Luka Doncic Getting To Know Lakers In Split Back-To-Back Against Jazz – How Long Will It Take Him To Adjust?

The Los Angeles Lakers lost its first game with Luka Doncic, failing to take the second leg of a back-to-back with the lowly Utah Jazz in a 131-119 defeat. Doncic and LeBron James both delivered below-average performances, scoring 16 and 18 points, respectively.

Los Angeles has played Utah exclusively since acquiring Doncic, which doesn’t indicate much about the new roster’s ability to compete at the highest level. It is a good opportunity for Doncic to ease his way into the Lakers’ system, however, as it will inevitably take time for the longtime Mavericks star to adjust to a new system. 

Losing to the Jazz, now 13-40, by double digits is a bad night for any team, regardless of the circumstances. But because of the circumstances surrounding Doncic’s trade from the Mavericks, some critics have begun using the defeat as an affirmation of fitness and defensive concerns surrounding the Slovenian. Rather than feed into any existing drama, Lakers head coach J.J. Redick offered a common-sense explanation for his team’s poor play.

“We weren’t physical,” Redick said after the game. “We didn’t talk, never really got to a place in the game where we were talking and executing.”

Defense and physicality have been issues for the Lakers at times all season, and pointing them out carries far more weight than the vague rumors about Doncic’s off-court attitude. Another wanting aspect of this Lakers team is that it’s incomplete. 

The team tried to trade for Charlotte Hornets big man Mark Williams, only for that trade to be undone by a failed physical. Los Angeles signed seven-footer Alex Len earlier this week to fill the gap, but it will take time to fully replace the size that Anthony Davis provided.

The hype surrounding Doncic’s arrival to Los Angeles, and counter-swinging criticism of the Lakers’ newest star, is being confirmed and denied all the time on the court in these early days. Doncic has had brilliant moments and costly miscues, typical of any talented player making a massive mid-season adjustment. It’s a tough time for the Lakers to be competing for a playoff spot, but if James and Doncic can white-knuckle their way to a postseason, it could be a very dangerous thing for a stacked Western Conference to deal with.

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Article by Patrick Moquin