The Los Angeles Lakers reached the finish line with a mediocre record of 4-4 in an eight-game homestand after a dramatic 110-109 loss to the Orlando Magic. This came just days after a 111–89 loss to the rival Boston Celtics, dropping them to 34–23 for the season.
DeAndre Ayton, who performed with 21 points and 13 rebounds against the Magic, said something that may also be true for most fans.
"It's a little frustrating. We've still got a lot of opportunities to get in as good a position as we can. It felt weird being 4-4 in the homestand," he told ESPN, according to ESPN.
“It's a little frustrating ... but we've got 24 games left.”
DeAndre Ayton reflected on missed opportunities at home, late defensive lapses and the team's continued focus on momentum. pic.twitter.com/zTi1NtlcFg- Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) 25 February 2026
The Lakers played some big teams during this time, including the Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Clippers, and San Antonio Spurs.
"It was a tough loss and played against some very good teams. But... just get back in the lab and get ready for the next game," Ayton concluded.
The loss against Orlando was particularly worrying. It was their first loss of the season after holding the lead for three quarters, during which they led 25–0 in the matchup.
Despite taking a 12-point lead in the second half, the Lakers' defense collapsed as Austin Reaves scored all 18 of his points after halftime. They were torched by Paolo Banchero's 36-point masterpiece, with Wendell Carter Jr.'s game-winning putback coming with just 6.7 seconds remaining.
In fact, Ayton proved to be a ray of hope, much like what happened with LeBron against the Celtics. The 41-year-old became the first NBA player to score over 43,000 points and tied Robert Parish for the second-most regular season games in NBA history with 1,600.
However, the Lakers lost both games, even though they were very much alive until the end against Orlando.
