Lakers have a full roster back on the floor, yet their defense is missing in 3rd straight loss

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers have their full lineup back on the floor. Now, their defense has gone missing.

The Lakers’ defense made a token appearance in the first half against Orlando on Monday night. But then, Los Angeles failed to guard the Magic’s Franz Wagner or Paolo Banchero and lost their third straight game, 118-106.

“I think we should look back to the way we played in that eight-game winning streak (Feb. 20-March 6)," said Luka Doncic, who led the Lakers with 32 points in the loss. "I think we got a little bit satisfied, and we can’t afford that.”

The Lakers' roster was back at full strength on Saturday, when LeBron James returned from a seven-game absence due to a groin strain and Rui Hachimura was back after missing 12 games with a knee injury.

But, Los Angeles was routed at home that night, falling 146-111 to the Chicago Bulls.

Monday night wasn't quite as bad — but the outcome was the same.

“There’s a couple guys, maybe from the schedule or from being out of the lineup, that just look tired,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “That happens periodically throughout a season when a group gets tired. That’s what it feels like right know. We weren’t able to sustain our level of intensity we started the game with.”

The Lakers sent on the eight-game winning streak shortly after acquiring Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks on Feb. 2.. Since then, injuries — most notably to James — have set in, and they have lost seven of 10.

Redick said it might be a matter of better communication and getting the new rotation back into a rhythm. But, the defensive letdowns in the last two games have been concerning.

“We've got to get back to who we are, focusing on that,” the coach said. "I think because of the lack of court time, prioritizing rest over shoot-arounds and walk-throughs over the last couple of weeks, we’ve just developed some really bad habits defensively. That came to fruition.

“And there’s always some weird stuff that happens at this time of the year. To give up 81 points (to the Bulls) in a half, and have our worst defensive game of the season when we were whole, was disappointing.”

Wagner, who scored 32 points, and Banchero, who added 30, got to their spots on the floor and did what they wanted in the second half Monday night, and the Lakers couldn't stop them.

“This team is built around those two, and trying to stop them is really hard,” Doncic said. “I think we started the game (well). We played great defense and they made some tough shots., The way we played the first half, we have to play that way the whole 48 minutes.”

Despite being the lowest scoring team in the NBA, the Magic shot 49.4% (42 for 85) and had just nine turnovers. The Lakers blocked one shot.

“They scored 118 points. That's not good enough in today's NBA,” said Austin Reaves. “We've got to figure out how to do better, especially with switching.”

“In the third quarter we let our offense affect our defense,” Doran Finney-Smith said. “It's up to us. We've got to hold each other accountable. We've got to put together a 48-minute game.”

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Orlando Magic guard Cory Joseph (10) moves between Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) and forward Rui Hachimura (28) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, March 24, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Orlando Magic guard Anthony Black (0) makes a shot over Los Angeles Lakers guard Gabe Vincent (7) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, March 24, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick directs his team during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Orlando Magic, Monday, March 24, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner, left, passes the ball against Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, March 24, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, left, reaches in to try to steal the ball from Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, March 24, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) goes between Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt (2) and guard Gabe Vincent (7) for a shot during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, March 24, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar 26, 2025--

Motif, Inc., makers of the next-generation software platform for the modern built environment, today announced the launch of a groundbreaking cloud-based platform that enables seamless real-time collaboration for architecture and engineering teams. Designed to unify 2D and 3D workflows into a single platform, Motif eliminates the fragmentation that has plagued design review processes for decades. As the first step toward making the true vision of Building Information Modeling (BIM) a reality, Motif bridges the gap between disconnected tools and workflows, empowering teams to work more efficiently and intuitively than ever before.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250326740027/en/

“Today’s AEC workflows are burdened by fragmented data, rigid software, and disconnected collaboration tools that slow down decision-making,” says Amar Hanspal, CEO and Co-Founder of Motif. “Motif is redefining BIM with a focus on being open, intelligent, and collaborative, where BIM isn’t just about managing information—it’s about unlocking intelligence. We’re starting with intelligent collaboration—a platform that bridges gaps between teams, integrates with existing tools, and leverages AI to provide insights that drive better decisions. This is step one of many in building a smarter, more connected BIM future—one that removes friction, enhances creativity, and makes design intelligence truly accessible.”

Addressing the Industry’s Biggest Collaboration Challenges

Design professionals use a range of tools like Revit, Rhino, and SketchUp for their work, yet most design reviewers and stakeholders lack access to these applications, making collaboration difficult. Existing whiteboard solutions lack critical features for architects (i.e., unit measurements, 3D viewing, etc.), while specialized BIM software is often inaccessible to key stakeholders who need to review designs. The result is delayed projects, miscommunication, and inefficient rework.

Motif is solving these challenges by introducing:

Motif is built for project teams that need to review designs efficiently, whether they are in the office or remote. Unlike existing tools that require expensive software licenses or complicated workflows, Motif operates entirely in the browser, allowing anyone to participate in design discussions—without requiring expertise in CAD or BIM applications.

"We designed Motif to work the way architects and engineers do—bringing together 2D and 3D content in an infinite canvas, enabling seamless collaboration, and ensuring every stakeholder has the ability to contribute meaningfully to the design process," continued Hanspal.

A New Era of Design Collaboration Begins

With its official launch, Motif is setting a new standard for design review and presentation in the built environment. Motif creates a new category by combining general collaboration capabilities with specialized review technical needs, while adding unprecedented integration with design tools that, until now, has not been available on the market. This strategic integration preserves the design team's workflow while eliminating communication barriers between technical designers and other stakeholders, creating a unified design ecosystem without disrupting established processes.

"Motif simplifies how we collaborate across teams,” said Bill Carney, Design Technology Leader and Principal at DLR Group. “Instead of juggling screenshots, PDFs, and disconnected markups, everything is now in one place—live, structured, and effortless. Instead of creating work-arounds to collaborate we can focus on decisions and feedback in real time. Motif has made coordination faster and eliminated so many back-and-forths."

Motif’s vision for BIM doesn’t stop at collaboration. Motif 1.0 is just the first step toward building the future of data-driven modeling, automated documentation, and AI-powered insights—with speed, scalability, and openness at the core.

The platform is available now for early adopters, with flexible pricing plans tailored for small teams, mid-sized studios, and large enterprises. To experience the future of architectural design collaboration, visit motif.io to request access and start your free trial.

About Motif

Motif Systems, Inc. is building the next generation software platform for the modern built environment. Founded in 2023 by Amar Hanspal (former Co-CEO and Chief Product Officer at Autodesk) and Brian Mathews (former CTO at Autodesk), along with founding employees of Revit, Motif enables seamless, real-time collaboration for architecture, engineering, and construction professionals. Motif has raised $46 million in funding led by Redpoint Ventures and CapitalG. For more information, visit motif.io.

Motif, Inc., makers of the next-generation software platform for the modern built environment, has launched a groundbreaking cloud-based platform that enables seamless real-time collaboration for architecture and engineering teams. Designed to unify 2D and 3D workflows into a single platform, Motif eliminates the fragmentation that has plagued design review processes for decades. As the first step toward making the true vision of Building Information Modeling (BIM) a reality, Motif bridges the gap between disconnected tools and workflows, empowering teams to work more efficiently and intuitively than ever before.