It wasn’t any other night, not in the story of this season, not in the history of this franchise.
Before Luka Doncic played his first second as a Laker, his name and number were on a T-shirt draped over every seat in the building. His aura was inescapable, from the Serbian pregame music to the buzz in the building each time his face appeared on the scoreboard.
It’d been more than a week since the Lakers shocked everyone by dealing for Doncic, a move that secured the organization its future. This was what people wanted to see.
And among those people? LeBron James.
Someday, this will be Doncic’s franchise, but Monday’s Lakers debut was as much about the partnership between their two best players, No. 23 and No. 77 turning the building’s energy all the way to 100.
Before the Lakers’ 132-113 win against Utah, James and Doncic gathered in the team’s huddle after introductions. Notably, Doncic, instead of James, heard his name last. And if Doncic needed another reminder of how he was being embraced, James gave it to him.
“Don’t fit in,” James told Doncic while addressing the team. “Fit the f— out. Be yourself.”
“Chills,” Doncic said of the moment.
Lakers guard Luka Doncic scores on a layup in front of Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George in the first half Monday.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
James’ enthusiasm for this was obvious. Pregame, he warmed up in one of the Doncic No. 77 giveaway shirts. On the court, he didn’t shoot for nearly the first six minutes, setting the stage for the kind of team basketball the Lakers want to play despite having two of the game’s best individual scorers now in the same uniform.
In totality, Doncic’s individual debut went predictably — moments of brilliance like the stepback three for his first bucket, the full-court laser to James for the pair’s first connection and the lockdown defensive possession on Jordan Clarkson. Others were signs of accumulated rust, Doncic missing six threes and nine field goals in his first game since Christmas because of a calf strain. Before the game, coach JJ Redick said Doncic would be on a minutes limit as the Lakers “ease” him back into NBA action. Monday in the blowout, he logged just 23 minutes.
“Special,” Doncic said of the moment. “The way they received me, everybody, it was amazing to see. I was a little bit nervous before. I don’t remember the last time I was nervous before the game. But once I stepped on the court, it was fun. And just being out there again felt amazing.”
He finished with 14 points, five rebounds and four assists — well below his season averages.
“I think he handled it well,” Redick said. “And, you know, knowing Luka, whether he will admit this or not, like there was probably a little bit of nerves playing for the Lakers for the first time. And the anticipation that our fans have, this building had, his teammates had, our coaching staff had. He kinda gets that, he sees that.
“And I thought he’s handled it really well and he played really well tonight. He could not make a three outside of the first one, but he just, again, it goes back to all our guys, they just played agenda-free basketball. What tonight was not, he didn’t make it about Luka. He made it about playing good basketball and playing Laker basketball.”
Around him, the Lakers (32-19) were the kind of excellent they’ve been for the last 14 games. During that stretch the Lakers have won 12 times, losing only to the Clippers and the 76ers, discovering a toughness on both sides of the ball that’s pushed them 13 games over .500.
Monday, James was again terrific on both sides, scoring 24 but playing with incredible defensive energy. Austin Reaves, fresh off a 45-point game Saturday, scored 22 on only 10 shots while grabbing nine rebounds. Jaxson Hayes, the Lakers’ new starting center after Mark Williams failed his physical, scored 12 points on perfect six-of-six shooting. And Rui Hachimura had 21 points and six rebounds in a game the Lakers led by as many as 34.
Reserve guard Jordan Goodwin, playing in just his second game since signing a two-way contract with the Lakers, scored 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds while playing terrific defense — a real need on the perimeter after the team dealt Max Christie.
“He knows what we’re trying to do,” Redick said. “And frankly, he’s kind of the prototypical guy that we want in one of those spots because he plays hard, he crashes the offensive glass, he has a toughness about him, he has a team-first attitude. I just think it speaks volumes to the type of person that he is, that he was prepared and is willing to go to battle with these guys.”
Battle is a good word for the way the Lakers have played, showing more fight and toughness in their final home game before the All-Star break. Doncic, who has been watching the team win all three of its games since he joined the team, saw the template. Fit in, fit out, whatever.
The real takeaway Monday was that with the NBA’s hottest team, the No. 77 gold jersey looked like a big part of it all.
“Since I came here, I just wanted to play with them,” Doncic said. “So every game I saw, they played amazing, very connected, and for me, it was just I want to be there with them.”
The wait is over; Doncic is here. He’s a Laker.
“It was awesome,” Reaves said. “I thought the energy from that point forward was great. His introduction in the starting lineup was one of the loudest I’ve heard since I’ve been here.
“Lakers nation, continue to do that because he deserves it.”