Perkins Blasts Lakers' Cohesion After 135-117 Hornets Rout
The defeat intensified scrutiny of Los Angeles’ defense, bench depth, and roster plans before the Feb. 5 trade deadline.
Overview
- The Hornets hit 20 of 43 threes (47%) as Los Angeles surrendered 71 second-half points and lost the boards 50-35.
- Kendrick Perkins said the Lakers are "not a team" but "a bunch of individuals," questioning basic team connectedness like group chats and road dinners.
- Luka Dončić scored 39 points and LeBron James added 29, yet Los Angeles mustered only nine points from its bench.
- The Lakers are 24-15 after dropping four of their last five games, sitting fifth in the Western Conference.
- Coverage links the slide to ongoing evaluation of upgrades, with reports tying the Lakers to potential defensive help and deadline targets such as Jonathan Kuminga.