Luka Doncic was back from injury in the Los Angeles Lakers‘ 107-96 win over the Phoenix Suns at Crypto.com Arena on Sunday. Doncic shone on his return and his teammate Jaxson Hayes called him the best point guard in the NBA in his postgame press conference.
“Man, that’s the best point guard in the league,” Hayes said. “So, I trust he’s going to find me every time I get open. My job is to try to get him open as well, so it’s like a relationship. You both gotta contribute something.”
Doncic certainly has a case to be regarded as the best at the position. The 25-year-old had made the All-NBA First Team five years in a row from 2020 to 2024 and would have gotten in this year too had he not missed time due to injury.
Even with Doncic not quite being at his absolute best in 2024-25, he is averaging 27.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 7.8 assists, 1.9 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game. The five-time All-Star continues to give defenders nightmares and had his way with the Suns on Sunday.
Doncic put up 33 points (8-20 FG), 11 rebounds, eight assists, and two steals against the Suns. He nearly outscored the visitors by himself in the first quarter, putting up 13 points compared to 15 for them.
It was another Doncic masterclass and Lakers fans are going to be treated to so many more in the years to come. You can argue that Stephen Curry or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are better point guards than him but there is no denying that he is in that conversation at the very least.
Luka Doncic Glad To Have Jaxson Hayes Back From Injury
Doncic wasn’t the only Laker to return from injury on the night, with Hayes managing to come back from a knee issue as well. The big man had missed four games in a row with it and the Slovenian spoke about his importance in his postgame press conference.
“You can see the difference,” Doncic said. “I mean, for me, helps me a lot but he helps the whole team. Getting block shots, take rebounds, roll, he can do a lot of things and we missed him, for sure.”
Doncic likes to have a lob threat on the court and Hayes is just that. They have formed a good understanding on the court in their short time as teammates. That great connection was on full display against the Suns, with Doncic dishing out five of his eight assists on the night to Hayes.
Hayes ended up recording 19 points (8-10 FG), six rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block against the Suns. He is the one who has benefitted the most from Doncic’s arrival and looks set for a solid payday in the offseason.
Hayes’ return and play was one of many things Doncic was happy about after the win. He thought the Lakers played some amazing defense against the Suns from start to finish.
The 96 points the Suns scored were their fewest in a game since they put up 92 against the Cleveland Cavaliers back on Jan. 20. It was a great defensive showing and head coach JJ Redick would want to see more of the same moving forward. The Lakers will be in action next against the San Antonio Spurs at Crypto.com Arena on Monday at 10:30 PM ET.
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