- Share via
It wasn’t like any other night, not in the story of this season, not in the history of this franchise.
Before Luka Doncic played his first second as a Laker, his name and number were on a T-shirt draped over every seat in Crypto.com Arena. His aura was inescapable, from the Serbian pregame music to the buzz in the building each time his face appeared on the scoreboard.
It’d been more than a week since the Lakers shocked everyone by dealing for Doncic, a move that seemingly secured the organization its future. This was what people wanted to see.
And among those people? LeBron James.
When the Lakers traded for Luka Doncic more than a week ago, they did more than acquire a star player. He brings with him people who have helped him rise to stardom.
Someday, this will be Doncic’s franchise, but his Lakers debut Monday was as much about the partnership between their two best players, No. 23 and No. 77 turning the building’s energy all the way to 100.
Before the Lakers’ 132-113 win against Utah, James and Doncic gathered in the team’s huddle after introductions. Notably, Doncic, instead of James, heard his name last. And if Doncic needed another reminder of how he was being embraced, James gave it to him.
“Don’t fit in,” James told Doncic while addressing the team. “Fit the f— out. Be yourself.”
“Chills,” Doncic said of the moment.
James’ enthusiasm was obvious. Before the game he warmed up in one of the Doncic No. 77 giveaway shirts. On the court, he didn’t shoot for nearly the first six minutes of the game, setting the stage for the kind of team basketball the Lakers want to play despite having two of the best scorers in the same uniform.
Doncic’s debut went predictably — moments of brilliance like the step-back three for his first bucket, the full-court laser to James for the pair’s first connection and the lockdown defensive possession on Jordan Clarkson. Others were signs of accumulated rust, Doncic missing six threes and nine shots overall in his first game since Christmas because of a calf strain. Before the game, coach JJ Redick said Doncic would be on a minutes limit as the Lakers “ease” him back into action, and Doncic logged just 24 minutes.
“Special,” Doncic said of the moment. “The way they received me, everybody, it was amazing to see. I was a little bit nervous before. I don’t remember the last time I was nervous before the game. But once I stepped on the court, it was fun. And just being out there again felt amazing.”
He finished with 14 points, five rebounds and four assists — well below his season averages. But the reaction was purely positive.
“He handled it well,” Redick said. “And, you know, knowing Luka, whether he will admit this or not, like there was probably a little bit of nerves playing for the Lakers for the first time. And the anticipation that our fans have, this building had, his teammates had, our coaching staff had. He kinda gets that, he sees that.
“And I thought he’s handled it really well and he played really well tonight. He could not make a three outside of the first one, but he just, again, it goes back to all our guys, they just played agenda-free basketball. What tonight was not, he didn’t make it about Luka. He made it about playing good basketball and playing Laker basketball.”
On the night Luka Doncic made his Lakers debut in L.A., Mavericks fans called for the firing of general manager Nico Harrison in Dallas for trading their favorite player.
Around him, the Lakers (32-19) were the kind of excellent they’ve been for the last 14 games. During that stretch the Lakers have won 12 times, losing only to the Clippers and the Philadelphia 76ers, discovering a toughness on both ends of the court.
Monday, James was again terrific on both ends, scoring 24 points and playing with incredible defensive energy. Austin Reaves, fresh off a 45-point game Saturday, scored 22 on only 10 shots while grabbing nine rebounds. Jaxson Hayes, the Lakers’ new starting center after Mark Williams failed his physical, scored 12 points on six-of-six shooting. And Rui Hachimura had 21 points and six rebounds in a game the Lakers led by as many as 34.
Reserve guard Jordan Goodwin, playing just his second game since signing a two-way contract with the Lakers, scored 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds while playing terrific defense — a real need on the perimeter after the team dealt Max Christie.
“He knows what we’re trying to do,” Redick said of Goodwin. “And frankly, he’s kind of the prototypical guy that we want in one of those spots because he plays hard, he crashes the offensive glass, he has a toughness about him, he has a team-first attitude. I just think it speaks volumes to the type of person that he is, that he was prepared and is willing to go to battle with these guys.”
Battle is a good word for the way the Lakers have played, showing more fight and toughness in their final home game before the All-Star break. Doncic, who has been watching the team win all three of its games since he joined, saw the template. Fit in, fit out, whatever.
Recently acquired superstar Luka Doncic pledges $500,000 to wildfire relief efforts in Los Angeles ahead of his debut Monday with the Lakers.
The real takeaway Monday was that with the NBA’s hottest team, the No. 77 gold jersey looked like a big part of it all.
“Since I came here, I just wanted to play with them,” Doncic said. “So every game I saw, they played amazing, very connected, and for me, it was just I want to be there with them.”
The wait is over; Doncic is here. He’s a Laker.
“It was awesome,” Reaves said. “I thought the energy from that point forward was great. His introduction in the starting lineup was one of the loudest I’ve heard since I’ve been here. Lakers nation, continue to do that because he deserves it.”
All things Lakers, all the time.
Get all the Lakers news you need in Dan Woike's weekly newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
