As LaMelo Ball sat next to his locker, he broke into a dance, unfurling his arms and shaking his shoulders while smiling.
He had just scored 27 of his 30 points in the second half, leading the Hornets to a 135-117 win over the Lakers on Thursday, including making nine 3-pointers.
LeBron James of the Lakers during a 135–117 loss to the Hornets at Crypto.com Arena on Jan. 15, 2026 in LA,. Getty Images
For the Lakers, it was their fourth loss in five games, with two of those losses coming this week against opponents near the bottom of their conference, including the 12th-place Hornets and the 14th-place Kings on Monday.
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It drove home one big point: The Lakers need help.
Luka Dončić has 39 points, four assists and three rebounds. LeBron James has 29 points, nine rebounds and six assists. But that was not enough.
No other Laker scored 20 points. And no Laker can stop the Hornets’ shooting which, in addition to Ball, included the brilliant Brandon Miller (26 points) and Miles Bridges (25 points).
The Lakers need better perimeter defense and need scoring help, especially with Austin Reaves sidelined with a calf strain.
Even though the Lakers tied their worst skid of the year with their recent speed bump, Lakers coach JJ Redick remains optimistic.
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“I thought we fought,” Redick said. “Just another team having a hot night of shooting.”
Lakers’ Luka Dončić is fouled by the Hornets’ Sion James and Moussa Diabaté in the first half at Crypto.com Arena on Jan. 15, 2026 in LA. Getty Images
Redick was similarly optimistic after the Lakers’ 124–112 loss to the Kings on Monday, in which they shot 65.4 percent to 22.2 percent from the 3-point line, respectively.
“We can’t shoot,” he said, before pointing out that in the last seven games the Lakers were “one of the best defenses in the league.”
It was a stark contrast to how he responded to the Lakers’ three-game losing streak three weeks ago, which ended with Houston’s 119-96 loss on Christmas. An angry Redick came to his team after that contest, saying, “We don’t really care about winning” and “I’m not doing another 53 games like this.”
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So, either Redick believes there is an element of care in the Lakers’ recent skid, or he’s showing more restraint, both of which are likely true.
Lakers forward Jake LaRavia and Dončić react against the Hornets in the second half at Crypto.com Arena. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
On Thursday, the Lakers led by 13 points before a terrible second quarter in which they were outscored, 34-16. The Lakers fought back to cut the deficit to six points in the fourth quarter, but Ball went on a 3-point streak, making four of his five shots from that point.
It’s no secret that the Lakers will get a lot of effort from other teams every night, and at the moment it shows a lot of their weaknesses, which should be carefully monitored as the trade deadline of Feb. 5 is approaching.
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As for the Hornets, it’s clear that this is a game they circle on their calendar.
“These guys grew up watching LeBron James play,” said Redick. “The Lakers, like the Celtics, are arguably the most respected team in sports. We say it as a team. I think all the guys know we don’t get a lot of time off other teams in terms of energy and getting up and all that.”
