The Los Angeles Lakers have played five games in 2026, and they have a 3-2 record. Two of the most recent games have been losses to the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday and to the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday.
Against the Bucks, Luka Doncic had an underwhelming game based on his extremely lofty standards. Based on his numbers, 24 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists are phenomenal contributions, but he was quite inefficient from the field, and he fouled out for the first time in his Lakers career.
Redick is okay with Doncic not having the best game
As one of the league's best players, Doncic having an underwhelming game is a rarity. Scoring 24 points might be a career high to some, but it is a down performance for Doncic. He is averaging 33.7 points, eight rebounds, and 8.8 assists per game this season, so he was away from his averages across the board.
He was due for a "bad" game at some point, especially since he was quite inefficient this time around. Doncic shot 8-for-25 from the field, while he shot 4-for-8 from the free-throw line.
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It was not the best Doncic performance, but Lakers head coach J.J. Redick seems more forgiving of his star player. Doncic is one of the league's best players, so having a rare bad game should not be a big problem for him. If it persists, that is when there will be a problem, but it seems like it was just an off night for Doncic.
"They played drop, and I thought there were a few drives that he felt like he got fouled on. He missed some free throws, and I think he's been such a dynamic driver and paint toucher for us. Those plays can kinda mess with your mind a bit," Redick said about Doncic's performance against the Bucks.
"He's won us so many games, whatever game it is, you're naturally not gonna have your best stuff. He did not have his best stuff tonight... I think all of those guys put us in the position to win the game."
The Lakers are on a two-game losing streak, so that is a bit of a problem. They have some relatively easier games on the schedule, as they play the Sacramento Kings and the Atlanta Hawks on Monday and Tuesday.
If they want to regain their form to start 2026 with a three-game winning streak, they need to win those games. The Lakers are still in a good position with a 23-13 record, so they will keep fighting with Doncic as their superstar player.
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