Luka Dončić's 45-point performance not enough as Lakers fall to Bucks

Luka Dončić, undoubtedly one of the best basketball players today, is currently carrying a heavy load in the Los Angeles Lakers. His arrival in the team caused a lot of attention, because he became the first guard of the Lakers to tie eight games with at least 20 points in the last 12 years, which no player since the legendary Kobe Bryant has managed. However, despite all his individual successes, the team failed to achieve the desired success, especially in the last matches.

LA faced serious problems, especially after LeBron James' injury, which further worsened the team dynamic. Dončić took more and more responsibility on his back, trying to lead the team through difficult moments, but without support from the side, success became more and more difficult. In the last match against the Milwaukee Bucks, Dončić scored an impressive 45 points, including several incredible three-pointers, but it was not enough for the Lakers to turn the score around.

The Bucks team dominated throughout the game, and in the third quarter they went to +20, which was too much for the Lakers to come back from. With a big advantage, the Bucks sent their reserves in the last minutes of the game, while the Lakers continued to roam in an attempt to find the right rhythm. This defeat revealed even more weaknesses in the team, and the criticism of players such as Alex Len became louder, considering his weaker game.

Austin Reeves 

And while Dončić continues to provide great performances, the support from the side is not enough. Austin Reeves was the only player besides Luka who made a massive  contribution, scoring 28 points, while Dalton Knecht was the only other double-digit scorer with 10 points. In these situations, when only three players secure 83 points, and the rest of the team almost nothing, the chances of winning are drastically reduced.

On the other hand, the Bucks showed phenomenal team game. Giannis Antetokounmpo once again was superior with 24 points, 12 rebounds and 9 assists, while Brook Lopez, Damian Lillard and Kevin Porter Jr. also provided strong support. This teamwork, along with great individual quality, allowed the Bucks to control the match and slip away from the Lakers, who are now in a difficult situation with no clear strategy to reverse their current course.