The NBA witnessed a missed call, costing the Lakers a victory as the opponent's game-winning shot involved a premature violation.

In yesterday's game, the Lakers fell 110-113 to the Suns away from home, losing to a clutch three-pointer against a short-handed opponent lacking Booker, Dillon, Goodwin, and Hield. Is it possible that the current Lakers can't even overcome a backup lineup from a team trailing them in the standings?

During this recent three-game losing streak, the Lakers have lost to the Celtics without Tatum, the Magic without Wagner and Suggs, and the Suns without Booker and Dillon.

The Lakers have significant issues, and there is likely a trust crisis within the team. For instance, Ayton recently stated publicly after a game that the Lakers are using him like the Rockets' backup center Capela, a role and tactical positioning he strongly dislikes. Hachimura has also expressed dissatisfaction with his own role.

Some media outlets are adding fuel to the fire by specifically sharing images of James and Doncic leaving the locker room, pointing out that they did not interact.

This is actually quite normal; they typically don't communicate in such situations. Should they be expected to walk out arm-in-arm, laughing and smiling?

A moment from yesterday's game illustrated the tense atmosphere within the Lakers, with frustration evident on everyone's faces and a lack of communication. It's clear to any observer that the Lakers may be on the verge of falling apart.

Head coach Redick plays a crucial role in uniting the team's spirit. If his tactical planning is sound, player minutes and ball distribution are reasonable, and the team maintains a winning streak, any so-called trust crisis would dissipate.

Yesterday, he made too many mistakes, putting pressure on himself. After the Lakers led by 12 points in the third quarter, the Suns went on a fast-break run, but his timeout calls were too late and poorly timed. His player combinations remained confusing, especially during adjustments in the final minutes of offense and defense. Even more critically, the Lakers' center was constantly drawn outside the paint chasing guards, leaving the perimeter or paint wide open with minimal drives and rotations.

The Suns attempted 50 three-pointers yesterday, which should not have happened. Redick stated post-game that this was a particularly damaging aspect for the Lakers, as they allowed the Suns to take threes too easily—especially the final clutch shot that sealed the loss.

U.S. media shared an image showing Suns player Allen landing his right foot first after evading defense from James and Doncic before passing the ball, leading to the Lakers being beaten by the buzzer-beating three. By rule, this should have been called a violation, with possession going to the Lakers—a missed call that cost them the game.

However, since this sequence happened too quickly, in a split second, the referees couldn't make the judgment. Moreover, as it directly decided the game's outcome, NBA rules and considerations for game flow typically prevent such calls from being overturned.

What's done is done. The Lakers' loss wasn't due to that final play alone, but rather a full game of low focus and poor execution of tactics.

Lakers reporter Trevor Lane described the loss to the Suns as the team's worst defeat of the season.

Smart said post-game, "Our defense lacked communication. About eight of their shots were made because we didn't communicate, didn't switch when we should have, allowing them to set their feet comfortably and knock down shots."

Redick pointed out that the team's biggest issue was having their offensive and defensive tempo completely controlled by the Suns. Reeves expressed that losing to the Suns left him with a strong sense of frustration.

Frustration is spreading within the Lakers. Smart, one of the team's spiritual leaders, stated, "As I've said before, you can't get too frustrated or too down, or it creates a snowball effect. Our situation is still decent; we're fortunate to be where we are, and we just need to keep working."

Keep working—but on what exactly? That's the question.