LOS ANGELES — Luka Doncic scored 14 factors in restricted enjoying time throughout his debut with the Lakers on Monday evening, becoming a member of their beginning lineup alongside LeBron James and instantly stepping into the circulate throughout Los Angeles’ 132-113 victory over the Utah Jazz.
Doncic acquired a number of standing ovations from a Los Angeles crowd sporting 1000’s of gold T-shirts together with his identify and No. 77.
He scored 11 factors whereas the Lakers streaked out to a 25-point halftime lead, and he sat down for good with 3:07 left within the third quarter with the Lakers far forward of their sixth consecutive victory.
The Slovenian celebrity’s first bucket was a 3-pointer within the opening minutes on his second shot for the Lakers. Doncic completed with 5 rebounds and 4 assists — none prettier than a three-quarter-court strike to James for a layup late within the first half.
The sport was Doncic’s first in almost seven weeks since he strained his left calf on Christmas with the Mavericks, who shocked the sports activities world by buying and selling their 25-year-old centerpiece and NBA scoring champion. The grateful Lakers gave up Anthony Davis and Max Christie.
After a full week to settle in and to return to full power, Doncic joined James, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes as starters for the streaking Lakers, who had gained 11 of 13 even earlier than including a five-time All-NBA choice to their lineup.
Doncic performed solely 23 minutes because the Lakers deliver him again intentionally from his damage.
His legs aren’t fairly there but — he went 1 for 7 on 3-point makes an attempt in his debut — however his playmaking instantly meshed together with his new teammates.
Coach JJ Redick, who performed alongside Doncic for 13 video games in 2021 with the Dallas Mavericks, was wanting to see what Doncic would do in his much-hyped debut together with his new crew.
“Excitement level is high,” Redick stated. “I don’t think anything in our approach or game plan for Utah changes. It is always a challenge in-season to integrate, and we have to be able to give each other patience for that.”
Doncic didn’t disappoint: His first contact was an alley-oop help to Hayes, and he hit his 3-pointer moments later. He was serenaded with “Luka! Luka!” chants on the first useless ball, and several other instances thereafter.
That crowd included Dirk Nowitzki, who overlapped with Doncic for one season in Dallas and served as his mentor.
Doncic gave the impression to be the pure inheritor to the German Corridor of Famer’s unbelievable run in Dallas — till present Mavericks common supervisor Nico Harrison determined in any other case.
Doncic performed the primary 6:56 earlier than testing alongside James — doubtless a coincidence as a result of Doncic’s minutes restriction whereas he returns to full power.
The Lakers are anticipated to have one among their superstars on the ground at almost all instances when Doncic is on top of things.
“Feel like it’s best right now to ease Luka back in to playing NBA action,” Redick stated. “I think if it was up to Luka, he would probably play 48 minutes, but we’re thinking long-term and we want to be safe.”
Doncic returned with about eight minutes left within the first half, and he helped the Lakers on their approach to a giant lead with a number of key performs.
Everyone obtained a Doncic T-shirt to mark the event on the Lakers’ downtown area — together with James, who warmed up earlier than the sport within the gold No. 77 shirt.
Doncic was adopted by dozens of cameras as he warmed up for about 10 minutes earlier than the sport, and the Lakers’ area performed the Serbian music he favors for pregame exercises.
The Lakers launched him final earlier than the sport, giving him the spot usually reserved for James, which led to a different standing ovation.
James returned from a one-game damage absence Monday when the Lakers started a home-and-home set with the Jazz heading into the All-Star break.
“I don’t think any of us know exactly what it’ll look like,” Utah coach Will Hardy stated. “I assume it’ll look good. (Doncic and James) are two of the best thinkers, problem-solvers that we’ve ever seen. So yeah, I think preparing for it is a little weird. … But I don’t see any world where those two playing together isn’t a good thing. Like I said, their processing speed mentally is incredible, and so I’m sure they’ll figure it out.”
Doncic has watched three straight Lakers victories from their bench since arriving in Los Angeles per week in the past.
Reaves scored a career-high 45 factors to steer the Lakers previous Indiana 124-117 on Saturday with out Doncic or James, who sat out to relaxation his sore ankle.
Doncic started Monday by donating $500,000 to fireplace restoration efforts in his new group, making a right away impression together with his pledge to assist with the injury attributable to the rampant wildfires that devastated elements of Southern California final month — together with Pacific Palisades, the place Redick’s dwelling was misplaced.
“It’s been so sad to see and learn more about the damage from the wildfires as I landed in LA,” Doncic wrote on his Luka Doncic Basis’s social media channels. “I can’t consider it, and I really feel for all the youngsters who misplaced their houses, colleges and the locations the place they used to play with their buddies. At this time, my basis is donating $500,000 to fast restoration efforts. I’m additionally dedicated to serving to rebuild courts, playgrounds and fields that have been destroyed, as a result of each child wants a protected place to play.
“To everyone affected by these fires: we’re here to help, now and for the long haul.”
Doncic signed his notice: “Your new neighbor.”
Doncic’s preliminary donation is being made to the Group Basis Wildfire Restoration Fund. He additionally plans to donate “significant additional funding over the next two years” with a concentrate on rebuilding kids’s play areas, in keeping with a spokesperson.
