Nobody really knew what happened between Luka Doncic and LeBron James on that last play. The Slovenian had a clean look for a few seconds. He ultimately decided to pass the ball to his teammate for a difficult turnaround jumper. The aftermath was a mix of disappointment and frustration. The Lakers had a shot to win, and they shot themselves in the foot.

After the game, Doncic took the blame on his shoulders. The Lakers guard felt he should have set his mind on attacking instead of setting his feet. But that wasn’t his immediate reaction. Normally, the Slovenian would have got a shot off himself. He’s shot over three defenders in the past. Cameras may have caught the reason he chose to hand over the chance to James.

In a tweet made by an account ‘HeroOfTheDay’, Luka Doncic is seemingly caught saying, “He told me to pass, I passed”. Doncic also had an argument with one of the Lakers’ coaches as they walked out. The sour end to what JJ Redick felt was a winning effort may have contributed to that reaction.

In an immediate reaction to passing up an opportunity, Doncic explained his decision. However, with time to analyse the play, the six-time All-Star took accountability for the situation. That slight hesitation, to either pull the trigger or wait for the defense to react, caused everybody to pause. At the end of the day, Doncic had the ball to execute the play. James’ attempt came because the play didn’t go as expected.

Yet, it was much more than Luka Doncic’s non-attempt that caused the Lakers’ narrow loss to the Magic. They were beaten up physically. James missed a crucial free-throw, which Desmond Bane answered with a lead-taking three. The Purple and Gold also lost a sizeable lead they created in the first quarter. The game slipped away because of all of those things, and the Magic’s precision down the stretch.

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The Lakers need a clear plan

The Lakers have gaping weaknesses that rivals regularly exploit. The Magic, a team that thrives off physicality, created an advantage in offensive rebounding. They scored 58 points in the paint. The Celtics kept the Lakers out of the paint, and again, made the most out of second-chances.

Despite that, the Lakers hadn’t lost a game after leading or tying after the third quarter until tonight. On most nights, their communication in the clutch has been clear. That slight mishap caused a loss today. The Lakers ended an eight-game homestand with an even 4-4 record.

JJ Redick didn’t mince any words. “Yeah, we’re a work in progress,” he told reporters. But can they eliminate most of their flaws by the end of the regular season? The Lakers have slipped to 6, risking a Play-In path if they continue to be inconsistent. And most of their issues relate to their players.

This isn’t about criticising their efforts. That’s come under light a few times. But the coaching staff needs to make better use of their personnel, too. Luke Kennard was added to give the Lakers spacing. But what’s the use when one of the most efficient shooters doesn’t get a single look? That’s exactly what happened tonight.

Over seven games, Kennard is averaging just one made three-pointer while shooting close to 44%. That’s the part of the system that needs to be polished. Having three elite decision-makers should be a driving factor. But it’s created indecisiveness. Doncic went just 2 for 10 from beyond the arc. The Lakers made just 9. The situation called for their shooters to play a role.

In terms of other errors, they arise as a result of offensive lapses. Each miss or bad possession means players are out of position. A good defense features all five players operating as one. The Lakers can barely stitch together such cohesion for 48 minutes.

A new hierarchy needs to be set. Doncic, James, and Reaves create great opportunities. Yet, players aren’t in rhythm to actually cash in on those looks. Once the team creates a consistent system, that’s when they can solve their other issues.

Time isn’t on their side. So, JJ Redick has a mountain to climb if the Lakers are to be contenders when the postseason comes around.