Magic Johnson lays into LeBron James and co for 31-point loss to Chicago Bulls at Crypto.com Arena: “Where was the defense”

Magic Johnson, who normally dresses up his critique with flowery language, minced no words in his description of the LeBron James and co's loss

Magic Johnson lays into LeBron James and co for 31-point loss to Chicago Bulls at Crypto.com Arena: “Where was the defense”

Magic Johnson, Lakers big 3 (Images via IG)

The race for the 2nd seed in the Western Conference standings seems to be one that none of its contenders are willing to win. Each of the Memphis Grizzlies, Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers have held the spot in March. None of them have, however, held on to it for an extended period. But with LeBron James returning to action, the Lakers probably fancied their chances of snagging it.

Reality, however, would take a turn and cause a rude awakening for JJ Redick’s men. Despite Luka Doncic going ballistic with seven 3s and 29 points in the first half, the Lakers trailed at the break. The gap would only widen during the third and fourth quarters as Doncic cooled off. The final score of 146-115 may actually have been a bit flattering for the Lakers, all things considered. It was certainly not the ideal outing LeBron James would’ve bargained for on his comeback.

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Magic Johnson, who normally dresses up his praise and critique with flowery language, minced no words in his description of the Lakers’ meltdown at Crypto.com Arena. What he saw was an indication that the Lakers weren’t serious on the important elements of the game. And for once in a rare display of online emotion, the five-time NBA champion called out his Lakers players for their apathetic defense.

C’mon Lakers, where was the defense last night? There’s no way they should have allowed the Chicago Bulls to score 145 points, especially getting ready for the Playoffs!

Magic Johnson tweeted

What Johnson said was an accurate assessment of the Lakers’ display on Saturday night. A team that should’ve found its pre-March 6th groove with the return of Rui Hachimura and LeBron found itself lacking in defensive coordination and energy. LeBron, in particular was found wanting for gas and seen stranded up the court while complaining to the officials or watching his team play 4v5 defense in transition.

LeBron James had a tough return as Luka Doncic played lone ranger

LeBron finished the night with below-par stats for a player at his level. The 40-year-old tallied 17 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals, but also turned the ball over five times. His +/- of -27 was the worst in the game and brought his cumulative 2024-25 figure to -53. This is not a good sign for his All-NBA First Team candidature. More importantly, his lack of defensive energy had an inductive effect on his team.

Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves combined for 59 points on the night, but the team’s inability to stop conceding open 3-pointers put paid to any hopes they had of staging a roaring second half comeback. Chicago managed to rain in 39 points in the third quarter and 42 points in the fourth period. Doncic had a meltdown during the first half, getting into a war of words with Josh Giddey. He was also a poor presence defensively against the long Chicago Bulls lineup, giving up open 3-pointers and driving lanes.

The Lakers clearly have some ways to go before they solidify their names as legitimate 2024-25 NBA title contenders. They have a top-3 player in Doncic and a top-10 to 15 player in LeBron on their ranks, but their team still doesn’t have a rim protector, a backup big with playoff credentials or a guard defender who can keep fast guards in front. Relying on the likes of Dorian Finney-Smith and Jarred Vanderbilt is not a viable long-term strategy for these problems.