For the Lakers, it was not a loss, but a deadly attack, leaving them with a bad bull gore. A thirty-one-point deficit vs. the Chicago Bulls. This is how Saturday’s game night rolled out for the LA Lakers. There was no turning back, there was no point of return for them. The loss seemed inevitable, from the first touch to the last one. Well, the only good news was that LeBron James was back on the court. But, he was “rusty” as he mentioned in the locker room after the heartbreaking defeat. 146-115, can you believe this? The defensive beasts of JJ Redick failed… terribly.

Luka ‘the beacon of hope’ Doncic scored 34 points. However, he struggled throughout the game. It could’ve been his ankle that also disturbed his peace on the court. But surely watching his team fumble and stumble this way brought in some frustration. And that frustration led the Slovenian superstar to push Josh Giddey in the second half, thus collecting a technical foul.

Meanwhile, the Akron Hammer scored 17 points in his comeback match. There were some pretty impressive poster dunks and rebounds from the 40-year-old King. However, they weren’t enough to push the Lakers beyond the winning line. Thus, speaking to the reporters in the locker room, LeBron James set the records straight.

LeBron James sends important message to the Lakers locker room

The Los Angeles Lakers have built a reputation, or rather a culture, based on their toughness, defensive prowess, and physicality. But sadly, all these traits were lacking on Saturday at Crypto.com Arena. Moreover, they are about to hit the road on Monday, facing the Orlando Magic at Kia Center. And just keep in mind, their last road trip ended in a 0-4 disaster, and surely LeBron James and Co. wouldn’t like a reiteration of the same. Therefore, Bron talks about their defensive failure vs. the Bulls with the media:

“I mean, it happens from time to time, obviously. You know, we got to do a better job, and we will see these guys next week. So, you know, we should be well-equipped with what they bring to the table, the speed, and the flow that they play with. We just got to regroup and be better—a lot better—on Monday for sure. Kind of.”

LeBron James did not shy away from the truth. The Lakers’ defense was not good enough against the Bulls, and he knew it. He acknowledged the struggles but kept his focus on what was coming next. With another matchup against Chicago approaching, there is no room for excuses. The Lakers now understand what they are up against. The Bulls’ speed, their rhythm, and their relentless energy caught them off guard.

There is no time to dwell on the loss. A tough road trip begins on Monday, and they cannot afford another misstep. LeBron made it clear that they must regroup, sharpen their game, and come back stronger. The challenge is set, and now it is all about the response.

LeBron stresses the urgency after defensive collapse vs. the Chicago Bulls

LeBron James did not hold back from admitting that the Lakers‘ defense fell apart; he knew it. After weeks of solid play, everything crumbled. They gave up easy buckets in the paint, let fast breaks slip through, and left shooters wide open. “We didn’t play good defense,” he confessed. “We gave them points in the paint, we gave them fast break points, and we gave them threes. So, you know, we can’t give everything for sure.” The frustration was clear. They handed the Bulls too much, and it cost them.

With twelve games left, the playoffs are approaching fast, and Bron & Co. has no time to mull over the past. The Lakers have their full squad back, yet they are still searching for consistency. Moreover, their last road trip was a disaster, something LeBron has not forgotten. “Obviously, our last road trip, we didn’t play well at all—0-4. So, that’s definitely in the back of our minds,” he said. Monday is another chance, another test. “We know certainly on Monday, we got to play better basketball than we did tonight and what we did on our last road trip.”

The message is simple. No more excuses. It is time to respond. LeBron James has made it clear—fumbles cannot happen again. The road ahead is brutal, and the scars of their last trip still linger. Meanwhile, Luka Doncic let his frustration boil over, pushing Josh Giddey and earning a technical. His struggles, his ankle, his team’s collapse—it all added up. But emotions cannot dictate the game. For both Luka and the Lakers, the message is the same. Regroup. Refocus. Fight back.