Pressure on Luka Doncic as Lakers lose again

The Lakers wrapped up a rough preseason with their fifth loss in six games, falling 117-116 to the Sacramento Kings in their final tune-up before the real action begins Tuesday night against the Golden State Warriors, the only team they’ve actually beaten this fall.

Los Angeles led most of the night but never pulled away, then unraveled late with a sloppy fourth quarter. Dalton Knecht briefly kept them alive with a clutch three-pointer, but a defensive foul by Nick Smith Jr. gave Kings forward Isaac Jones the game-winning free throw. Sacramento closed its preseason with a single win (1-3), while the Lakers were left searching for positives.

LeBron James injury update: when will he be back?

LeBron James remained out with an injury expected to sideline him until at least mid-November. The 40-year-old forward watched courtside as his teammates logged heavy minutes. Domantas Sabonis and Keegan Murray also sat for Sacramento.

Head coach JJ Redick used the matchup to test his likely regular-season rotation. The big question now is who will fill the fifth starting spot alongside Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, and Deandre Ayton while LeBron is out.

Vincent or Vanderbilt for the fifth spot?

With Marcus Smart still easing back into rhythm, Redick experimented by starting guard Gabe Vincent instead of defensive specialist Jarred Vanderbilt. Vincent, the former Miami Heat guard, made a strong case with 14 points on 4-of-5 shooting from deep.

Vincent offers far more offensive versatility than Vanderbilt and can help shore up the team’s perimeter defense. If Redick sticks with this lineup, Vincent’s presence would allow Reaves and Doncic, both offensive anchors but limited defenders, to conserve energy while maintaining backcourt balance. The downside: playing small will put heavy rebounding pressure on Hachimura and especially Ayton.

Doncic in midseason form

If there’s one clear takeaway from the preseason, it’s that Luka Doncic is ready to roll. The Slovenian star looked sharp with 31 points, 9 assists, and 5 rebounds in 32 minutes, hitting 6-of-11 from three.

Reaves had an off night (0-for-7 from deep, 8 points, 8 assists), but Doncic and Ayton continue to show flashes of chemistry. Smart also impressed with 14 points and four steals, giving a glimpse of the two-way edge he’ll need to provide with LeBron sidelined.

The Lakers are realistic about their situation. There’s reason for optimism - Doncic’s form, Smart’s fit - but also cause for concern. Without LeBron, their margin for error is thin.

Luka leadership crucial for Lakers

As ESPN’s Dave McMenamin noted, “This is the Doncic who was an All-Star every year in Dallas, not the one who looked mentally and physically off after the trade. The Lakers are amazed by his leadership, and they’ll need it more than ever while LeBron’s out.”

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