After three games with the Los Angeles Lakers, the Luka Doncic trade wasn’t meeting up with the hype. Doncic averaged just 14.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists after coming over in the blockbuster deal with the Dallas Mavericks on Feb. 1 and JJ Redick made the decision to sit Doncic in Thursday’s win over the Portland Trailblazers.
But just as the “What’s wrong with Luka?” narrative was about to hit, Doncic responded in Saturday night’s win over the Denver Nuggets. The five-time All-Star scored 32 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out seven assists in a 123-100 victory that was just the second win for Los Angeles in their past 15 meetings with the Nuggets in the regular season and playoffs.
The breakout could be attributed to Redick's request for Doncic to have “at least one blackout episode” during the game but it could have been the result of another change that Redick and the Lakers may exercise moving forward.
JJ Redick said that the Lakers’ offense needs to run through Luka Doncic’s hands, with LeBron James and Austin Reaves running it more when they stagger the primary ball handlers.
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) February 23, 2025
JJ Redick Wants Lakers To Run Their Offense Through Luka Doncic
There are several aspects of Saturday’s game that were a positive sign for Doncic but the best may have been some good, old-fashioned volume. Doncic led the Lakers in points and shot attempts during Saturday’s win and his 36% usage rate was the highest in his four games as a Laker.
The Athletic’s Johan Bruha noted that this was part of the game plan to attack Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray but Redick also noted that it’s something the Lakers could do more frequently as Doncic settles in.
“I think Luka needs to be the guy that controls the offense,” Redick said. “And [LeBron James] and [Austin Reaves], because we’re going to stagger everybody, they’re gonna have their times to be on the ball. But all three of those guys are very intelligent basketball players, and we can create mismatches. We can get teams in the blender.”
Redick’s adjustment is a case of Basketball 101 in that he wants the ball in the hands of his best players. James finished with a similar impact on Saturday, finishing with 25 points, nine rebounds and five assists while Reaves also pitched in with 23 points, seven assists and four rebounds. But it was Doncic that made the difference, looking like the superstar the Lakers believed they were acquiring in their swap for Anthony Davis.
If Doncic is the catalyst for the Lakers offense, it brings big possibilities moving forward. Los Angeles sits fourth in the Western Conference standings with a 34-21 record and has won 14 of their past 18 games. With Doncic, James and Reeves leading the way, the Lakers could be a threat for a deep playoff run and make some noise in a wide-open Western Conference.