Luka Doncic Now Believes That Injured Players Always Return Against Lakers

Luka Doncic has now started to believe that injured players find a way to return in time for the Lakers.

4 Min Read

Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images

Luka Doncic is now a believer in the “conspiracy theory” that injured players always return against the Los Angeles Lakers. In his postgame press conference after the 108-102 win over the Los Angeles Clippers, Doncic was asked if he feels the Lakers have a big target on their backs, and he believes they do.

“Yeah, I think so,” Doncic said. “I didn’t believe it before, but they say like if somebody’s out a long time then they play against the Lakers. I don’t know, I didn’t believe that (for) a long time, but obviously it’s the Lakers. So, I think that’s normal.”

The theory that opposing players do that was strengthened in the minds of Lakers fans here, thanks to Norman Powell. Powell had not played since the All-Star break due to left knee tendinopathy but was back for Sunday’s clash. The fact that the guard then had to exit the game due to injury in the first quarter led to many believing he had rushed back to play against the Lakers.

That might not be an accurate assessment, though, as Powell had to leave because of right hamstring soreness. The latest injury wasn’t really related to the previous one. Powell also didn’t play when these teams faced off on Friday, which shoots some more holes in the theory.

You’d reckon the biggest motivation Powell might have had to return as soon as possible was the 65-game rule for awards. The 31-year-old has already missed 14 games and can only miss a few more before he becomes ineligible. Here’s hoping this hamstring issue doesn’t keep Powell out for too long.

Getting back to the Lakers, Doncic isn’t the first player to claim these lines. LeBron James once implied that players are resting before playing against the Lakers, which appears to be a belief within that locker room.

There have been a few instances this season where we have seen players play against the Lakers but sit out for other games. The most notable example perhaps was Bradley Beal playing against them on Dec. 25 and Dec. 28 but missing games against the Dallas Mavericks on Dec. 26 and the Clippers on Dec. 31.

Was that intentional? Well, only Beal knows. Later on in the season, Lakers fans were convinced that Jrue Holiday and Al Horford would intentionally miss a game against the Clippers to be ready for them.

Holiday and Horford did sit out for the Clippers game on Jan. 22, but they were back for the Boston Celtics against the Lakers on Jan. 23. That would have only strengthened the notion that opposing players were resting up for the Lakers.

Whether that’s actually happening or not, it’s not stopping the Lakers from racking up wins of late. They have won 16 of their last 19 games and are currently on a six-game winning streak. They now have a 38-21 record and are second in the standings in the Western Conference.

The Lakers will be in action next against the New Orleans Pelicans at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday at 10:30 PM ET. The Pelicans might well bring their A-game to that clash, but it’s unlikely to be enough to get the win.

Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We really appreciate your support.

Newsletter

Stay up to date with our newsletter on the latest news, trends, ranking lists, and evergreen articles

Follow on Google News

Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We appreciate your support.

Share This Article
Follow:
Gautam Varier is a staff writer and columnist for Fadeaway World from Mumbai, India. He graduated from Symbiosis International University with a Master of Business specializing in Sports Management in 2020. This educational achievement enables Gautam to apply sophisticated analytical techniques to his incisive coverage of basketball, blending business acumen with sports knowledge.Before joining Fadeaway World in 2022, Gautam honed his journalistic skills at Sportskeeda and SportsKPI, where he covered a range of sports topics with an emphasis on basketball. His passion for the sport was ignited after witnessing the high-octane offense of the Steve Nash-led Phoenix Suns. Among the Suns, Shawn Marion stood out to Gautam as an all-time underrated NBA player. Marion’s versatility as a defender and his rebounding prowess, despite being just 6’7”, impressed Gautam immensely. He admired Marion’s finishing ability at the rim and his shooting, despite an unconventional jump shot, believing that Marion’s skill set would have been even more appreciated in today’s NBA.This transformative experience not only deepened his love for basketball but also shaped his approach to sports writing, enabling him to connect with readers through vivid storytelling and insightful analysis.
Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *