Lakers Suffer 3 - Game Losing Streak Despite LeBron's Return

The Lakers recently welcomed back LeBron James, who had suffered a groin injury, but still couldn't stop their losing streak. In today's away game against the Orlando Magic, the Lakers suddenly went cold in the third quarter. The Magic launched a fierce attack, outscoring the Lakers 34 - 18 in that quarter. The Lakers went from a slight lead to a 14 - point deficit. Although they tried to turn the tide in the fourth quarter, they still lost 106 - 118, suffering a three - game losing streak. They are now only two games ahead of the sixth - placed Warriors.

When LeBron James returned in the previous home game against the Bulls, the Lakers unexpectedly lost by 31 points. Carrying the frustration from that defeat, they embarked on their last away trip of the season. Today in Orlando, the Purple and Gold started actively. Reeves contributed 5 points, helping the Lakers quickly take a 7 - 2 lead. Then, Luka Doncic also found his shooting touch, scoring 11 consecutive points to boost the team's morale. The Lakers led 30 - 26 after the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the Lakers' shooting cooled down, and the Magic launched an 18 - 9 offensive to take the lead. Fortunately, after a timeout, Doncic led a 11 - 0 counter - attack, briefly expanding the lead to 9 points. However, the Magic caught up again near the end of the half, and the Lakers entered halftime with a narrow 60 - 58 lead.

The third quarter became the turning point of the game. Although LeBron James had a good start offensively, the overall shooting percentage of the Lakers dropped sharply. The Magic, led by Franz Wagner, opened fire from the outside. They also used their height advantage to grab rebounds and frequently draw fouls. Except for Doncic making two three - pointers, the other Lakers players performed poorly. The whole team scored only 18 points in the quarter, falling behind 78 - 92, a 14 - point deficit.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Lakers scored 4 consecutive points, showing their intention to fight back. But the Magic immediately responded with an 8 - 1 run, widening the gap to double digits again. The Lakers then launched a 10 - 0 offensive, but they missed too many opportunities at crucial moments. Coupled with Wagner and Paolo Banchero making consecutive key shots, the Lakers were unable to turn the game around.

The Lakers have now suffered a three - game losing streak and have only won 3 out of their last 10 games. Doncic scored 32 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and dished out 7 assists today, but he made only 9 out of 23 shots. LeBron James contributed 24 points, 8 assists, and 6 rebounds. Reeves had 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. Finney - Smith made 5 out of 7 shots and scored 14 points with 7 rebounds. However, the Lakers' bench players only scored 14 points, far less than the Magic's 30 points.

The Lakers are currently ranked fourth in the Western Conference, and their playoff position is at risk. They are 1.5 games behind the third - placed Nuggets and have the same record (43 wins and 28 losses) as the fifth - placed Grizzlies. Both teams are only two games ahead of the sixth - placed Warriors, and their rankings could drop at any time.