Luka Doncic looks like Luka in Lakers’ win in Denver

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Lakers coach JJ Redick, left, celebrates with Luka Doncic during a 123-100 win over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night. (David Zalubowski / Associated Press)

Lakers coach JJ Redick told Luka Doncic exactly what he wanted, a “blackout moment” when the superstar gets so lost in a game he starts yelling at no one in particular.

This, in Redick’s mind, would be the signal, the sign that the emotional baggage Doncic has carried since having his life and career upended via a shocking trade was lessening.

“That means he’s back,” Redick said Saturday. “That’s the Luka I know. The killer.”

Redick got his wish in the Lakers’ 123-100 win against Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets on Saturday, Doncic howling at the Lakers’ bench after effortlessly splashing a step-back three. He snapped at a courtside fan early in the second half as he and the Lakers quickly extinguished a Denver rally. And as he relentlessly hunted Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, he scored in the paint and shook his head at the Nuggets to remind them that their plans weren’t working.

He finished with 32 points, his most since Dec. 15, while controlling all the action as the Lakers’ primary ballhandler.

For the first time, at least in any extended sense, Doncic appeared unburdened Saturday in Denver, his antennas fully up as the Lakers faced their first major challenge since they reconfigured their team by trading Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a first-round pick for him.

Read more: Luka Doncic dominates as Lakers finally end eight-game losing streak in Denver

Doncic and his teammates fought on defense. They won 50-50 balls and gang rebounded. Doncic, on multiple occasions, briefly picked up full court to try to disrupt the opening seconds of a couple of Denver possessions.

“Yeah, I think you can see it, you know, me smiling on the court, having fun,” Doncic said 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 can be forgiven if the factors he’s been facing had him feeling a little out of sort. First there was the calf strain…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/article/luka-doncic-looks-luka-lakers-190822268.html

Author : LA Times

Publish date : 2025-02-23 19:08:00

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