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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - FEBRUARY 05: Former NFL player Shannon Sharpe is seen on the set of The NFL Network along Radio Row on February 05, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
On Thursday night, the Los Angeles Lakers suffered a 113-110 loss to the Phoenix Suns in Arizona.
Even worse, the Suns were without Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks (while the Lakers had their three stars).
The Lakers had also been coming off a 110-109 defeat to the Orlando Magic (at home).
Shannon Sharpe Rips Los Angeles Lakers
GettyATLANTA, GEORGIA – NOVEMBER 08: Shannon Sharpe attends ESPN First Take at Clark Atlanta University on November 08, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
After the game, Football Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe called out the Lakers in a big way.
Sharpe (via Night Cap, h/t @NBA__Courtside): “They’re a bad basketball team. I know everybody say, well LeBron needs to leave… They’re not a championship contending team with LeBron… They’re not going to be a championship contending team without LeBron.”
Sharpe has been a fan of LeBron James (and the Lakers) for a while, so his comments are very intriguing.
Lakers-Suns Game
Luka Doncic had an incredible performance finishing with 41 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and two steals while shooting 12/21 from the field and 6/11 from three-point range in 39 minutes.
Real App: “Luka Doncic has the most 40-point games by a Lakers PG over the last 50 seasons.”
Real App
Luka Doncic has the most 40-point games by a Lakers PG over the last 50 seasons.
Austin Reaves 14 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals while shooting 5/12 from the field and 2/5 from three-point range.
LeBron James put up 15 points, six rebounds, five assists and one block while shooting 7/16 from the field and 0/3 from three-point range.
GettyPHOENIX, ARIZONA – FEBRUARY 26: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers prepares for the start of the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center on February 26, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Reaves and James had mediocre performances, but the bigger problem was the play of Deandre Ayton.
The former Arizona star had two points, four rebounds and one steal while shooting 1/3 from the field in 23 minutes of playing time.
StatMuse wrote: “Deandre Ayton plus/minus over the last six games: -24 -2 -15 -2 -5 -13 rough.”
GettyLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 20: LeBron James #23 and Deandre Ayton #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrate a play during the second half of their game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Crypto.com Arena on February 20, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luiza Moraes/Getty Images)
With their loss to the Suns, the Lakers are still the sixth seed in the Western Conference with a 34-24 record in 58 games.
They are just 2.5 games back of the Denver Nuggets for fourth.
Following the Suns, the Lakers have a high-profile showdown with the Golden State Warriors on Saturday at the Chase Center.
Via Lakers Reporter Jovan Buha: “Final: Suns 113, Lakers 110 LA drops their third straight game to fall to 34-24. They’ll now potentially be two games back of No. 5 if MIN wins tonight. The Lakers are trending in the wrong direction at the wrong time. Luka had 41/8/8. LeBron had 15/6/5. Up next: at GSW on Sat.”
Jovan Buha
Final: Suns 113, Lakers 110
LA drops their third straight game to fall to 34-24. They’ll now potentially be two games back of No. 5 if MIN wins tonight. The Lakers are trending in the wrong direction at the wrong time. Luka had 41/8/8. LeBron had 15/6/5.
Up next: at GSW on Sat.
The Lakers last won a title during the 2020 season.
They are coming off a year where they lost to Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves in the play-in tournament.