Lakers Hinting at Major Luka Doncic Change After Breakout Performance
After three games with the Los Angeles Lakers, the Luka Doncic trade was failing to live up to expectations. Doncic averaged only 14.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists since being acquired in the high-profile trade with the Dallas Mavericks on February 1. JJ Redick made the decision to bench Doncic in Thursday’s win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
However, just as the “What’s wrong with Luka?” story was about to take off, Doncic responded in Saturday’s victory over the Denver Nuggets. The five-time All-Star scored 32 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and handed out seven assists in a 123-100 win, marking only the second victory for Los Angeles in their last 15 meetings with the Nuggets in both the regular season and playoffs.
The breakout could be attributed to Redick’s suggestion that Doncic have “at least one blackout episode” during the game, but it could also signal another change that Redick and the Lakers may consider going forward.
JJ Redick Advocates for Lakers to Build Offense Around Luka Doncic
Several aspects of Saturday’s game were encouraging for Doncic, but the most notable was his increased volume. Doncic led the Lakers in both points and shot attempts, with a 36% usage rate, the highest in his four games with the team.
The Athletic’s Johan Bruha pointed out that this approach was part of the strategy to attack Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, but Redick emphasized that this could be something the Lakers should do more often as Doncic adapts.
“I think Luka needs to be the guy that controls the offense,” Redick said. “And [LeBron James] and [Austin Reaves], because we’re going to stagger everybody, they’ll have their turns with 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.”
Redick’s change reflects a basic basketball principle: putting the ball in the hands of your best players. James had a similar impact on Saturday, finishing with 25 points, nine rebounds, and five assists, while Reaves contributed 23 points, seven assists, and four rebounds. But it was Doncic who made the biggest difference, showing the potential the Lakers had hoped for when they traded for him.
If Doncic becomes the driving force of the Lakers’ offense, it could open up significant possibilities for the team. Los Angeles is currently fourth in the Western Conference with a 34-21 record, having won 14 of their last 18 games. With Doncic, James, and Reaves leading the charge, the Lakers could emerge as a formidable contender for a deep playoff run in a wide-open Western Conference.