The Los Angeles Lakers were in a dogfight with the Orlando Magic, and they had a chance to win the game with a few seconds remaining. The ball was in Luka Doncic’s possession, and it looked as if he had made a wide-open shot; The only thing was that it was probably more than he liked at that moment.
Doncic stepped up again, but he picked up his dribble, sending him into no man’s land. He tried to find a pass, and LeBron James was the closest person to him. By that time, the clock was close to zero, and James had to take a turnaround three-pointer, which did not go in, and the Lakers walked away with a loss.
After the game, James was asked about the last game and what he saw.
“I’m not sure,” James said. “Obviously, you have to ask Luca what he saw. I thought he saw well, and it looked like he lost his balance and his rhythm with the ball.”
“I’m not sure. Obviously you have to ask Luka what he saw. I thought he saw good and he looked like he lost his balance and didn’t have rhythm with the ball” – LeBron James to Luka Doncic on the Lakers’ final inbounds play pic.twitter.com/ajWVYjl4sP
-Dave McMenamin (@mcten) 25 February 2026
Doncic was also asked about the play and said he had no communication with James afterward. He explained what happened in those final seconds.
“I mean, I just saw him get open and I didn’t want to lose the ball. We didn’t have a timeout. … [But] I should not have picked up the ball. I should have attacked. …It’s on me,” Doncic said.
Q: Did you have any conversation with LeBron after the last play?
Doncic: “No.”
Q: When you gave it to him, did you think he had a chance or did you recognize it would be a tough opportunity?
Doncic: “I mean, I just saw him opening up and I didn’t want to lose the ball. We didn’t do that… pic.twitter.com/It6GfGJ2m2-Dave McMenamin (@mcten) 25 February 2026
In those moments, everyone knows Doncic is probably going to take the last shot. It’s surprising he passed the ball in that situation, but he picked up his dribble and had nowhere to go. James is one of the only other guys who should be getting the ball in the final seconds, so Doncic did right with it, there just wasn’t enough time on the clock.
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