LeBron admits: Lakers struggle without Luka Doncic

Despite having a full roster available aside from the already confirmed absence of Luka Doncic, the Los Angeles Lakers were unable to overcome the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the NBA playoff second round. The Purple and Gold fell 108–90 on Tuesday night at the Paycom Center, in a game where their offensive struggles were evident and ultimately costly against the reigning champions.

LeBron James led all scorers with 27 points, but the rest of the team failed to respond in key moments to match the Thunder’s offensive pace. Austin Reaves, the Lakers’ second-best player, had a difficult night with just eight points and missed all five of his three-point attempts. As a team, the Lakers shot 42% from the field in Game 1, and James was clear after the loss: everything is harder without Doncic.

On Luka Doncic’s absence

“We have a guy that averaged 37 a game, there’s the issue,” James said after the defeat, referring obviously to Luka, who was not in the game.

“We’re playing against the No.1 defensive team in the NBA, as far as the ratings. And when you play against great defenses, you have to have guys that can attract multiple defenders on the floor at all times.”

“I feel like we got some great shots tonight, but we missed them. When you’re playing against the world champions, having a guy who averages 34-8-9, or whatever it is, that’s special. So we have to be better at finding ways to get to the blender, finding ways to get to the paint,” James added.

Doncic is not only capable of scoring 30 or more points in a game, but he also draws double teams, creating open looks for his teammates, a major factor on offense. Without their star guard, the Lakers will need to be more decisive and find ways to secure a win in Game 2 on Thursday before the series shifts back to Los Angeles.

Doncic has been recovering for just over a month from a left hamstring injury he suffered on April 2, which has kept him sidelined during these playoffs. After revealing on Wednesday that his doctors gave him an eight-week timeline, it’s possible he won’t return until late in the series, as late as Game 5 or 6, if the Lakers are still in it at that point.

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