The future of is already present. Luka Dončić already wears the same yellow and purple uniform with which several basketball legends have covered themselves with glory in the NBA. After surprising the world of sport with a signing, the Slovenian star wanted to turn the page with its first minutes of play in 47 days. His return has been at half gas, with 14 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists in 23 minutes to collaborate in the triumph against Utah jazz (113-132). But the numbers have been the least. The public at the Crypto stadium received it with an ovation standing and with each of the 19,000 attendees of the enclosure wearing a shirt with 77, the number that represents tomorrow for the Angels.
“It has been very special how everyone has received me, from my colleagues, to the public, who made a lot of noise when I was introduced,” said the Slovenian after the game. Dončić was satisfied, above all, of being able to return after the lesion in the left calf that kept him marginalized since December 25, when he last dressed the uniform of the Dallas Mavericks. In principle it was thought that his debut on the west coast was going to be Saturday in front of the Indiana Pacers, but the star medical team, within which the Spanish physio Javier Barrio is located, wanted to go to the safe one.
Tonight’s game has been an outline of what Lakers can achieve by the end of the season. The team and the thousands of fans, among whom was Dirk Nowitzki, mentor and friend of the star, wanted to see above all the chemistry on the court of Dončić with, who at 40 and in his season number 22 continues to push the limits the limits physical and postponing the sunset of your career. James, who also came from being outside Indiana for an injury, scored 24 points in 29 minutes of play.
Dončić made a triple about Walker Kessler, his first basket as laker. It was the only ball that put a long distance in seven attempts, far from the level to which a player who has put nine triples in two games of his career in the NBA is accustomed. The Lakers coach, JJ Redick, who played 13 games with Dončić in the MAVs, said that he will enter into time. “If it were for him he would play 48 minutes, but you have to think in the long term,” said Redick, who said he was satisfied with the offensive plays that his three stars put together: James, Dončić and Austin Reaves.
The Lakers take six wins to the thread, one of the best brands in the west after that of, which have won the last seven. On Saturday, Los Angeles won the Pacers at home, rooms in the east, with a spectacular Austin Reaves, who scored 45 points in a match where the premises did not have their pillars, LeBron or Dončić.
This Monday, the team’s power could be seen in flashes. “I think we can be very dangerous because we move the ball very well in the offensive and create many opportunities for several players,” said the Slovenian, whose first play on the court was a alley-oop To Jaxson Hayes, who closed the night with 12 points thanks to several assists provided by 77 and by number 23, James, who registered eight.
Dončić served a pass from the entire court to LeBron. Both left the game at the end of the third period. The team’s plan, once the 1.98 escort regains the rhythm, is that the two play the maximum possible minutes, which in theory can be a threat to the rest of the NBA for offensive power.
The courtship with Los Angeles fans began before tip-off or that the Slovenian set foot on the Crypto court. Dončić announced in the morning, through its foundation, a donation by half a million dollars (€ 485,000) for those affected. “It has been very sad to see and learn about the damage they have left in the city,” said the player’s organization, who signed his message as “his neighbor.” Dončić also promised to help in the reconstruction of the basketball courts in the neighborhoods affected by the fire.
On Saturday afternoon, the Lakers terminated the exchange of two of their players, the rookie Dalton Knecht, and Cam Reddish, by Mark Williams, the star pivot of the Charlotte Hornets, 2.13 meters. According to ESPN, the name of Williams was suggested in early February by Dončić to Rob Pelinka the team’s manager and who promised to start building a team around the European star.
Williams was also the expected successor of Anthony Davis as the great man of the defensive Angelina. The press assures, however, that the pivot, who has a lower back injuries, ankle and knee, did not exceed physical tests to wear the Lakers uniform and was sent back to North Carolina. The Lakers also retain the first round for the 2031 Draft that had yielded to the Lamelo Ball team.
The arrival of Dončić to Los Angeles is enough to entertain Lakers fans for a few weeks. But analysts have considered that the fall in Williams signing represents a serious problem for the team, who runs out of figure under the ring for the rest of the season. The task will remain, for the moment, in the hands of Jaxson Hayes and Christian Koloko, both 24 years old and who have a combined average of 6.4 rebounds per game (Hayes caught two tonight). The dilemma is aggravated for the postseason, as Koloko is unable to play in playoffs for his contract, which forces him to also play with the lower squad of the Lakers.
