On Monday, the Los Angeles Lakers experienced a 12-point defeat against the Orlando Magic. This marked their third consecutive loss and their seventh in the last 10 games. After enduring a 29-point loss to the Milwaukee Bucks and a 31-point loss to the Chicago Bulls, the Lakers are facing a tough stretch.
Following this defeat, the Lakers are now 43-28 on the season, dropping to the No. 4 seed. Only three games separate them from the No. 8 seed, the Minnesota Timberwolves. If the Lakers don’t reverse their current slide soon, they risk entering the postseason as a Play-In team.
After the loss, Lakers head coach JJ Redick commented on the team’s ongoing struggles. Following their third straight defeat, Redick kept his response brief, offering a seven-word message about the team’s situation: “We’re going through it a little bit.”
The Lakers and Redick have limited time to get things back on track. With just a few weeks left in the regular season, the Lakers will need to build momentum for a playoff run. Additionally, the Western Conference remains highly competitive, making it even harder for the Lakers to regain their form.
The Lakers will look to bounce back on Wednesday, when they face the Indiana Pacers on the road, a team currently riding a five-game win streak.