Luka Doncic addressed the media after he and the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Phoenix Suns 107-96. When speaking about the squad’s performance, he noted how imperative it was for the Lakers to get a win after a miserable road trip where they lost all their games. Doncic added that the Lakers were excellent defensively when guarding the Suns, who have some great offensive talents.
“We knew we had to do better. We knew we had to be more physical, and I think our defense was amazing today from start to finish…”
Luka had a brilliant game in his own right, putting up 33 points (8-20 FG), 11 rebounds, eight assists, and two steals. He and Austin Reaves were the star performers on the night, combining to score 61 of the Lakers’ 106 points. The pair even outscored Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal, who scored just 44 points as a trio.
The Lakers were able to hold the Suns to under 100 points. It was a return to form for the franchise, who have made their defensive intensity and efficiency a calling card this season. A large part of their defensive improvement can be attributed to landing Dorian Finney-Smith from the Nets earlier in the season.
Finney-Smith missed much of their road trip, and the Lakers were not playing well defensively. Making his return tonight, he picked up right where he left off, playing some strong defense and ending the game with a plus-minus of +16, the highest in the game, tied with Luka Doncic.
As the Lakers get more players back from injury, like LeBron James and Rui Hachimura, they look to undo the damage that was done on their recent road trip.
They currently sit fifth in the Western Conference with a 41-25 record, just two games back from the Rockets, Nuggets, and Grizzlies, who are all tied above them with a 43-25 record. Should they go on a run over the next few weeks, the Lakers could realistically leapfrog all three teams to reclaim the second seed for themselves.
Doncic has been absolutely sensational since joining the Lakers, as many expected him to be, averaging 26.6 points, 8.8 rebounds, 7.6 assists, 1.9 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game while shooting 41.1% from the field, 34.5% from beyond the arc, and 77.7% from the free-throw line.
But what has caught so many people by surprise is Doncic’s defensive commitment. Luka has never been a great defender. However, one of the biggest weaknesses of his game was his lackadaisical approach to playing defense. Since joining the Lakers, Doncic has been more focused and locked in defensively. Even though he isn’t a great defender, he is still 6’7 and has the frame to cause problems for any offensive player.
The Lakers will not have much time to celebrate tonight’s win as they host the San Antonio Spurs tomorrow night at the Crypto.com Arena. Playing against a depleted Spurs team with no Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox gives the Lakers a chance to pick up an all-important win.
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