NBA Insider Jovan Buha recently shared his experience of how Luka Doncic has had an impact on the Los Angeles Lakers, not only on the court, but also behind the scenes.
“I think Luka really gave this group a true belief they could win the championship this year,” said Buha in response to questions regarding Doncic’s impact. “I think they were trending that way before the Luka-AD trade.”
“They started to figure out an identity on both sides of the ball. They had some impressive wins without AD, who had just gone down with injury,” he continued. “But it felt like they kind of supercharged that once they brought Luka in.”
“We have a top 3 player in the world, a guy who just led his team to the NBA Finals last season, and who fits in stylistically with what we’re trying to do on both sides of the ball.”
“I believe Luka just propelled that belief to a different level, and we’ve seen that; they have looked like a championship contender.”
.@jovanbuha is @Lakers insider for @TheAthletic & host of the "Buha's Block" podcast.
He says adding @luka7doncic "gave this group a true belief they could win the championship this year…it super charged that."
Buha describes Doncic as a top 3 player in the world. pic.twitter.com/ihG0SJSGfK
— Elex Michaelson (@Elex_Michaelson) April 17, 2025
Buha placed the Los Angeles Lakers second in the West with regard to their likelihood of making it to the NBA Finals. Armed with the duo of Luka Doncic and LeBron James, the Lakers certainly have the star power to justify this placement.
Doncic’s impact on the Lakers was felt almost immediately. His chemistry with the team clicked right off the bat. The 26-year-old star seamlessly assimilated with the system and effectively transformed the team’s offense into a well-oiled machine.
The Slovenian managed to bring the best out of his teammates. This quality helped the Lakers rack up some important wins and establish their position as a legitimate threat in the West.
Although the five-time All-Star also has his share of naysayers, it is difficult to overlook how well he has performed for the Lakers.
In his 28 games with the Purple and Gold, Doncic has notched an 18-10 record with 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game. Doncic’s performance on the court has also instilled faith in his teammates that a championship run is most definitely on the cards this season.
The road to the championship will be anything but easy. Having secured the third seed in the West, the Lakers find themselves facing off against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round.
Although the Lakers enjoy home-court advantage, the Timberwolves are not to be taken lightly. Led by a star in Anthony Edwards, the Purple and Gold will hope to make the most of their advantage by securing a win in Game 1 on Friday at 8:30 pm ET.
