Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Dončić had a single-word response when asked if there was any communication between him and LeBron James about the final play against the Orlando Magic.
The Lakers botched what was a winning play and ended up going down 110-109 at the Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday.
Luka Dončić Responds to LeBron James’ Communication After Game-Winning Miss
Speaking to the media in the aftermath of the gut-wrenching one-point loss, Luka Dončić was asked if he and James were in communication about the drawn-up play. To which, the Slovenian star guard responded with a “No.”
The final seconds of the game saw a late pass from Dončić, which ended with James missing a desperate 3-point attempt. It was complete chaos in the final possession for the Lakers. With 6.7 seconds remaining in the final quarter, the Lakers just had to get off a shot, rather than take it to a last-ditch, uncertain trey-ball.
“Did you and Lebron have any communication about the final play after it was over?”
Luka: “No” pic.twitter.com/XuDnfwjA2h
— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) February 25, 2026
In the same post-game presser, the mercurial point guard blamed himself for the costly lapse. “I mean, I just saw him open, and I didn’t want to lose the ball. We didn’t have timeouts. … [But] I shouldn’t have picked up the ball. I should have attacked. … That’s on me.”
On his part, James replied, “I thought he had a good look, and it looked like he kind of just lost his balance.” He further added, “Didn’t have a rhythm with the ball, whatever the case may be. And it kind of allowed [Orlando] 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. That’s my POV.”
It has been a recurring issue for the Purple and Gold throughout the season, with periods of lack of pace and clunky ball movement. With just over 20 games left in the regular season, the Lakers will need to work on smooth transitions and better communication to make a deep postseason run.
On the game front, Dončić led the side with a team-high 22 points along with nine rebounds and 15 assists. James recorded 21 points, six rebounds, and four assists. DeAndre Ayton logged 21 points and 13 boards, while Austin Reaves had 18 points.
Despite the numbers, the Lakers were undone by the Magic, who were a better unit on both ends of the floor. Up next, the Lakers take on Pacific Division rivals, the Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, and the struggling Sacramento Kings.
Their recent loss puts them at 34-23 and sixth in the West. Should the Lakers blow a couple more games on the trot, they will be in danger of entering the play-in as the league reaches the business end.
