LeBron James Rips into Doncic for Not Taking the Winning Shot: "You Have to Ask Him"

The stretch of eight consecutive games at Crypto.com Arena, extended by the All-Star break, was supposed to help consolidate the growth of Los Angeles Lakers and strengthen their competitive identity. However, the final record was 4-4, and the closing game ended in a particularly painful defeat: 110-109 against Orlando Magic after a poorly managed last possession by Luka Doncic, who chose not to take a wide-open three-pointer and passed the responsibility to LeBron James, whose contested shot did not go in as the buzzer sounded.

The Los Angeles team, now with a record of 34-23 and sixth in the West, continues to show an inconsistent performance at home, where they have a 16-12 record. Beyond the result, the final play captured all the attention because it symbolized a doubt uncharacteristic of a star expected to decide close games.

The last quarter saw a constant back-and-forth exchange. With 2:14 left, Rui Hachimura hit a corner three-pointer from a Doncic assist that seemed to seal the game. Orlando responded immediately. Paolo Banchero, who scored 36 points, made a basket and drew a foul from Deandre Ayton, although he missed the additional free throw, leaving the score at 106-105. LeBron James attacked the post against Anthony Black and drew a foul, but only made one of the two free throws for 107-105. Then came a three-pointer from Desmond Bane giving them a 108-107 lead, a dunk by James to regain the advantage (109-108), and after an offensive rebound by Wendell Carter Jr., the decisive basket for 110-109 with 6.7 seconds left to play.

During the ensuing timeout, the play was drawn up for the last possession. Doncic received the ball beyond the three-point line with enough space to take the shot. Orlando quickly sent two defenders, Black and Banchero, but the Slovenian had found a clear window before the help defense closed in. It wasn't his best night: 22 points with 8-for-24 shooting from the field, 2-for-10 from three-point range, and 4-for-9 from the free-throw line. Nevertheless, it was the shot that defines leadership.

Instead of pulling up, he dribbled, hesitated, and ultimately passed the ball to LeBron James. The pass came as the defense had regrouped, and Jonathan Isaac was able to recover his position. James received the ball off-balance and took an awkward shot. The shot missed, and the game was sealed.

Doncic's words

After the game, Doncic took responsibility for the decision. “I saw LeBron open and didn't want to lose the ball. We didn't have timeouts... but I shouldn't have picked up my dribble. I should have attacked. It's my fault,” he acknowledged. The guard also admitted that he misjudged the clock and that perhaps his uneven performance influenced his decision. “Maybe a little. I think I thought there was more time left. There were 6.7 seconds, enough to get a better shot or try to drive, that's why I picked up the dribble,” he explained.

LeBron's words

LeBron James' words directly focused on the Slovenian’s choice. “We executed the play. I'm not sure, you have to ask Luka what he saw on that play. But I thought he had a good shot, and it seemed like he lost his balance a bit, that he didn't have a rhythm with the ball, whatever it was. That allowed the defense to get in front of him again. I received the pass already off-balance. I thought he had a great shot. That's my view,” stated the forward, making it clear that, from his perspective, the best choice was for Doncic to take the three-pointer.

When asked about the poor performance at home throughout the season, James was direct: “I don't know. We just haven't been a good team at home.” Coach JJ Redick, on the other hand, summed up the general situation with a brief but significant phrase: “We are a team in progress.”

Recap of the Lakers' game

Beyond the final play, the Lakers had notable contributions, like the double-double from Deandre Ayton (21 points and 14 rebounds), who was effective and aggressive in the paint. However, the center himself expressed frustration at letting games slip away at Crypto.com Arena. “Yeah, it's a little frustrating. We have a lot of games left, and we still have opportunities to put ourselves in a good position. It was strange to finish this home series with a 4-4 record. We lost tough games against very good teams. But we play every two days, so it's time to get back to work and prepare for the next one,” he pointed out.

The defeat raises a clear question: in a possession lasting 6.7 seconds, with an open three-pointer in the hands of the star, the doubt weighs more than the error. The failure was not just the missed shot but the previous refusal to take it. In a team seeking stability and clear leadership as they head into the final stretch of the season, the last play against Orlando sparked a debate that goes beyond a simple missed shot.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Rajada de LeBron James contra Doncic por no jugarse el tiro ganador: "Hay que preguntarle"