going to get you out of this bit, too.
Maxi Kleber
10 minutes, 5 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2-4 FG, 1-2 3PT, +5
Maxi finally took a couple of open threes, so that’s progress. But all the connecting he does means nothing if the players he’s connecting with also stink on the night.
Nick Smith Jr., Bronny James, Adou Thiero
Our strict rules of only giving grades to players who play 10 minutes means these players won’t get Fs in our super official grades. But they get spiritual ones.
On one hand, Redick has long preached the need to play hard and how dangerous it is when you don’t. If Austin and Luka are going to throw the ball around the court, can you blame JJ for that?
Yes, I will tonight. Because I had to watch Dillon Brooks celebrate and no one is escaping that.
Monday’s DNPs: Jarred Vanderbilt
Monday’s inactives: Marcus Smart, Drew Timme, Chris Manon
You can follow Jacob on Twitter at@JacobRudeor on BlueSky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.