Luka Dončić notches 14 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists in his Lakers debut as L.A. dominates Utah, 132-113.
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Everything about Luka Dončić’s first game with the Lakers should be kept in this context — they played the 12-win Utah Jazz.
Still, it was Luka and the Lakers. That alone was worth the price of admission (and delayed sleep for those on the East Coast) alone. The much-anticipated debut became appointment viewing Monday across the league because it signaled a new direction for the storied franchise, which has a habit of acquiring generational players.
Dončić was a shocking addition, though, much more than anyone in Lakerland since Shaquille O’Neal signed with the team as a free agent nearly 30 years ago. The midseason trade with the Dallas Mavericks, which cost Anthony Davis, was as celebrated in L.A. as it was reviled in Dallas.
What’s done is done, and now the Lakers move forward with a 25-year-old playmaker whose most immediate chore is reducing that responsibility from a 40-year-old playmaker named LeBron James.
Coming off injury, and afforded a blowout win over the Jazz, Dončić played just 23 minutes, scored 14 points (though his jumper was rusty, missing six of seven from deep) and four assists.
Here are five takeaways from Luka’s first taste of the Lakers:
When something big happens in L.A., the city rolls out the red carpet, be it for a big-time actor at a Hollywood premiere or a Slovenian point guard. This trade simply recharged the Lakers.
Gatorade showed a commercial of the Hollywood sign with the two Ls strategically turned upside down to reflect 77, Dončić’s number (he signed with the company last year).
A sellout crowd arrived at Crypto.com Arena to be handed a gift draped over every seat — Luka Laker giveaway shirts.
Come to think of it, did Dallas throw anything for Davis last weekend?
LeBron is going out of his way to make it a comfy transition for Dončić. He shouted in the tipoff huddle for Dončić to fit out, instead of fitting in — a plea for Dončić to be himself and not constantly yield to the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
And Dončić was introduced last by the PA announcer. The last time that happened for LeBron was when he was in Miami as Dwyane Wade had the honors then. James evidently believes a comfortable Dončić will make for a great Dončić — maybe enough to get the Lakers to the playoffs.
One pass explained it all, explained how this is going to go — Dončić snatched a rebound and after one bounce threw court-length to LeBron for the bucket. Usually for LeBron, he’s the one throwing those dimes.
But being blessed with a gifted passer who sees the floor will encourage LeBron to head downcourt quicker and also free himself in the halfcourt for a back-door cut, knowing that Dončić will — more often than not — find him.
There’s also Austin Reaves, who gives the Lakers a trio of creators. The role players on this team will be elevated in the process. All they need to do is catch the pass and convert.
Luka Dončić fires it to LeBron James on the break.
Lost in the Lukapalooza was this: the Lakers are rising in the West. They won their sixth straight game and are suddenly within range of fourth (and even third) place in the West.
But again, perspective: L.A. is enjoying the light part of the schedule. There’s another game upcoming with the Jazz before taking the All-Star break. Which is to say the break is happening at the wrong time. Will the momentum remain next week when the stretch run of the season begins?
The fallout continues in Dallas where Davis, who aggravated an abdominal injury in his Mavericks’ debut, isn’t expected to return to the floor anytime soon. There’s no timetable, but he was a scratch for the All-Star Game, meaning he won’t play until after the break, which means he could miss most or even the rest of February.
That’s a tough sell on Mavericks fans who were understandably miffed by the trade and are now discouraged by Davis’ latest injury suffered at the absolute wrong time.
The Mavericks not only lost in overtime to the Kings on Monday, but they lost Daniel Gafford to injury, too. Dallas now finds itself on the SoFi Play-In Tournament edge. If the Mavs (who went to the 2024 NBA Finals with Dončić leading the way) fail to make the playoffs with Davis, the disenchantment over this franchise could reach Cowboys level.
“We’re going to be a force to be reckoned with,” countered Kyrie Irving after the game. “We’ve just got to get whole again.”
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Shaun Powell has covered the NBA for more than 25 years. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on X.
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