Nobody really understood what happened between Luka Doncic and LeBron James on that last play. The former had a clean look for a split second before he ultimately passed the ball to his 41-year-old teammate for a difficult turnaround jumper. The aftermath was a mix of disappointment and frustration because the Lakers had a shot to win, and instead shot themselves in the foot. Normally, the Slovenian would have got a shot off himself. He has shot over three defenders in the past. Cameras may have caught the reason he chose to hand the chance to James.

In a tweet from the account @Fullcourtpass, Doncic appears to say, “He told me to pass, I passed.”

Doncic also had an argument with one of the Lakers’ coaches as they walked out. The sour end to what JJ Redick felt was a winning effort may have contributed to Doncic explaining himself, though it differed from what he later said.

With time to analyze the play, the six-time All-Star took accountability for the situation. That slight hesitation, to either pull the trigger or wait for the defense to react, caused everybody to pause. Doncic felt he should have set his mind on attacking instead of setting his feet.

“That’s on me,” Doncic said in the post-game interview.

At the end of the day, the star guard had the ball to execute the play, and James’ attempt came because the play didn’t go as expected. Yet, it was much more than Doncic’s non-attempt that caused the Lakers’ narrow loss to the Magic. They were beaten up physically. James missed a crucial free throw, which Desmond Bane answered with a lead-taking three. The Purple and Gold also lost a sizeable lead they created in the first quarter.

The game slipped away because of all those things, not just one play, and the Magic’s precision down the stretch.

The Lakers need a clear plan

The Lakers have gaping weaknesses that rivals regularly exploit. The Magic, a team that thrives on physicality, created an advantage in offensive rebounding. They scored 58 points in the paint. Prior to this game, the Celtics also kept the Lakers out of the paint and, again, made the most of second chances.

Despite that, the Lakers hadn’t lost a game after leading or tying after the third quarter until tonight. On most nights, their communication in the clutch has been clear. That slight mishap cost them today. The Lakers ended an eight-game homestand with an even 4-4 record.

JJ Redick didn’t mince any words.

“Yeah, we’re a work in progress,” the coach told reporters.

But can they eliminate most of their flaws by the end of the regular season? The Lakers have slipped to the sixth seed, risking a play-in berth if they remain inconsistent.

Most of their issues relate to their players. This isn’t about criticizing their efforts. That’s come to light a few times. But the coaching staff needs to make better use of the personnel, too. Luke Kennard was added to give the Lakers spacing. But what’s the use when one of the most efficient shooters doesn’t get a single look? That’s exactly what happened tonight.

Over seven games, Kennard is averaging just one made three-pointer while shooting close to 44%. That’s the part of the system that needs polishing. Having three elite decision-makers should be a driving factor. But it’s created indecisiveness. Doncic went just 2 for 10 from beyond the arc. The Lakers made just 9. The situation called for their shooters to step up.

Other errors arise from offensive lapses. Each miss or bad possession means players are out of position. A good defense features all five players operating as one. The Lakers can barely stitch together such cohesion for 48 minutes.

A new hierarchy needs to be set. Doncic, James, and Reaves create great opportunities. Yet, players aren’t in rhythm to actually cash in on those looks. Once the team creates a consistent system, that’s when they can solve their other issues.

Time isn’t on their side.

So, Redick has a mountain to climb if the Lakers are to be contenders when the postseason comes around.