NBA news: LeBron James’ late misses prove costly in the LA Lakers’ shocking loss to Charlotte Hornets
In a dramatic turn of events, the Los Angeles Lakers fell 100-97 to the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday, February 19.
Sports News Blitz writer Noah Ngcobo provides a detailed account of the game's pivotal moments, including LeBron James’ misses.
The Lakers stumble
The Los Angeles Lakers suffered a stunning 100-97 defeat to the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night, with James missing two crucial three-point attempts in the final moments that could have forced overtime.
The loss marked a frustrating start to the post-All-Star break stretch for the Lakers, who now sit at 32-21 and fifth in the Western Conference standings.
Hornets’ second-half surge stuns Lakers
For much of the game, the Lakers appeared to be in control, building a 65-53 lead late in the third quarter.
However, Charlotte responded with a dominant 22-1 run, completely flipping the momentum as Los Angeles endured a scoring drought that lasted over six minutes.
Miles Bridges led the Hornets with 29 points, while LaMelo Ball contributed 27, including clutch free throws in the final seconds to secure just Charlotte’s second win in 11 games.
The Lakers, on the other hand, struggled to capitalise on opportunities down the stretch.
After Nick Smith Jr. drilled a go-ahead three-pointer with 48 seconds left, Rui Hachimura missed two crucial free throws that could have changed the game’s outcome.
James hit a deep three with just under seven seconds remaining, keeping the Lakers within reach, but his final two attempts from beyond the arc failed to find the mark, sealing the defeat.
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Luka Doncic’s adjustment continues
Luka Doncic, playing in just his third game since joining the Lakers, had a tough night offensively.
He finished with 14 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists on an inefficient 5-for-18 shooting, including just 1-for-9 from three-point range.
Despite the struggles, James defended his new teammate, emphasising the difficulty of adapting to a new system on the fly.
"It's his [Doncic] third game since Christmas, and it's his third game with us," James said postgame.
"He still doesn’t know all the plays; he doesn’t know all the defensive coverages, all the signals and things that we’ve built since September.
“Obviously, we're trying to fast-track it on the fly. He’s coming back from his injury, he’s getting back into form. We're all working through it together."
James himself had a strong individual performance, finishing with 26 points, seven rebounds, and 11 assists.
However, his fourth-quarter heroics - where he scored 16 points - were overshadowed by his late missed shots.
A historic night for LeBron amid disappointment
Despite the frustrating loss, James reached another milestone in his illustrious career.
By stepping onto the court, he tied Hall of Famer Vince Carter for third place on the NBA’s all-time regular-season games played list at 1,541.
The forward now trails only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1,560) as he continues to climb the ranks of longevity in the league.
Looking ahead
The loss ended the Lakers' seven-game home winning streak and served as a wake-up call as they push for a higher playoff seed.
Austin Reaves’ ejection late in the third quarter added to the chaos, leaving the team scrambling as Charlotte capitalised on the shift in momentum.
Los Angeles will have little time to dwell on the defeat as they prepare to face the Portland Trail Blazers next, hoping to bounce back and regain momentum in a tightly contested Western Conference race.
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