標籤: Doncic

Recently, the Los Angeles Lakers fell back into the loss column with a crushing home defeat at the hands of the Boston Celtics. It was a tough game for Luka Doncic, who scored 25 points but took 22 shots to get there and dished out just three assists in the loss.

Throughout the game, Doncic could be seen repeatedly complaining to the referees, as has become his trademark throughout his career, and one person who is fed up with these antics is The Ringer’s Zack Lowe.

“Are you playing to foul? Or are you playing basketball? It’s every single possession now. It’s completely out of control … It’s not worth watching,” Lowe, formerly of NBA Courtside, said on Twitter, according to NBA.com.

In fact, Doncic has made a habit of calling fouls as well as yelling at game officials throughout his career, but both seem to have continued to Los Angeles over the past few seasons, dating back to his time with the Dallas Mavericks.

Doncic remains one of the best offensive talents in the league today, and he clearly doesn’t need to flop for calls to get his points, which somehow makes it more frustrating from a monitoring perspective for fans when he does.

Meanwhile, many of the Lakers’ glaring flaws were on full display in the loss against the Celtics, including their lack of perimeter defenders as well as their tendency to play stand-up basketball on offense when things were not going smoothly.

Of course, Doncic is still one of the best players in the NBA, and his presence alone makes Los Angeles a scary opponent for potential playoff teams.

However, for now, this appears to be a strict limit on how far this Lakers team can go, and Doncic’s actions are only adding to the frustration.

The role of point guard in the NBA has changed markedly in the modern game, with the true point guard becoming almost a rarity. Combo guards like Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic are prototypes for point guards in today’s NBA. Chris Paul, who recently announced his retirement, revealed his preference for who he would like to run.

During a recent episode of Carmelo Anthony’s podcast, ‘7 PM in Brooklyn,’ Chris Paul said he would take Shai Gilgeous-Alexander over Luka Doncic, who he would like to play point guard in the NBA.

“We’ll be on the road, watching the game, but that [Shai] I would like to go to the gym. Loves going to the gym, will do all the work and takes care of his body. And I think the year we played together, they also started to see that defense matters,” Paul said. “You don’t have to be a lockdown defender or anything, but when you’re playing defense for your team, your teammates just want to see that starter really try to play defense.”

“When I was in Houston, Steph [Curry] He wasn’t the greatest defender back then,” Paul continued. “But now, Steph, he’s up the D. He plays really good defense. I have a lot of respect for Steph, Shai and all these guys who at least put in the effort on the defensive end because that’s part of it and that’s what your teammates want to see.

Defense is clearly the deciding factor for Paul in terms of who is the better option at point guard between Gilgeous-Alexander and Doncic.

Rich Paul was quiet when Max Kellerman blasted Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic.

Paul and Kellerman took part on the February 18 episode of the Game Over podcast. The latter didn’t stop Doncic, calling out the Lakers star for constantly complaining to officials, while making bold comments about him and Boston Celtics head Jaylen Brown.

“Every single trip down the floor, you’re complaining to the refs. Luka, every single trip down the floor, you’re complaining to the refs. Even when he hits shots. No, you’re not going to get another one. And it can’t be that the refs blow every call on Luka Doncic,” Kellerman said at the 18:08 mark.

“Rich, you and I both saw it last night. Jaylen Brown is better than Luka Doncic. Better player, I’d like to have him on the team. If I had to start a team, I’d like to start it with Jaylen Brown.”

Paul responded, “Jaylen Brown is a very good player,” as Kellerman quickly responded, “He’s better than Luka.”

Luka Doncic, what’s next for the Lakers

It’s clear that Luka Doncic is one of the best players in the entire NBA. However, his tendency to make too many mistakes and complain to officials may present a flaw in his on-court mentality.

Doncic is going through his seventh season in the league, his second with the Lakers. He is playing at a high level, producing 32.8 points, 8.5 assists and 7.7 rebounds per game in 44 appearances. He is shooting 47.1% from the field, including 35.5% from beyond the arc and 77.6% from the free-throw line.

Los Angeles has a record of 34–22 on the season, finishing fifth in the Western Conference standings. They have the tiebreaker advantage over the Minnesota Timberwolves and are ahead of the Phoenix Suns by two games. However, they trail the Houston Rockets by 0.5 games and the Denver Nuggets by one game.

The Lakers will prepare for the final game of an eight-game homestand. They will host the Orlando Magic as tip-off takes place on February 24 at 10:30 PM ET.

Boston Celtics guard Peyton Pritchard continues to prove that he is one of the most underrated shotmakers in the NBA, as he sank a buzzer-beater before halftime against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on Sunday.

Jaylen Brown drove hard into the lane to take the last shot, but was met by multiple defenders. With the game clock expiring, he threw the ball to Pritchard, who beat Luka Doncic and buried it. stepback three-pointer Logo’s pass gave the Celtics a nine-point lead at the break, 59–50.

Peyton Pritchard again 😱

Pritchard beat the buzzer beater in the second quarter to give the Celtics a two-point lead over the Lakers heading into halftime ☘️

pic.twitter.com/FBzvQndpWO

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 23 February 2026

Pritchard has a knack for making buzzer-beaters, so it’s no surprise he hit it. Remember his two half-court heaves in the 2024 NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks? Doncic probably does.

Many thought Boston would abandon the season, as Jayson Tatum was out with an Achilles injury and roster changes. But with the leadership of Brown, Pritchard and Derrick White, the Celtics have been a surprising threat in the Eastern Conference.

The 28-year-old Pritchard, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, has gotten even better with his scoring, entering his game against the Lakers with a career-best 17.4 points average. The extra resources he has received in Tatum’s absence have increased his confidence in his game.

At the time of writing, the Celtics are leading the Lakers by double digits in the fourth quarter.

Pritchard had 19 points, including five three-pointers, four rebounds and six assists off the bench.

Boston is looking for its third consecutive win.

Los Angeles – After a first quarter in which the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics were tied at 28 each, the Lakers could not keep pace with their historic rival and were outscored 83–61 the rest of the game and lost 111–89. According to Lou Murray of The Athletic, the 89 points were the second-lowest total this season for a Lakers team that has been explosive offensively, and Luka Doncic admitted it was not normal.

“I thought they were playing physical. They were playing great defense,” Doncic said during his postgame press conference. “We need a better offense. We scored 89 points. That’s not like us so we have to be better.”

Coming into the game against the Celtics, the Lakers were 12th in the NBA in points per game with 116.2 points. They were 10th in offensive rating at 117.6. The Celtics, on the other hand, came in second in the league in opponent points per game with 108.4 and eighth in defensive rating with 113.5.

The Celtics’ swarming defense was certainly on display, especially their use of deep drops and strong perimeter ball pressure.

“You just have to match the physicality … especially on the defensive end,” Doncic said. “You have to match the physicality.”

Doncic finished the game with 25 points in 33 minutes while shooting 9-of-22 (40.9 percent) from the field and 4-of-7 (57.1 percent) from the 3-point line. He also added five rebounds, three assists and one steal.

The Lakers’ offensive struggles were also highlighted by head coach JJ Redick, who felt the team generally played good enough defense to win games. This was a reversal of the team’s norm this season in which they have generally scored a lot of points, but struggled to stop opposing attacks.

“We did a good job limiting their fast break points, did a good job limiting their points in the paint. We played great defensively,” Redick said. “We were very aggressive tonight.”

For Redick, one of the key areas the Lakers struggled offensively was making shots at the rim and putting more pressure on the Celtics’ defense.

“I think there were opportunities to put more pressure on the rim, especially in the first half,” Redick said. “We took 11 non-paint twos. We were 13 of 29 on paint twos, non-rim paint twos. That’s not normally how we shoot. And then we got some good looks from three, we didn’t knock them down. You’ve got to make shots in this league.”

Redick added, “I think a lot of times when teams are on more downs than all of our guys playing pick and roll, it puts you in a bind of not having obvious options to pass.” “We’ve got to do a better job of finding guys and moving the ball.”

Before the game, the Lakers honored legendary coach Pat Riley, who battled against the Celtics in his day, by erecting a statue outside the team’s arena.

安东尼·爱德华兹无疑是联盟中最好的球员之一，有些人甚至认为他是 NBA 中最好的球员。现在，考虑到爱德华兹的同龄人有多有才华，很难给他加冕，但他与精英阶层的擦肩而过的事实对于明尼苏达森林狼队来说无异于一场巨大的胜利。

周五晚上，爱德华兹自全明星周末以来首次为森林狼队效力，这位 2026 年 NBA 全明星赛 MVP 继续了他的旅程。他为明尼苏达队拿下 40 分，帮助明尼苏达队以 122-111 战胜达拉斯小牛队，这是他在 2025-26 赛季的第八场 40 分比赛。

这让他置身于稀薄的空气中。 X 上的 ClutchPoints 官方帐户（以前称为 Twitter）指出，本赛季只有两名球员在单场比赛中至少八次拿下 40 分，爱德华兹和卢卡·东契奇都属于这个专属俱乐部。

爱德华兹本赛季场均得到29.5分，这使他在联盟中排名第三，仅次于东契奇和谢伊·吉尔杰斯·亚历山大。森林狼队成为西部黑马的有力竞争者是有原因的，而爱德华兹在其中发挥了重要作用。

森林狼队在对阵小牛队的比赛中没有放松油门

正是由于第一节的出色表现，森林狼队才在与小牛队之间创造了一个舒适的缓冲。比赛结束时他们已经领先 15 分，而爱德华兹在此期间只得到了 3 分。爱德华兹在第二局中表现出色，在 10 分钟内拿下 17 分，明尼苏达队在比赛的大部分时间里将达拉斯队困在了困境中。

爱德华兹在周五晚上对阵因脚伤而缺席的库珀·弗拉格的小牛队中表现出色。

Anthony Edwards is unquestionably one of the best players in the association, and some even believe he is the best player in the NBA bar one. Now, it’s hard to crown Edwards given how talented his teammates are, but the fact that he’s keeping pace with the elite is nothing less than a huge win for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

On Friday night, with Edwards playing for the Timberwolves for the first time since the All-Star break, the 2026 NBA All-Star Game MVP picked up right where he left off. He scored 40 points for Minnesota to lead them to a 122–111 win over the Dallas Mavericks, and in doing so, he notched his eighth 40-point game of the 2025–26 campaign.

This places him in rarefied air; This season, only two players have scored 40 points in a single game at least eight times, with Edwards joining Luka Doncic in that exclusive club, as reported by the official ClutchPoints account on Ax (formerly Twitter).

Edwards is now averaging 29.5 points per contest on the season, which ranks him third in the association behind Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. That’s why the Timberwolves are emerging as a secret contender in the Western Conference, and Edwards is a big factor in that.

Timberwolves don’t let off the gas pedal vs. Mavericks

It was thanks to a stellar first quarter performance that the Timberwolves managed to create a comfortable cushion between themselves and the Mavericks. At the end of the period they were already ahead by 15, and Edwards scored only three runs during that period. Edwards led the way in the second frame, scoring 17 points in 10 minutes, and Minnesota kept Dallas at bay for most of the game.

Edwards, who was without Cooper Flagg on Friday night due to a foot injury, battled his way against an overmatched Mavs team.

洛杉矶湖人队巨星卢卡·东契奇决定给他的主教练J·J·雷迪克准备一个惊喜。

东契奇和雷迪克正在一起度过他们的第二个赛季。后者是他担任 NBA 主教练的第二个年头，而东契奇在湖人队去年二月从达拉斯小牛队收购他后，也经历了他在球队的第二个年头。

随着东契奇在洛杉矶适应舒适的生活，两人相处得很好。他们在球场内外创造了幽默的时刻，在湖人队的一场比赛结束后，东契奇决定给雷迪克一份惊喜礼物。

东契奇上周穿着一件夹克，在场边引起了雷迪克的注意。教练对这件夹克表现出了兴趣，并让这位明星后卫注意到他订购的夹克，并在赛后一段时间交付了这件夹克。可以肯定地说，雷迪克很欣赏他的明星球员的善意举动。

“我知道你想像我一样，”东契奇在视频中对雷迪克说道。

“我知道你想像我一样。”

卢卡·东契奇 (Luka Doncic) 用他上周穿的那件夹克给 JJ Redick 带来了惊喜 😅

（通过 @湖人队）pic.twitter.com/yJJjpsKHAa

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 2026 年 2 月 21 日

湖人队卢卡·东契奇的下一步是什么

对于卢卡·东契奇和 J·J·雷迪克来说，这是一个互相分享的美好时刻。对于希望带领湖人取得巨大成功的主教练和超级巨星来说，相处融洽非常重要。

东契奇在职业生涯的第八个赛季都在打出 MVP 级别的表现。他场均得到32.8分、8.6次助攻、7.8个篮板和1.5次抢断。他的投篮命中率为47.3%，其中三分线外命中率为34.5%，罚球命中率为78.1%。

洛杉矶队本赛季取得33胜21负的战绩，在东部积分榜上排名第五。他们领先于明尼苏达森林狼队和菲尼克斯太阳队，落后于丹佛掘金队和休斯敦火箭队。

在对阵洛杉矶快船队之后，湖人队将为下一场比赛做准备。美国东部时间 2 月 22 日下午 6:30，他们将留在主场迎战波士顿凯尔特人队。

Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic decided to prepare a surprise for his head coach JJ Redick.

Doncic and Redic are going through their second season together. The latter is his second year as a head coach in the NBA, while Doncic is in his second year with the franchise after being acquired by the Lakers from the Dallas Mavericks last February.

The pair have gotten along well as Doncic has settled into life in Los Angeles. They’ve been creating comedic moments on and off the court, and after one of the Lakers’ games, Doncic decided to give Redick a surprise gift.

Doncic wore a jacket last week, which caught Redick’s attention on the sidelines. The coach took an interest in the jacket, ordered the star guard and gave him the jacket shortly after the game. It’s safe to say that Redick appreciated the kind gesture from his star player.

“I know you want to be like me,” Doncic told Redick in the video.

“I know you want to be like me.”

Luka Doncic surprises JJ Redick with the same jacket he wore last week

(via @lakers)pic.twitter.com/yJJjpsKHAa

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 21 February 2026

Luka Doncic, what’s next for the Lakers

It’s a great moment for Luka Doncic and JJ Redick to share with each other. It is important for the head coach and superstar player to get along well to lead the Lakers to major success.

Doncic is playing at an MVP level for the eighth full season of his career. He averaged 32.8 points, 8.6 assists, 7.8 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. He is shooting 47.3% from the field, including 34.5% from beyond the arc, and 78.1% from the free-throw line.

Los Angeles has a 33–21 record on the season, finishing fifth in the Eastern Conference standings. They are above the Minnesota Timberwolves and Phoenix Suns, while trailing the Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets.

Following their matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers, the Lakers will prepare for their next contest. They will be at home when they host the Boston Celtics on February 22nd at 6:30 PM ET.

Kawhi Leonard and the LA Clippers defeated the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night thanks to a herculean effort from freshman guard Benedict Mathurin. But with the Clippers also playing the second night of a back-to-back set on Friday night, is Kawhi Leonard playing against the Los Angeles Lakers?

The Clippers currently have a record of 27–28, and have won 21 of their last 28 games after starting the season with a mediocre 6–21 record. The climb back up the standings and into the playoff race has been led by star Kawhi Leonard. Given his injury history and the upcoming back-to-back set, everyone wants to know if Leonard will play against the Lakers.

*Watch NBA Games Live with fuboTV (Free Trial)*

Kawhi Leonard’s injury status vs. Lakers

Kawhi Leonard has played in 42 of the Clippers’ 55 games so far this season. He missed 10 games in November 2025 due to an ankle sprain suffered against the Miami Heat and another three games in January 2026 due to swelling in his knee due to a hard injury suffered against the Detroit Pistons a week earlier.

He played in the Clippers’ first game after the 2026 NBA All-Star break against the Nuggets, but battled an illness as he scored 23 points on 8 of 18 shooting from the field. He received a huge boost from new teammate Benedict Mathurin, who scored a career-high 38 points on 12 of 22 shooting in the win.

Entering Friday night’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Kawhi Leonard is not listed on the Clippers’ injury report and is expected to play. However, it is worth noting that head coach Tyronn Lue has hinted at a minutes restriction on Leonard and that the team will likely limit his minutes as the season progresses.

“He’s on his minutes [restriction],” head coach Tyronn Lue admitted after Wednesday’s practice inside the Intuit Dome. “He’s on his schedule so we can’t overdo it. Like I said, we’re smart about it. We know we can’t just drop him to the ground. As much as he wants to play more and do more, we just know that with that load, we can’t keep it going night and day. So there will be some nights where it’s a little higher than others, but for the most part we want to make sure we’re safe with him.

Kawhi Leonard has played 41 games for the Clippers this season, averaging 27.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.0 steals per game, while shooting 49 percent from the field, 37.8 percent from three and 90.7 percent from the three-throw line. His 27.8 points per night are a personal career high for the Clippers star, who has been tasked with carrying the scoring load during all the trades and injuries he has had to deal with.

The fourth and final matchup between the LA Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers is scheduled to begin at 7:00 PM PST on ESPN.

The Los Angeles Lakers were certainly lucky to get Luka Doncic in a blockbuster trade that continues to be talked about around the association. However, the Lakers have already built their roster with Anthony Davis in mind that L.A. hasn’t yet been able to surround Doncic with the pieces he needs to make a championship charge.

Currently, the Lakers sit in fifth place in the Western Conference, and they have glaring roster deficiencies that they were not able to address before the trade deadline. Their defense is missing a lot of pieces to help cover for Doncic and Austin Reaves’ shortcomings on that side of the ball.

Of course, it’s impossible to count out any team with Doncic and LeBron James either way. Still, James acknowledged that the Lakers are dealing with the same issues as they have in years past, even though Doncic is now his co-star instead of Davis.

“We’re playing good ball sometimes, but the number one important thing for us is health. We finally got healthy with AR coming back and then Luka went down with the hamstring. So that’s going to be most important for our team. And it’s been that way for our team the last couple of years,” James said on the latest episode of the Mind the Game podcast.

The Lakers’ injury problems keep them from getting into a more consistent rhythm

Every game seems like a dogfight for the Lakers, as their defensive limitations force them to constantly outshoot their opponents. Against lockdown defensive teams, the Purple and Gold have struggled, especially with Doncic, Reeves and James in and out of the lineup.

“We’re not set up to the point where we have a lot of room for error or, like, when Eddie was on the team. When Eddie goes down it’s like, crap. We don’t have enough to pick him up. When Luka goes down you know it’s crap, it’s Luka. AR was down, but it was tough for us,” James said.

Over the weekend, Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic was in attendance for the NBA All-Star Game at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. Jokic played very little for Team World at the festival as he is recovering from a recent knee injury, but he still seemed to enjoy most of the time during the weekend.

Jokic has long been known to be friends with fellow international NBA star Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers, and at one point, the Serbian big man cracked a joke at Doncic’s expense.

“Do you know why Luca [Doncic] Everything follows? Because he bets on everything. Gambling, gambling,” Jokic said on Indiana Pacers star Pascal Siakam’s Instagram page.

Doncic can only be seen shaking his head On digging.

“Do you know why Luca [Doncic] Everything follows? Because he bets on everything. Gamble, gamble.”

– Nikola Jokic ???

(via @pskills43/ig)pic.twitter.com/lQWRQkqLbr

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 17 February 2026

The NBA may be a bit sensitive to gambling-related jokes at the moment due to the recent arrests of Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier for alleged gambling activities.

However, that hasn’t stopped the league from going full force on its partnerships with various sportsbooks, with All-Star Saturday Night featuring live betting odds on NBC’s broadcast for various events.

Meanwhile, Jokic and the Nuggets are hoping to make a strong stretch run in the season after enduring a bit of a tough stretch leading up to the All-Star break. Injury problems have not been good for Denver this year, as both Peyton Watson and Aaron Gordon are currently out with hamstring injuries.

The team recently brought back Jokic and Cameron Johnson from their injuries, and Jamal Murray has also been in and out of the lineup at times due to various ailments.

In any case, the Nuggets’ regular season resumes on Friday evening on the road against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Every year, the NBA’s All-Star Game is heavily criticized by fans. Over the past few decades, the All-Star Game has transformed from a semi-competitive game between two conferences to a glorified shootaround between two teams. There have been some good All-Star Games, but they have been few and far between. Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant blamed Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic and Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic for their lackadaisical approach to the All-Star Game.

“You have to ask the European and world teams if they’re going to compete,” Durant said earlier. “If you look at Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic right now, let’s go back and see what they do in the All-Star Game. Is that competition? So we haven’t questioned what they’re doing. But we’re going to question the old heads and the Americans.”

This quote has generated considerable discussion: it is rare for a player to publicly call out his teammates, and Durant conceded defeat against two of the league’s best players. Now, Doncic has responded to Durant’s comments. In a recent interview with Slovenian sports website Sportsklub, the Lakers star revealed that the All-Star Game was treated loosely before he and Jokic arrived in the league.

“It was the same way when I first came to the All-Star Game, so I don’t know why they picked us,” Doncic said. “But I think it would be better because it’s the world against the United States.”

In fact, the Lakers star was right: The World vs. USA format lit a fire inside the players. Many fans praised the efforts of Anthony Edwards and Victor Wembanyama during the game. Team USA ultimately won thanks to Edwards, but most spectators were happy to have an entertaining and competitive game for once.

Doncic earned his sixth All-Star selection this season and his fifth as a starter. The Lakers star is averaging 32.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.6 assists per game this season. LA is in fifth place in the West with a 33-21 record before the All-Star Game.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards added another feat to his cap after being named All-Star Game MVP for the first time. He led Team Stars to the title in the mini tournament at the Intuit Dome on Sunday.

Edwards displayed his all-around talent, scoring 32 points, nine rebounds and three assists in three games. Team Stars avenged their defeat in the round robin by dominating Team Stripes 47–21 in the final.

Meanwhile, Team World lost two of its assignments despite a strong performance from San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama. For Edwards, Team World would have been more competitive if Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic played more.

“No grudges against Luka and Jokic, but they’re two of the best players in the league, and they’re not trying to play in the All-Star Game,” the 24-year-old guard said.

“No complaints against Luka and Jokic, but like the two best players in the league, they don’t try to play in the All-Star Game.”

– Ant Man on World vs USA format https://t.co/y3LMLTBwir pic.twitter.com/TJ6c4dh3qS

– NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) 16 February 2026

Doncic and Jokic failed to gel in Team World’s do-or-die game against Team Stripes. In their opening game against Team Stars, Doncic had two points and two assists, while Jokic did not score and had two rebounds.

Doncic has missed the Lakers’ last four games with a hamstring injury, while Jokic recently returned from a long layoff with a knee injury.

The lack of competition has been the main problem in the All-Star Game, as most players do not take it seriously. The NBA has changed the format several times, including this year, to increase the level of competition, but to no avail.

It doesn’t help that Lakers forward LeBron James made an offhand comment about the staging of this year’s Midseason Classic.

If more players cared as much as Edwards, the All-Star Game would be more watchable.

LOS ANGELES – Luka Doncic missed the Los Angeles Lakers’ last four games before NBA All-Star Weekend with a hamstring injury. Doncic initially suffered the injury during the first half of the Lakers’ win against the Philadelphia 76ers on February 5, and was ultimately ruled out of the second half.

Ahead of the Lakers’ game against the Dallas Mavericks just before NBA All-Star Weekend, head coach JJ Redick remained optimistic that Luka Doncic can return from injury after the break. And during his All-Star media availability session on Saturday, Doncic acknowledged that he is feeling good in terms of getting back on the court and getting ready for the All-Star Game on Sunday.

“I’m feeling pretty good. I’m working to get back,” Doncic said. “Obviously I wanted to play the last game, but it wasn’t possible. I was almost there. So I think I’ll play a little bit.”

Doncic was not named to the All-Star team last season, breaking a streak of five consecutive selections. This will be Doncic’s first time being an All-Star as a member of the Lakers. He will be part of Team World in the NBA’s new format that will feature three teams in a round-robin tournament.

During the first half of the regular season, Doncic has been one of the top candidates for the NBA’s MVP award. Doncic has never won the award before, with his highest performance coming during 2023–24, when he led the league in scoring and finished No. 3 in the voting last fall.

Doncic currently leads the league in scoring with 32.8 points for the second time in his career. He has appeared in 42 games in just over 35 minutes per game. In addition to his points, he averaged 7.8 rebounds, 8.6 assists and 1.5 steals, including shooting 47.3 percent from the field, 34.5 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 78.1 percent shooting from the free-throw line. Doncic also leads the NBA in free-throw attempts at 10.9 per game.

After the All-Star break, Doncic’s first chance to return to the Lakers’ lineup is on February 20 against the LA Clippers.

As NBA All-Star festivities continue at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, Luka Doncic expressed confidence that the Los Angeles Lakers have the ability to win a championship this season.

Speaking with Chris Haynes during Saturday’s NBA TV broadcast, Doncic made it clear the team’s objective remains unchanged despite injury setbacks and inconsistent availability among primary contributors.

“Obviously, we’re trying to win a championship. I think we can do it. We have the team to do it but obviously we’ve had a lot of injuries. Me, Bron and AR, everybody’s been out for a while. So now coming back from All-Star, I think everybody’s healthy. It’s going to be a good test for us.”

The Lakers entered the All-Star break with a 33–21 record, clinching the fifth seed in the Western Conference and firmly establishing themselves in the playoff picture. However, establishing continuity has been difficult. Doncic has missed 11 games this season, including the last four because of a strained left hamstring. LeBron James has been sidelined for 18 games due to sciatica, weight management and left foot arthritis. Austin Reaves has missed 22 games, 19 of which stem from a left calf strain.

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“Obviously, we’re trying to win a championship. I think we can do it. We have the team to do it… Coming back from All-Star, I think everyone is healthy. It’ll be a good test for us.”

Luka Doncic on Lakers’ title hopes 🗣️

(via @ChrisBHaynes)pic.twitter.com/QTThqZ3cak

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 14 February 2026

Luka Doncic confident Lakers can compete for championship despite injuries

As a result, Doncic, James, and Reaves only appeared in 10 games together, limiting the opportunity for the team to build chemistry during the first half of the season.

Despite those absences, Los Angeles remains within striking distance of the top of the conference. The Lakers are five games behind the second-seeded San Antonio Spurs (38-16) and 1.5 games behind the third-seeded Denver Nuggets (35-20).

The 26-year-old star is expected to recover from his hamstring strain during Sunday night’s All-Star Game, a sign that the Lakers anticipate having a healthy roster heading into the final stretch of the regular season.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards apparently doesn’t care much for Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic. During his Antland event hosted by Adidas at NBA All-Star Weekend, Edwards made a comment about Doncic while signing autographs for young fans.

A young fan wearing Luka Doncic’s jersey asked Anthony Edwards to sign it. However, the 24-year-old star made it clear how he feels about Doncic before turning down the young fan’s request. However, Edwards said it with a smile as he continued signing basketballs and other merchandise.

“I don’t really fuck with Luca [Doncic]Edwards said.

“I don’t really mess with Luca [Doncic]”

Anthony Edwards, after a young fan asked him to sign his Luka jersey

(via @stockx/tiktok)pic.twitter.com/GHTvVxswE9

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 14 February 2026

Both players were named All-Stars this year. However, Edwards is considering not playing due to injury, as he may opt to rest in preparation for the final portion of the regular season. Doncic, meanwhile, is expected to play in the All-Star Game.

The Timberwolves and Lakers have played against each other twice so far this season, with Los Angeles winning both contests. The two teams are scheduled to play for the third time on March 10, giving Anthony Edwards and his teammates a chance to avoid a season sweep. Either way, these games are a fun matchup, as Edwards and Doncic are superstar talents in the NBA.

Edwards, who is in his sixth season in the league, was named an All-Star for the fourth consecutive year. He has been a monster for the Timberwolves this season, as he has averaged 29.3 points (career-high), 5.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, while shooting 49.3% from the floor and 40.2% from beyond the three-point line.

Meanwhile, Luka Doncic is headed for the Lakers. The 26-year-old guard is averaging 32.8 points (league leader), 7.8 rebounds and 8.6 assists per contest this season. He also has a 47.3% field goal percentage and 34.5% three-point percentage.

San Antonio Spurs guard Stephen Cassel has the tough job of guarding the Los Angeles Lakers’ two top leading scorers, All-Star Luka Doncic and Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Whenever the Spurs face the Lakers or Thunder, it is his responsibility to be in front of the NBA’s leading scorers. Castle is one of the most promising guards in the league due to his impressive two-way play.

He fills out the stat sheet as a scorer on one end of the floor and a skilled playmaker who can defend at high level On the other. According to ESPN’s NBA Today, Cassel talked about defending Doncic and Gilgeous-Alexander in their respective Spurs matchups against the Lakers and Thunder.

Cassel said, “I’m very proud of it. I ask for those matchups. I wouldn’t want it any other way. I think I can be one of the best perimeter defenders in the league.” “Day by day, that’s just what I’m trying to prove.”

“I’m very proud of it… I ask for those matchups. I wouldn’t want it any other way. I think I can be one of the best perimeter defenders in the league.”

Stephen Cassel explains what it’s like to guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic 🗣️pic.twitter.com/JgigTeCfxW

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 14 February 2026

Cassel played a key role in the Spurs’ three consecutive wins over the Thunder over 12 days in December, including their Christmas Day showdown, which turned into a blowout victory. Gilgeous-Alexander was held to 22 points on 7-of-19 shooting, including 1-of-6 from deep. In only his second season, Castle is having a breakout campaign for the Spurs.

In a 138–125 win against the Dallas Mavericks, he made NBA history by becoming the youngest NBA player to record a 40/12/12 triple-double. He finished with 40 points, 12 assists, 12 rebounds, three steals and one block.

Harrison Barnes on Spurs’ Stephen Cassel All-Star consideration

While Warriors All-Star Stephen Curry has recovered from a knee injury suffered in the NBA’s big weekend, Spurs veteran forward Harrison Barnes says Stephen Cassel was deserving of All-Star consideration to replace SGA. Barnes also supported the other half of the Spurs’ backcourt in De’Aaron Fox as another option.

Barnes says Spurs have second-best record in Western Conference either guard must be replaced Curry.

“It would be criminal if he did that [Castle] And Fox did not notice him. We’re ranked No. 2 in the West,” Barnes said. “I think what we’ve done is, for the teams below us that had two All-Stars, I don’t know of any case that if we’re talking about the impact on winning and playing high-level basketball, why one of them shouldn’t be selected and/or be highly considered for those spots.”

Harrison Barnes advocated that at least one of his two Spurs teammates should have been named an All-Star alternative to Steph Curry:

“It would be criminal if [Stephon Castle] And [De’Aaron] Fox did not notice. …What we have done, for the teams that are below us… pic.twitter.com/Xjf3Fk9uz0

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 11 February 2026

Although the NBA has announced Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram as Curry’s replacement, De’Aaron Fox will replace the Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo at All-Star Sunday.