LeBron James and Luka Dončić Discuss Final Play After Lakers' 110-109 Loss

LeBron James and Luka Dončić of the Los Angeles Lakers discussed the final play following their 110-109 loss to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday.

The Decisive Final Play

With the Lakers trailing by a single point, Dončić received an inbound pass with 6.7 seconds remaining on the clock. He initially appeared to have an open opportunity for a three-point shot. However, Dončić dribbled once, then found himself quickly double-teamed by Orlando's defense.

Dončić subsequently passed the ball to James, who attempted a contested turnaround jumper from near the three-point line. The shot ultimately proved unsuccessful, thus securing Orlando's narrow victory.

Post-Game Reflections

Dončić Takes Responsibility

Post-game, Dončić stated he was responsible for the play, acknowledging a misjudgment. He explained his thought process, noting, "I know I was open, but I just thought I was a little bit far. Tried to take one dribble closer. And I probably shouldn't have picked up the ball and just tried to attack."

Regarding his pass to James, Dončić clarified, "I just saw him open, and I didn't want to lose the ball. We didn't have timeouts." He reiterated his self-assessment:

"I shouldn't have picked up the ball. I should have attacked. ... That's on me."

James's Perspective and Dončić's Rationale

James indicated he believed Dončić had an open shot initially. He described his observation, stating:

"I thought he had a good look, and it looked like he kind of just lost his balance. Didn't have a rhythm with the ball, whatever the case may be. And it kind of allowed [Orlando's defense] to get back in front of him. And I was kind of off-balance when he gave it to me. I thought he had a great look."

When questioned about his own shooting performance during the game (8-of-24 from the field, 2-of-10 from three-point range) potentially influencing his decision to pass, Dončić acknowledged it might have played a role. He added context to his choice, explaining, "I think I thought it was more time. It was, what, six, seven seconds. It was enough time to get a better look, try to drive the ball, so that's why I picked [up my dribble]."

Impact on Team Standings

The loss dropped the Lakers' season record to 34-23. The team has now endured two consecutive defeats and has lost four of its last six games, highlighting recent inconsistencies.

The Lakers, previously within the top six of the Western Conference, are currently two games ahead of the seventh-place Phoenix Suns. The top six seeds directly qualify for the playoffs, while teams seeded 7-10 must compete in a play-in tournament. Los Angeles faces critical road games this week, scheduled to play the Suns on Thursday and the Golden State Warriors on Saturday.