The Los Angeles Lakers have started the 2025-26 season hot and looked solid even without their full starting lineup available. But something strange happened last Sunday when the Purple and Gold traveled to Atlanta. In what should have been an easy win against a Hawks team missing its stars, the Lakers lost.
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Atlanta took the game 122 to 112, and head coach JJ Reddick was fuming as he accused his team of putting in minimal effort. Yes, the Lakers were without LeBron James and Austin Reaves, but the Hawks were also missing Trae Young, along with several other key players. It was the kind of game that could potentially swing momentum in the wrong direction.
The loss has even some analysts confused. NBA legend Paul Pierce discussed what he thought went wrong during his recent appearance on the No Fouls Given and Playmaker podcast. The Truth lived up to his nickname and revealed the only reason he believed the Lakers lost.
“This is their first game on the road trip, right? They go to Atlanta how many times? Magic City is in Atlanta. And I think this might be like the 30-year anniversary,” joked Pierce.
Pierce, of course, was referring to Magic City, which is a legendary strip club in the city of Atlanta.
“Because you ain’t coming back to Atlanta. You ain’t coming back to Atlanta. They might have to slide out. Went in there and got some Lemon Pepper Lous,” added Pierce, referring to Lou Williams and how he got his nickname at the famed club.
As silly as it sounds, if the Lakers were out the night before and had a few drinks, it is going to affect them on the court. Even though the game was at 8 pm, the players still had practice, press, and pregame responsibilities to deal with, so they would not have had much time to rest, especially if they watched the sun come up.
Of course, Pierce was just joking around. There is no joking around for Redick, though. He knows that if the Lakers want to go further in the postseason than last year’s first-round exit, losses like this are unacceptable. They do have a chance at some redemption tonight as they face the Hornets in Charlotte.
The good thing is that it is still very early in the season. Maybe the Lakers are still figuring out who they are. It is also worth repeating that Doncic was essentially on his own aside from Hachimura on the scoring side. Reaves is back tonight and LeBron’s return is coming soon. It will be all good, Purple and Gold. We hope.
