Luka Doncic’s trade to the Los Angeles Lakers shocked the entire world. NBA fans and Lakers fans have been waiting for the star to debut. Doncic has been dealing with a calf issue he suffered while playing with the Dallas Mavericks on Christmas Day. Doncic was questionable for the Golden State Warriors and Indiana Pacers games but couldn’t play. The NBA world wait ended Monday night in Crypto Arena when Doncic finally appeared in his new Laker jersey alongside LeBron James. Could the two gel together to get a win against the Utah Jazz?
The Los Angeles Lakers have been on a terror lately, winning nine of their last ten games. James has been performing like usual, but one player who has been doing relatively well is Lakers Shooting Guard Austin Reaves. Reaves scored 45 points in a win against the Indiana Pacers, shooting 14-of-26 from the field. He was 4-of-9 from three-point land with seven rebounds and seven assists. Doncic is averaging 28 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. Could the Lakers get another win with a marquee player added to their roster?
Lakers Dominate First Half
Lakers fans saw Doncic and James take the court together. Doncic’s first shot as a Los Angeles Laker was a step-back shot from the three-point line, falling through the net. That was the beginning of his journey as a Laker. The Lakers would get into a rhythm and, by the end of the first quarter, were up by 12. By the end of the first half, the Lakers led by 25. Doncic had 11 points, three rebounds, and three assists.
James would end the half with 13 points, five rebounds, and three assists. Reaves would lead all scorers at the half with 15 points; he also would have seven rebounds and two assists. The Los Angeles Lakers shot 60% from the field during the first half, while the Utah Jazz shot 40%. Utah Jazz Guard John Collins would finish the half with 17 points and seven rebounds.
Lakers Get Win With Doncic
The second half was pretty much the same, as the Los Angeles Lakers worked their chemistry with Doncic in the lineup. Doncic finished with 14 points, five rebounds, and four assists in 24 minutes of play. James finished with 24 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists. Head Coach J.J. Redick, had this to say about Doncic’s minutes; according to reporter Greg Beacham of the Associated Press on NBA.com.
Doncic, James, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Utah Jazz 132-113, continuing their winning streak. Reaves ended his night with 22 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field, nine rebounds, and four assists.
Lakers Forward Rui Hachimura shot 8-of-14 from the field scoring 21 points, six rebounds, and two steals. Seven Laker players would finish the night in double digits. The Los Angeles Lakers record improved to 32-19, but the Lakers still have a chokehold on the Pacific division and stand fourth in the Western Conference. Could this be a sign of the future of the Lakers from now on, and can the Lakers continue to win with Doncic?
Final Thoughts
For whatever reason the Dallas Mavericks had in trading Doncic, the Laker fan in me says thank you, and the NBA fan in me says, what was the real reason for trading him? Will we ever find out? Probably not, but one thing is for sure: the Lakers are winning and still winning. We watched Doncic put the Dallas Mavericks on his back and led them to an NBA Finals. The Western Conference is a monster; anything can happen, but could the team up of James and Doncic be the answer for the Lakers to another championship?
