Reggie Miller rips Luka Doncic for lazy defense during Pistons loss
Hall of Famer Reggie Miller expressed a sharp criticism on Luka Dončić during The Los Angeles Lakers lost 128-106 to the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night, calling out the star guard’s defensive effort during the NBC broadcast.
At the end of the second quarter, Miller focused on a possession in which Doncic failed to make a defensive move, instead raising his hands as the play unfolded. The comment came as Detroit continued to build separation in what has become a one-sided contest.
“I’ll say one thing, look at Luka right here. It’s okay Luka, move your legs a little bit and help. What’s he doing? He’s just raising his arms. This would be frustrating for me,” Miller said on the broadcast.
Hall of Famer Reggie Miller calls out Luka’s defensive effort: “Look at Luka here. It’s OK, Luka, to move your feet a little bit and help. What’s he doing? He’s just putting his hands up. This would be frustrating for me.”
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— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) December 31, 2025
Doncic continued to play offensively despite the inconsistent result. He finished with 30 points, 11 assists and five rebounds in 36 minutes, but his night was marred by ineffectiveness and ball security issues. He turned the ball over eight times while shooting 9-for-22 from the field, 3-for-11 from three-point range and 9-for-13 from the free throw line.
The loss marked another setback for the Los Angeles Lakers, who struggled defensively all night and failed to slow Detroit’s balanced offense. Los Angeles fell to 20-11 on the season and fell to 1-4 in their last five games.
The Lakers will try to regroup quickly with back-to-back home games against the Memphis Grizzlies (15-18) on Friday and Sunday for the opening of the new year. Los Angeles will then embark on a two-game road trip starting next Tuesday against the New Orleans Pelicans (8-26) as they look to regain momentum after a poor showing against Detroit.
2025-12-31 19:20:00
