Luka Doncic scores 14 points, gets multiple standing ovations in debut as Lakers rout Jazz
LOS ANGELES — Luka Doncic scored 14 points in limited playing time during his debut with the Lakers on Monday night, joining their starting lineup alongside LeBron James and immediately getting into the flow during Los Angeles’ 132-113 victory over the Utah Jazz.Doncic got multiple standing ovations from a Los Angeles crowd wearing thousands of gold T-shirts with his name and No.77.
He scored 11 points while the Lakers streaked out to a 25-point halftime lead, and he sat down for good with 3:07 left in the third quarter with the Lakers far ahead in their sixth consecutive victory.The Slovenian superstar’s first bucket was a 3-pointer in the opening minutes on his second shot for the Lakers.Doncic finished with five rebounds and four assists — none prettier than a three-quarter-court strike to James for a layup late in the first half.The game was Doncic’s first in nearly seven weeks since he strained his left calf on Christmas with the Mavericks, who shocked the sports world by trading their 25-year-old centerpiece and NBA scoring champion.
The grateful Lakers gave up Anthony Davis and Max Christie.After a full week to settle in and to return to full strength, Doncic joined James, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes as starters for the streaking Lakers, who had won 11 of 13 even before adding a five-time All-NBA selection to their lineup.Doncic played only 23 minutes as the Lakers bring him back deliberately from his injury.His legs aren’t quite there yet — he went 1 for 7 on 3-point attempts in his debut — but his playmaking immediately meshed with his new teammates.Coach JJ Redick, who played alongside Doncic for 13 games in 2021 with the Dallas Mavericks, was eager to see what Doncic would do in his much-hyped debut with his new team.“Excitement level is high,” Redick said.
“I don’t think anything in our approach or game plan for Utah changes.It is always a challenge in-season to integrate, and we have to be able to give each ...