The Los Angeles Lakers wrapped up their preseason with a brutal 121-106 loss to the Denver Nuggets, playing from behind almost the entire game and looking completely out of sync offensively. This wasn’t just a loss, it was a flashing red light for an offense that gave the ball away 14 times, including six in the opening period alone.
Digging a Hole They Couldn’t Escape
Early offensive shortcomings put LA behind the eight ball right from the jump, forcing them to try and dig out of a hole they never could escape. They finished the night shooting a rough 42.7% from the field, which just isn’t gonna cut it. Denver was all over Luka Dončić, making him miss his first two shots. By the 6:54 mark, the Lakers were already down by nine. Trevon Brazile and Jamal Murray each had six points for the Nuggets, who went on a crushing 13-2 scoring run that just overwhelmed LA.
Ziaire Williams, though, got off to a strong start for LA with a layup and was already leading the team with four points early on. Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler combined for four points themselves. Reaves and Luka tried to answer the call, scoring seven points combined, but Nikola Jokić just took over, ending the half with 10 points. The purple and gold trailed by 14 at the end of the first. Matisse Thybulle drained a triple to start the second period, but Denver answered with four straight. The Lakers racked up eight turnovers in this half, struggling to find any offensive footing while their defense was just as bad. Kessler hit two free throws, and then Jake LaRavia and Williams both knocked down triples, helping shave some points off Denver’s lead and getting LA back down to single digits. Williams kept up his stellar showing, hitting 12 points, and the Lakers even went on an 8-0 run to make it a four-point game. Despite the fight, their defense kept being an issue, leaving them down by seven at halftime. Raj C. hit it on the head, pointing out that having only one game with the main rotation to work stuff out before the regular season starts is “less than ideal” with these kinds of offensive struggles. You’re telling me!
Second Half Fightback, But Defense Still a Mess
Things didn’t get easier, though it wasn’t for lack of trying from some guys. Luka Dončić didn’t even play in the second half, though thankfully it wasn’t due to injury. Cam Johnson drained a 3-pointer to start the third period for Denver, and Quentin Grimes answered with a triple of his own. Murray added another four points, keeping the momentum firmly on Denver’s side. The Lakers called a timeout, and out of the break, Thybulle converted on a floater down the lane.
Then things got chippy: Johnson committed a Flagrant 2 foul on Reaves and got ejected. Reaves, always tough, converted both free throws, then drained a three to cut the deficit to five points. But just when you thought they had a real shot, the Nuggets responded by scoring five straight. Sandro Mamukelashvili started to heat up for Los Angeles, scoring eight points, including a triple. The Lakers did get 45 points off the bench, with many of those coming from projected rotation players, and they did turn Denver’s 14 turnovers into 27 points. But man, the overall picture was just not good.
This was their final tune-up, gang, and frankly, it felt more like a flat tire. With the regular season staring them down, those 14 turnovers, the offensive struggles, and that leaky defense are glaring red flags. You gotta wonder how long it’s gonna take for them to get it together. Will they figure it out before they start digging an even bigger hole when the games actually count? We’ll find out soon enough.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Silver Screen and Roll.
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