Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic has seemingly slowed down a bit after his hot offensive start to the 2025-26 season. Doncic endured a rough shooting slump and in turn the Lakers dropped three consecutive games for the first time during the season.
Entering the matchup against the Sacramento Kings on Sunday night, Doncic and the rest of the Lakers had the look and feel of a team that was desperate to snap a losing streak. From the opening tip, Los Angeles was active on both ends of the floor hustling after the basketball and moving it around to generate quality looks.
Doncic surely did his part as he led the Lakers in scoring with 34 points, but he had help from his co-star LeBron James, who poured in 24 points of his own. The two stars were in sync and set the tone early, allowing the rest of the roster to follow their lead in a convincing 125-101 win
After the game, Doncic acknowledged the high effort was present from the beginning of the game,.
“Oh, very well. I think our effort was very high starting the game like that; getting deflections, getting steals and being physical. We talked about [that] a lot in the group just between us. I think we all responded well,” Doncic said.
He added that the team’s overall effort starts with himself and James.
“I think it definitely starts with us,” Doncic said of himself and James. “When AR (Austin Reaves) is back, it’s going to be all three of us. Now, it starts with us and we need to show what we can do. If we’re going to do it, we’re both going to do it. The group is going to follow. It’s definitely a bigger amount on us, but I think today was a show that everybody was locked [in].”
Doncic and James are the clear leaders on the Lakers and they understand the responsibility that comes with their status. Over the course of a long regular season, it’s normal to throttle down for stretches, but Los Angeles doesn’t have the luxury of taking nights off. The Western Conference playoff race remains as tight as ever, and a three-game skid like the one L.A. just endured could be the difference in seeding.
With Austin Reaves out for at least the next month with a calf injury, Doncic and James will need to continue to do the heavy lifting to keep the Lakers afloat. Offensively the team should be fine, but defensively the overall effort needs to remain high to give them a chance to win games.
A tough test looms on Tuesday against the Detroit Pistons, so it’ll be interesting to see how the purple and gold approach it.
Luka Doncic expresses support for Austin Reaves
Reaves being ruled out with a calf injury comes at a tough time for the Lakers, though his long-term health is the priority. Doncic understands how much time a calf injury can cost a player, so he expressed support for Reaves while he remains sidelined.
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