The Los Angeles Lakers may have lost on Opening Night to the Golden State Warriors, but Luka Doncic sent a message to the rest of the NBA that he means business during the 2025-26 season.
Doncic was heroic in the loss to the Warriors, scoring 43 points along with 12 rebounds and nine assists. It was a brilliant performance from Doncic who scored the most points in a Lakers season opener since Kobe Bryant in 2007 when the Black Mamba dropped 45 points in a loss to the Houston Rockets.
However, Luka would not be denied a win as he exploded for 49 points in Los Angeles’ win against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Doncic was unstoppable, routinely getting shots up over defenders and knocking down the long ball to prevent Minnesota from ever climbing back into the game.
Doncic became just the fourth player in NBA history and the first player in Lakers history to record back-to-back 40-point games to open a regular season. After the win against the Timberwolves, Doncic was happy to hear the news but emphasized winning is more important to him.
“It’s felt great,” he said. “I wish we would have won the first game but obviously it’s a good comeback. I think Minnesota is a great team. We had to do a lot to win today, but myself, I feel great. I want to win every game.”
Doncic’s response is a clear indication that individual accolades mean nothing unless it comes in wins, so the Lakers have to feel good knowing his head is exactly where it should be. Doncic’s unselfishness is a great trait to have and an excellent example to set for an L.A. squad that is looking at him to lead.
It’s hard to imagine that Doncic can keep this scoring pace up for the entirety of the season, but so far he’s made it look effortless. The body transformation has clearly helped his endurance and explosiveness, but he remains brilliant keeping his pace and dictating offensive possessions every time down the floor.
The Lakers will be without LeBron James for at least a few more weeks as he recovers from sciatica issue, but Doncic looks well-equipped to carry the burden until he returns. Doncic will look to continue his hot shooting when he and the purple and gold head on the road for their next game against the Sacramento Kings.
JJ Redick expects Luka Doncic to be in MVP conversation if Lakers are winning
Luka Doncic is considered one of the early favorites to win MVP and head coach JJ Redick believes he’ll be in the conversation as long as the Lakers are winning games.
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