The Los Angeles Lakers have put together an impressive season and currently sit fifth in the Western Conference. With the roster nearing full health, expectations are rising for the group to take another step as the playoffs approach.
However, Sunday’s 111–89 loss to the Boston Celtics reignited concerns about how Los Angeles stacks up against true contenders, with one NBA analyst arguing that the franchise risks “squandering” Dončić’s prime if it cannot solve its ongoing struggles against elite competition.
NBA Analyst Argues Lakers Are Wasting Luka Dončić’s Prime
The Lakers (34-22) have dropped three of their last five games, including a sobering 22-point loss to the Boston Celtics on Sunday. In that matchup, Los Angeles shot just 39.1% from the field compared to Boston’s 48.2%, a disparity that underscored growing concerns about offensive stagnation.
Reflecting on their season, NBA analyst Nick Wright noted that the Lakers are nearly unbeatable when leading after three quarters, with a 25–0 record in those situations. The problem, however, surfaces against elite competition.
Against Western Conference playoff and play-in teams, Los Angeles owns a 9–13 record with a -7.1 point differential. It worsens against the top four teams in either conference, where the Lakers are just 2–11 with a -16.5 differential.
“They are just not that class of team, and this is where my frustration grows immensely with the roster construction. Because the idea that when LeBron leaves, they are going to totally revamp the roster in one season, I don’t know if that’s realistic, which makes you wonder how many years of Luka Doncic’s playoff prime is going to be squandered?” Wright said on FS1’s First Things First show.
The immediate concern is that the star trio of James, Dončić, and Austin Reaves has at times made the offense predictable, struggling to consistently break down top defenses.
Even more troubling is the lack of defensive progress, as Los Angeles still ranks 24th in defensive rating and sits near the bottom of the league in several key defensive categories.
“This team to me is drawing dead against any legitimate championship contender in a playoff series, which means they are drawing dead maybe in round one, but certainly after round one, that’s what the season has shown us,” Wright added.
While hopes for this season appear to be fading, the bigger question is whether Los Angeles can engineer a quick turnaround and properly position Dončić for a deep postseason run in the coming years.
For Wright, the outlook, at least for now, does not inspire confidence.
