With this, the feeling of elation fans of the "Purple and Gold" have experienced since the team's stunning acquisition of Slovenian sensation Luka Doncic has quickly been replaced by dread. According to ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins,

The Los Angeles Lakers began life without LeBron James, who's expected to miss at least one to two weeks with a strained groin, on Monday with a 111-108 road loss to the Brooklyn Nets.  Luka Dončić finished with 22 points,

Brooklyn entered the game on a seven-game losing streak. The Lakers entered having won 20 of 25 and were still upset after their Boston loss. Even without half their rotation, the Lakers had weathered being shorthanded during various parts of January and February as they forged a resilient identity they’ve become proud of.