Doncic owes up to Lakers setback vs Nets
NEW YORK, United States – Luka Doncic shouldered the blame for the Los Angeles Lakers’ disappointing 111-108 loss to the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center here on Monday (Tuesday Manila time).
It was their first game without LeBron James, who was diagnosed with a left groin strain that is expected to sideline him for at least 1-2 weeks.
The Nets repeatedly blitzed Doncic, sending double teams every time he touched the ball, which was expected without James, and a type of defense he was accustomed facing even when he was still in Dallas.
“Today wasn't a good example of me,” said Doncic, who finished with second triple-double (22 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists) as a Laker but committed a game-high five turnovers. “But you can see in the other games when the blitz was in great spots, and that's when JJ (Redick) said about communication today, that was an important point. That’s my fault, and we should have learned that already.”
As a team, the Lakers committed 15 turnovers, which more than doubled the Nets’ seven errors. The home team scored 19 points off turnovers and had a plus-15 margin in that department.
Brooklyn’s defense held Doncic and Austin Reaves (17 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds) to a combined 11-of-40 shooting.
“I think sometimes you bring the energy flying around and when you put two on the ball, you’re opening up something else and sometimes you got lucky that guys like them who can score in bunches they’re not having the night,” Nets coach Jordi Fernandez said. “So, it’s a two-way street and it was good."
Gabe Vincent, who got another spot start with the Lakers’ injury woes, had a season-high 24 points. Dalton Knecht and Jordan Goodwin came off the bench to score 19 and 17, respectively.
The Lakers managed to make it close in the end with their role players stepping up.
It was a gamble that paid off for Fernandez, who also coached Canada in the FIBA World Cup in Manila in 2023 and the Paris Olympics last year.
“Credit to our guys, they did a great job,” Fernandez said. “The energy was there and that’s the reason why we came up with the win.
Noah Clowney led the Nets with 19 points off the bench. Brooklyn’s two Johnsons — Cam and Keon — added 18 points each.
Former Laker D’Angelo Russell had a quiet eight points but he hit a key 3-pointer late in the game that kept Los Angeles at bay.
"I think it was a very low-level communication game for our team," Redick said. "I don't think being short-handed is an excuse for how we played basketball tonight."
Aside from James, whom the Lakers badly missed, they also played without two other starters, Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes, who are both nursing knee injuries. Dorian Finney-Smith, the Lakers’ top reserve, also missed his homecoming in Brooklyn with an ankle injury.
The Lakers started the game strong, leading by as many as 15 points early in the second quarter. But the Nets’ physicality agitated the Lakers, especially Doncic, who drew a technical foul for incessant complaining to the referees.
“I’m not going to say anything,” said Doncic with a smile, trying to avoid getting fined. “I think everybody saw the game and they know what happened.”
Luka on officiating tonight: “I’m not gonna say anything. I think everybody saw the game.”
— alder almo (@alderalmo) March 11, 2025
Lakers 15-19 FTs
Nets 19-30 FTs pic.twitter.com/PvCcvmpZPO
The Nets doubled the Lakers’ free throw attempts, 30-15, outhustled them.
After facing a double-digit deficit, the Nets stayed the course and slowly chipped away the Lakers’ lead. They tied the game at 45.
Rookie Dalton Knecht connected on a thunderous dunk off Doncic’s touch pass to put the Lakers back on the lead.
Beautiful basketball. pic.twitter.com/jUMOhChF8p
— alder almo (@alderalmo) March 11, 2025
Cam Johnson ended the first half scoring with a three-pointer that gave the Nets a 48-47 lead.
It was all downhill from there for the Lakers.
“We just kind of let go of the rope,” Doncic said. “We got comfortable and we should not have done that.”
The Lakers played catchup in the second half where the Nets held several eight-point leads.
"I think it was just an overall mentality just to take shortcuts tonight," Redick said. “They scored 20 points on us gambling. They had 16 offensive rebounds. We ball watch all night.”
Redick was visibly frustrated with the costly loss.
After winning 20 of 25 games to climb to second place in the crowded Western Conference, their back-to-back losses to the Boston Celtics and the Nets dropped them to third place with a daunting schedule ahead without James.
They will play six games in eight nights, beginning with back-to-back road games in Milwaukee and Denver and bookended by home games against the same teams next week.
"If you want to be a good team and win in the NBA, you’ve got to do the hard stuff,” Redick said.
The Lakers took it easy and paid dearly for it.
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Alder Almo is a former senior sportswriter for Philstar.com and NBA.com Philippines. He is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey, and writes for US-based publication Heavy.com.
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