Luka Dončić shines on LA Lakers debut in blowout win over Utah Jazz

Luka Dončić scored 14 points in limited playing time during his debut with the Lakers on Monday night, joining their starting lineup alongside LeBron James and immediately getting into the flow during Los Angeles’ 132-113 victory over the Utah Jazz. Dončić got multiple standing ovations from a Los Angeles crowd wearing thousands of gold T-shirts with his name and No 77. He scored 11 points while the Lakers streaked out to a 25-point halftime lead, and he sat down for good with 3:07 left in the third quarter with the Lakers far ahead in their sixth consecutive victory.

“I was a little bit nervous before,” Dončić said. “I don’t remember the last time I was nervous before the game. But once I stepped on the court, it was fun. And just being out there again felt amazing.”. The Slovenian star’s first bucket was a three-pointer in the opening minutes on his second shot for the Lakers. Dončić finished with five rebounds and four assists – none prettier than a three-quarter-court strike to James for a layup late in the first half.

The game was Dončić’s first in nearly seven weeks since he strained his left calf on Christmas with the Mavericks, who shocked the sports world by trading 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 strength, Dončić joined James, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes as starters for the streaking Lakers, who had won 11 of 13 even before adding a five-time All-NBA selection to their lineup.

Dončić played only 23 minutes as the Lakers bring him back deliberately from his injury. His legs aren’t quite there yet – he went 1 for 7 on three-point attempts in his debut – but his playmaking immediately meshed with his new teammates. Lakers coach JJ Redick, who played alongside Dončić for 13 games in 2021 with the Dallas Mavericks, was eager to see what Dončić would do in his much-hyped debut with his new team.

“Excitement level is high,” Redick said. “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.”. Dončić didn’t disappoint: His first touch was an alley-oop assist to Hayes, and he hit his three-pointer moments later. He was serenaded with “Luka! Luka!” chants at the first dead ball, and several times thereafter.

That crowd included Dirk Nowitzki, who overlapped with Dončić for one season in Dallas and served as his mentor. Dončić appeared to be the natural heir to the German Hall of Famer’s incredible run in Dallas – until current Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison decided otherwise. Dončić played the first 6:56 before checking out alongside James – most likely a coincidence due to Dončić’s minutes restriction while he returns to full strength. The Lakers are expected to have one of their superstars on the floor at nearly all times when Dončić is up to speed.

“Feel like it’s best right now to ease Luka back in to playing NBA action,” Redick said. “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.”. Dončić returned with about eight minutes left in the first half, and he helped the Lakers on their way to a big lead with several key plays. Everybody received a Dončić T-shirt to mark the occasion at the Lakers’ downtown arena – including James, who warmed up before the game in the gold No 77 shirt.

Dončić was followed by dozens of cameras as he warmed up for about 10 minutes before the game, and the Lakers’ arena played the Serbian music he favors for pregame workouts. The Lakers introduced him last before the game, giving him the spot normally reserved for James, which led to another standing ovation. “[James] let me have my moment, so I really appreciate it,” Dončić said. “I mean, today, he lent me this one. But from now on, he’ll be the last.”.

James returned from a one-game injury absence Monday when the Lakers began 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 said. “I assume it’ll look good. [Dončić 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.”.