LeBron James sympathized with new teammate Luka Doncic having a gradual begin to life on the Los Angeles Lakers after a midseason commerce.
The Los Angeles Lakers fell to a troublesome 97-100 loss to the Charlotte Hornets final evening. Of their first sport again from the All-Star break, Luka Doncic continued to seem like a shadow of himself.
He put up 14 factors (5-18 FG), 11 rebounds, and eight assists within the loss, making solely one in every of 9 tried threes. He racked up 5 fast turnovers within the first quarter however managed to maintain it clear for the remainder of the sport.
This isn’t the model of Luka Doncic we’re used to seeing and is changing into a priority for Lakers followers. Fortunately, the group can nonetheless depend on LeBron James.
Regardless of the loss, James put up 26 factors (10-22 FG), seven rebounds, and 11 assists. Whereas he didn’t have the help from Doncic he hoped for, he’s giving the Slovenian star time to finish his adjustment to the franchise.
Despite the fact that it isn’t supreme, LeBron is sympathetic to Doncic’s scenario. He understands that it is a interval of transition for Luka Doncic, as he learns and adjusts to the type of basketball the Lakers have had all season.
The 40-year-old star commented on how his 26-year-old co-star is adjusting to the franchise.
“It’s his third sport since Christmas, and it’s his third sport with us. He nonetheless doesn’t know all of the performs, all of the defensive coverages, and all of the indicators that we’ve constructed since September.
“Clearly, we’re making an attempt to fast-track it on the fly. He’s getting back from his accidents, getting again into kind, so we’re all working via it collectively.”
Luka Doncic is averaging 14.7 factors, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in three video games whereas taking pictures 35.6% from the sector and 20.8% from three. This isn’t sustainable, as Doncic’s arrival was supposed to present the franchise a long-term resolution to life after LeBron.
But it surely’s silly to imagine that this model of former Mavs star Doncic is what the Lakers could have for a protracted stretch. Adjusting to a brand new type of play whereas getting back from a long-term soft-tissue harm isn’t simple. Hopefully, Luka figures it out earlier than it prices the group Playoff positioning.
The Lakers gained’t have time to shrug off their loss to the Hornets. They’re going through the Portland Path Blazers tonight on a back-to-back. If Luka Doncic performs, it’ll be an important chemistry-building sport forward of a weekend with massive video games.
The Lakers play the Denver Nuggets on Friday evening. It is a main rivalry matchup, because the Lakers’ final two Playoff runs ended by the hands of the Nuggets. Whereas it is a new-look Lakers squad with out Anthony Davis, the Nuggets stay main West contenders the Lakers should undergo for Playoff success.
After the Nuggets, the Lakers tackle the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday evening. This might be Luka’s first matchup towards the Mavericks since they traded him earlier this month. Greater than every other sport, Lakers followers will hope he’s enjoying at his finest for this revenge sport.
Beating the Nuggets and Mavericks additionally permits the Lakers to dampen direct Playoff rivals, so these video games might be essential for the franchise.
