The final regular season matchup against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday lost some of its flare when Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray were ruled out. Still, they posed a dangerous threat, having recently won while shorthanded over the surging hot Warriors just a few nights prior.
But you know who didn’t lose his flare? Luka Dončić.
Dončić scored 21 points on 7-11 shooting in the first quarter, spurring the Lakers to a 46-29 lead. They led by as many as 30 points, with the Nuggets never truly threatening, in a wire-to-wire win, evening the season series at two games a piece.
Denver decided to open the game by switching any ball screen, risking leaving him in single coverage to stay home elsewhere. The first play is an assist to Jaxson Hayes.
In the play below following the switch, Aaron Gordon is caught ball-watching and allows Hayes to slip behind for the dunk.
This doesn’t seem like a big deal, but it is. He immediately set up the roll threat, opening the door to the other rooms Dončić has keys to.
Without Jokić, Gordon is tasked as Denver's only actual rim protector. A cross-match in transition on the very next play has him against Dončić at the top of the key. He got his main threat at the rim pulled away from the basket, knowing that no help was coming from the rim. He quickly gets to his spot for the and-one finish.
Dončić would follow this up with another layup in the half-court, blowing by top-tier Denver defensive forward Peyton Watson.
Once evident the Nuggets would willingly give the switch while keeping single coverage, Dončić flipped into apex predator mode. And as any apex predator would, he feasted on the weakest prey.
A relentless hunting of Michael Porter Jr ensued.
It was a premeditated attack that continued from the last matchup Dončić played against Denver in early February. Dončić sets the screen in the play below to get the switch. With no second defender coming, he methodically gets by Porter Jr for the spinning finish.
Next possession down, same situation. Again, he comes to set the screen to get the switch he wants. Following the previous basket, Dončić knows Porter has to honor the drive, setting up the patented step-back jumper.
Dončić followed this with another hunt of Porter Jr, leading to free throws and a barrage of triples. A heater that, once turned on, becomes extremely difficult to extinguish. He capped off his terrific first quarter scoring with a transition three to push the lead to 17.
This is why teams send a double team and blitz so early. If you don’t, a potential 21-point quarter is the risk. Dončić will gladly take your single coverage and pick the wound with basket after basket.
Following Wednesday’s game, head coach J.J. Redick spoke on Denver being forced into changing their coverage.
“Him starting the game aggressively against the [switches] forced them into having to double-team him.” Redick said. “Then, the other guys were beneficiaries of that.”
With just over three minutes to go in the first quarter, Denver sends over their first double team. Watch in the play below as he quickly sprays it out to Gabe Vincent and the Lakers get a wide-open corner three from Dorian Finney-Smith.
Dončić, following the play, even applauds the good ball movement. He finishes the night with 31 points, seven assists, and eight rebounds.
It would be a mistake to draw grandiose conclusions from this game without the Nuggets' two stars. That said, the Lakers offense in this matchup the last few years felt like they were bringing a knife to a gunfight.
Dončić is not only a gun but a whole bazooka. A one-man missile air strike that now dons the purple and gold.
Dončić ability to successfully hunt switches has changed the entire tenor of this matchup and may finally spell success in a potential playoff meeting.
Follow Raj on Twitter at@RajChipalu.