"They are annoying" - Lakers Twitter at crossroads with Luka Doncic's fan base amid team's slump 

Since their season-high eight-game winning streak, Luka Doncic's LA Lakers have been slumping, dropping seven of their last 10 outings. Amid their late-season woes, Lakers fans are experiencing firsthand how Doncic's supporters react when their favorite player's team endures a rough patch, fueling widespread frustration.

With 11 contests remaining, LA (43-28) sits fifth in the Western Conference, with an outside shot at a top-two finish. However, its last three losses, including two at home, have ranged from 12 to 31 points, raising concerns about the team's title contention prospects.

Despite weathering some poor shooting nights, Doncic delivered elite statistical production during the Lakers' 3-7 stretch. Appearing in eight contests, he averaged a team-best 31.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 1.6 steals and 4.5 3-pointers per game, shooting 42.4%.

In light of Doncic's superstar-caliber output and LA's struggles, the five-time All-Star's fan base has been targeting his teammates. This includes his co-star LeBron James and rising star shooting guard Austin Reaves.

On Tuesday, Lakers fan @bron23xgoat on X/Twitter called attention to the trend, expressing vexation with dealing with Luka Doncic supporters daily.

"Luka fans after every loss: 'Trade Reaves,' 'Can’t wait for LeBron to retire.' I thought it was gonna be a beautiful partnership, but they are annoying," the user wrote.

LA's fan base concurred, conveying similar sentiments about their squad's high-profile trade deadline acquisition from the Dallas Mavericks.

"They wonder why everyone on the Mavs got traded, and now they're crying for everyone in LA to be traded, too. Unserious crowd," @kdb_0306 said.

"I don't follow many of them. Most are unrealistic and unbearable," @CSmoove_Sports wrote.

"They were already annoying before that trade, LMAO. (I) still love Luka, though. I just ignore his fanboys," @RiceRice143 said.

"They started this s**t. I'm only firing back," @ab12_sol wrote.

"They're kids is why," @tristanwindle said.

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Luka Doncic on Lakers' late-season slump

Following Monday's 118-106 road loss to the Orlando Magic, Luka Doncic touched on the reasoning behind LA's slide. According to the 2024 NBA scoring champion, his team has grown complacent since its eight-game victory run.

"I think we just gotta look back at the way we played on that eight-game winning streak," Doncic said. "We were physical, we played a hell of a defense. I think we just got a little bit satisfied, but we can't afford that right now."

Doncic stressed the importance of the Lakers locking in for full 48-minute games, not just first halves. However, he noted that he's confident they can do so, as they showcased their potential during their winning streak.

"We know we can do it, and we just gotta look back and maybe watch the film from those games, how we were playing," Doncic said. "We were physical, we were flying around, and we told on ourselves. We know we can do it."

LA's next chance to get back on track comes on Wednesday when it visits the Indiana Pacers (42-29). That marks the second outing of its four-game road trip.

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