Darren & Vic’s Takes: NBA Week 13

Published: Saturday, January 17, 2026

by Darren Worrell and Victor Lisboa

Week 12 is behind us, which means Darren and Victor. However, from here on out, Darren & Vic’s Takes will consist of recaps of the big games that happened instead of previews. So, without further ado, here is this week’s edition.

Darren: Charlotte Hornets vs Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers really lost to the Hornets, are you kidding me! I’m just playing. Anyways, the Charlotte Hornets, still led by LaMelo Ball, have surprised many this season, while the record does not truly show the full picture of this team. 

It is very important to note that they blew out the number one seeded Oklahoma City Thunder not too long ago by 27 points, and the Orlando Magic team by 15 points. These are guaranteed playoff teams, so very surprising.

Their three-point shooting is improving as well, as Charlotte is currently the fifth best three-point shooting team in the league, and that is expected when you have players like Kon Knueppel, Sion James, Miles Bridges and even LaMelo Ball as well.

On the other hand, the Los Angeles Lakers have my favorite Player, LeBron James, and while their record is not too concerning, it is starting to seem like something has to give eventually.

The Lakers are not a bad team. They have Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton and of course LeBron James. However, Vic and I  discussed this team, and we feel that they simply do not mesh well together.

All of their contracts are steep, and it is clear that LeBron is no longer the first option as Luka has taken over. The Lakers must make tough decisions at the deadline, but the problem is they do not have the assets.

My best bet would be LeBron going to another team for his possible last season next year while the Lakers find a player who does not need the ball as much. They need to step it up fast. 

In this game, the Lakers had control in the first quarter as Luka Doncic scored 19 of his 39 points in the quarter. The Lakers were up by nine points to end the quarter, picking up where they left off after defeating the Hawks.

In the second, the Hornets completely flipped the switch, drilling three pointers and getting points in the paint, specifically from Ryan Kalkbrenner. The Hornets just looked complete all around making the extra pass, which is why they had the lead at half.

The stellar defense in this quarter held the Lakers to only 16 points. LaMelo only had three points in the first half from one three pointer.

The second half followed a similar pattern. The Hornets picked up where they left off, while the Lakers came out with more energy and scoring, but all the points primarily came from the starting five who combined for 109 points out of 117.

Ball, who only had three points in the first half, recorded 27 points of his 30 points in the second half to fuel this win.

The Hornets will finish their three-game road trip in California, after they take on the Golden State Warriors at the Chase Center.

Victor: Memphis Grizzlies vs Orlando Magic

The Grizzlies and Magic traveled to Berlin, Germany for the second of three international games scheduled for the NBA this season. This game was unique however, because Magic brothers Mo and Franz Wagner grew up in Berlin, before they both ended up going to Michigan, and then the NBA.

On the Memphis side of things. They were again without Ja Morant in this contest, as he has now missed Memphis’ last six games nursing a right calf contusion. Injuries have unfortunately been a common theme for the 26-year-old, who’s now in his seventh season.

However, it was reported by NBA insider Shams Charania that the Grizzlies would be entertaining trade offers for Morant, and more recently, apparently for Jaren Jackson Jr. as well. This does not guarantee a trade of course, but at the very least it indicates the direction the Grizzlies may be taking as a franchise.

For the Magic, they came into this game as the sixth seed in the East 22-18. After making one of the biggest trades in the offseason for Desmond Bane, Orlando rendered high expectations entering this season.

At about the midway point of the regular season, they remain in the playoff picture, but injuries and a slight downgrade in efficiency by stars like Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner have somewhat deterred this team’s progress. However, as long as their star players stay healthy, they still remain a formidable opponent.

Memphis was in control of this game in the first half. With about eight minutes left in the second quarter, after a Jaren Jackson floater, the Grizzlies had a 20-point lead and ended the half with a nine-point lead.

Memphis was spacing the floor early and were getting great production from their second unit. Santi Aldama and GG Jackson particularly combined for 33 points, shooting 7-7 from beyond the arc.

Orlando has a tendency to start off games shooting poorly from distance, and that came into fruition for the first half. On the other hand, The Magic thrive defensively and by scoring in the paint.

Back-to-back three pointers from Wagner and Anthony Black cut the Magic deficit to five points. Black proceeded to take the lead from another three-pointer to make it 71-70. The Magic were back in the game, and Black eventually hit his third three pointer of the quarter.

Orlando led at the end of the 3rd, 84-79. However, Anthony Black’s momentum carried into the fourth quarter as he easily had the biggest play of the game. At about the 2:30 mark of the quarter, Black led the fastbreak off a pass from Banchero and viciously slammed what could end up being the dunk of the year over four defenders!

That dunk will now live in infamy! Ultimately, the Magic were able to finish off the Grizzlies 118-111, and these teams will play again in London, England on Sunday 1/18 at 12 P.M. Eastern time.

Darren Worrell and Victor Lisboa can be reached at darren.worrell@student.shu.edu, victor.lisboa@student.shu.edu 

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