Sometimes one stat tells you everything you need to know. For the Los Angeles Lakers, that stat is absolutely stunning. With Luka Doncic on the floor, they are plus-84. When he sits, they are minus-27
What that says about Luka Doncic's value
You do not often see swings like that unless a player is completely changing the direction of a team, and through the first month of this season, Doncic has been doing precisely that. The Lakers’ success backs it up.
The team has won six straight games and just ran through the NBA Cup group stage, going a perfect 4–0. Their most recent 129–119 win over the Dallas Mavericks was another reminder of how steady Doncic has become for this group.
He put up 35 points and 11 assists against his former team, now 3–0 in those matchups since joining the purple and gold. If it was not clear before, it should be crystal clear on which side won that blockbuster deal in the middle of last season.
Doncic’s overall numbers are hard to ignore. Currently, he is averaging 35.1 points, 9.4 assists, and 8.5 rebounds, all while shooting 47.5 percent from the field and over 80 percent at the free throw line. Even on defense, where critics often circle back, he has been making an impact with 1.8 steals per game.
Nothing about his production feels forced. It just feels natural and in full command. ESPN’s Zach Lowe summed up this version of Doncic perfectly on The Zach Lowe Show. He said Luka looks “fit, defending better, and just a machine of offense,” and added that when he is out there, the Lakers “get whatever shot they want.”
That statement by Lowe matches what anyone watching the Lakers can see. The team’s confidence and sense of direction change the second he checks into the game. And that is really why the on-off numbers feel so important.
With Doncic running the show, the Lakers play with purpose. The ball moves on time. Teammates find space. The offense appears organized rather than reactive. When he goes to the bench, that smooth flow shifts, even for only a few minutes.
What makes this even more interesting is that Doncic still has room to grow. He is just hitting 34 percent from three, one of the lowest marks of his career, while taking a career-high 10.9 attempts per game.
You would expect that to bump up as the season settles, especially now that LeBron James is back and healthy. King James is elite at taking the defensive pressure. And with LeBron comfortable letting Doncic and Austin Reaves carry more of the offensive load, the team is tough to stop.
If this is where Doncic is after just one month, his MVP case is just starting to build. The Lakers feel his impact every time he takes the floor, and the numbers are starting to capture what the eye test already shows.