Luka Doncic credited a team defensive effort led by Marcus Smart for limiting Anthony Edwards to 14 points, while also calling Bam Adebayo's 83-point game "very special."
Minnesota Timberwolves superstar Anthony Edwards did not look like himself on Tuesday night, finishing a 120-106 loss in Los Angeles with 14 points on 2-for-15 shooting (1-for-10 from three), along with four assists and two turnovers in 31 minutes.
The Los Angeles Lakers held Edwards to the least efficient shooting performance of his career in games where he attempted at least 15 shots.
The Lakers faced Edwards in last season's playoff series, which they lost 1-4, but they now have defensive-minded guard Marcus Smart on the roster.
"Obviously, it starts with Smart," Luka Doncic said after recording a 31-point, 11-rebound, 11-assist triple-double. "You know, he was starting on him. But for guys like that, you need the whole team to stop him. It's not just one guy. So I think we did a great job.
"Like I said, obviously it started with Smart, but a lot of times it's very hard to stop players like that, and we did a great job today."
Credit AP - Scanpix
Luka reacts to Bam Adebayo's 83 points
While Edwards struggled to find his rhythm on Tuesday, Bam Adebayo was on the opposite end of the spectrum.
The Miami Heat center erupted for 83 points against Washington, recording the second-highest single-game scoring total in NBA history and surpassing Kobe Bryant's famous 81-point performance for the Lakers during the 2005-06 season.
"That was pretty special," Doncic said. "83 is not bad. Very special. Congratulations to him."
Luka himself scored a career-high 73 points with the Dallas Mavericks in late January 2024 against the Atlanta Hawks.
Asked whether he might one day reach the 80-point mark, the Slovenian kept it simple.
"For me, I don't know. Maybe it happens, maybe not."
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