DENVER — Lakers coach JJ Redick informed Luka Doncic precisely what he needed, a “blackout moment” when the celebrity will get so misplaced in a sport he begins yelling at nobody specifically.
This, in Redick’s thoughts, can be the sign, the signal that the emotional baggage Doncic has carried since having his life and profession upended through a surprising commerce was lessening.
“That means he’s back,” Redick mentioned Saturday. “That’s the Luka I know. The killer.”
Redick received his want within the Lakers’ 123-100 win towards Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets on Saturday, Doncic howling on the Lakers’ bench after effortlessly splashing a step-back three. He snapped at a courtside fan early within the second half as he and the Lakers rapidly extinguished a Denver rally. And as he relentlessly hunted Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, he scored within the paint and shook his head on the Nuggets to remind them that their plans weren’t working.
He completed with 32 factors, his most since Dec. 15, whereas controlling all of the motion because the Lakers’ main ballhandler.
For the primary time, at the least in any prolonged sense, Doncic appeared unburdened Saturday in Denver, his antennas totally up because the Lakers confronted their first main problem since they reconfigured their crew by buying and selling Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a first-round choose for him.
Doncic and his teammates fought on protection. They received 50-50 balls and gang rebounded. Doncic, on a number of events, briefly picked up full courtroom to attempt to disrupt the opening seconds of a few Denver possessions.
“Yeah, I think you can see it, you know, me smiling on the court, having fun,” Doncic mentioned after the win. “JJ told me, you gotta have one, that ‘blackout moment’ you have. So I think I have one. Just felt like me a little bit so I was happy.”
Doncic will be forgiven if the components he’s been going through had him feeling a bit out of type. First there was the calf pressure he suffered on Christmas that stored him off the courtroom for greater than a month –—the longest stretch of video games he’s missed in his NBA profession. He returned to motion with a minutes restriction on the similar time he was nonetheless sorting by way of the emotional fallout following an sudden exit from Dallas.
The Mavericks, whom the Lakers face on Tuesday in Los Angeles, traded Doncic due to issues about his conditioning and well being, issues that had been oblique photographs at Doncic’s dedication.
“Listen, one thing about me, I’m not going to talk bad about any players,” Harrison informed reporters after the deal. “I mean, that’s not going to do us or me any good. I just say there’s levels to it. There’s people that fit the culture and there’s people that come in and add to the culture. And those are two distinct things. And I believe the people that [are] coming in are adding to the culture.”
The Lakers and Redick, for his or her half, have proven no hesitation on the subject of committing to Doncic each within the instant and for his or her future. Saturday, the Lakers received nice video games from LeBron James and Austin Reaves, nevertheless it was Doncic driving issues.
“I think Luka needs to be the guy that controls the offense,” Redick mentioned. “And Bron and AR, because we’re gonna stagger everybody, they’re gonna have their times to be on the ball. But all three of those guys are very intelligent basketball players and we can create mismatches. We can get teams in the blender.”
Saturday was the Lakers’ offense at its greatest within the half courtroom with James, Reaves and Doncic selecting aside the weakest factors of Denver’s protection to create nice photographs.
“He was super dialed in,” James mentioned of Doncic. “He was very locked in on what he wanted to do out here on the floor tonight. Once he started hitting those step-back threes and got to yelling and barking, either at the fans or at us or himself.”
Redick mentioned Saturday’s efficiency in Denver represented “baby steps” for Doncic and the Lakers, the crew placing a optimistic foot ahead whereas understanding that there’s a lot work is left to be accomplished.
“Every day is going to get better,” Doncic mentioned.
Everybody concerned in Doncic’s first few weeks with the Lakers believed that to be true. Nonetheless, seeing the proof did no hurt.
Along with the shock of leaving Dallas, Doncic additionally left behind a crew he believed in, one which simply went to the NBA Finals a 12 months in the past final spring and one which was constructed over time to go well with his strengths. Seeing that his new crew can present him the identical alternatives additionally has a job in serving to him transfer ahead.
“I think our goal is — not I think — I know our goal is to win a championship,” Doncic mentioned. “That’s our only goal. And I think we have the team for that. Obviously the chemistry with me and the guys, it’s gonna take a little time still.
“But, like you saw today, I think it’s getting better and better.”
