Luka Doncic looked sharp in his return to action. After making his preseason debut, the Lakers star said he felt better than expected and was just happy to finally be back on the court.
“I felt great,” Doncic said, via The Athletic. “That was probably better than I expected. Those first games are kind of rusty, but I was just very happy to be out there again. Just getting out there and playing basketball for me is amazing. I missed it. I think you can see that. I’m just happy to be on the basketball court again.”
Despite the 113-104 loss to the Suns, Luka played well in his first game of the season. In 22 minutes, he dropped 25 points, seven rebounds, and four assists on 46.7% shooting. It was his first time sharing the court with Deandre Ayton, and it’s clear they are still ironing out the kinks of their partnership.
“I mean, it’s probably just more (on) me,” Doncic said of the Ayton connection. “Obviously, (I’m) the guard with the ball. But like I said, it’s more about talking about it and what he likes. I know he likes the pocket, too. So I’m trying to get used to that too. But it’s just mostly talking about it and playing games.”
The NBA regular season is just a few days away by now and as the preseason winds down, the Lakers will use these last stretch of exhibition games to get everyone on the same page. In Luka’s first full campaign in Los Angeles, the team is still adjusting to his arrival but expectations have been set high and they need to approach the season with a full game plan.
With LeBron James sidelined for weeks, and potentially out until December, Los Angeles will have to start without him and it will put them at a major disadvantage in the opening weeks of the season. Now, more than ever, the key to their success (both short-term and long-term) hinges on Luka Doncic and how he blends with this roster.
With averages of 28.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 7.7 assists per game last season, we know he’s capable of putting up monster numbers in the backcourt but the Lakers will need more from him if they want to hold up against teams like the Thunder or Nuggets. Fortunately, the five-time All-Star has slimmed down this summer in an effort to maximize his game and the results have looked promising so far.
Now, if he can just stay healthy and develop chemistry with Deandre Ayton, the pieces will be in place for another spectacular season. Against the Mavericks tonight, he’ll have another chance to show us his game but it’ll only be a glimpse of what’s to come. At 26 years old, the sky is the limit for Doncic and the Lakers are confident he’s on the verge of his best season yet.
Ultimately, Luka Doncic’s debut showed that the Lakers are in good hands while LeBron James recovers. Even without their veteran leader, the offense looked steady when Luka ran the floor, and his energy set the tone for the group. If he continues to grow alongside Deandre Ayton and Austin Reaves, the Lakers will have a real chance to stay competitive early in the season and build momentum once LeBron returns.