標籤: Doncics

We have bad news for Los Angeles Lakers fans who are hoping that Luka Doncic can return for their semifinal series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Lakers surprised many in the NBA when they were able to overcome injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves and defeat the Houston Rockets in the quarterfinals of the playoffs. However, they have an even bigger challenge ahead as they climb into the semi-finals against defending champions Thunder.

Unlike previous rounds, the Lakers will have Reaves available from the start. This is a huge boost for a team that could use all the help they can get against a team they went 0-5 against and lost by an average of 29 points this season. If they have any chance of pulling off another major upset, they need to get their MVP candidate Doncic back on the court.

However, it looks like that is not happening in this series. During a media discussion on Wednesday, the six-time All-Star revealed that when he was originally diagnosed with his Grade 2 hamstring injury, doctors told him it would take eight weeks to recover. This would mean no return during the Western Conference Finals.

The five-time All-NBA player recently talked about receiving platelet-rich plasma treatment in Spain and how he hopes the procedure can speed up his recovery. He has also started running. However, no contact work has been done with them yet.

Oklahoma City’s dominance over the Lakers continued on Tuesday as they won 108-90 in Game 1 of their series.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

Luka Doncic’s unfortunate hamstring injury may cost him more than he deserves at the annual awards.

After being a good but inconsistent team for most of the season, the Los Angeles Lakers have been one of the hottest teams in the NBA since the beginning of March. After a loss to the Denver Nuggets on March 5, LA won 13 of their next 14, including decisive wins over the New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Houston Rockets (twice).

This led to speculation that perhaps the Lakers could be a title contender in 2026. However, all of that was put in jeopardy on Thursday when Doncic suffered a hamstring injury that will now reportedly sideline him for at least the rest of the NBA regular season.

In a year when Doncic is averaging 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists a night, and L.A. is playing so well, he’s positioning himself to win or be considered for several major year-end awards. But injury left him one game short of the 65-game minimum required to be eligible for those honors. However, the 6-time All-Star may miss out on something big this week.

Luka Doncic misses out on super max contract eligibility?

During a new edition of The Craig Carton Show, NBA analyst Tyrone Johnson brought up an interesting point. After being traded to the Lakers last year, Doncic agreed to a new three-year, $160 million contract. Johnson suggested he did so so he could reach the 65-game limit in 2025–26, and assuming he again earned All-NBA first-team honors, he would be eligible for a new super max contract in two summers.

Now, since he’s just shy of the minimum game, that means he won’t be eligible for a super max contract, and will miss out on making $200 million more in his next contract. While Doncic has made a pretty good amount of money during his career, that’s a big chunk of cash to miss out on for a star athlete.

Perhaps that’s why it has been reported that the 27-year-old superstar is planning to apply for the extraordinary circumstances challenge. Since he missed the first two games of the season due to the birth of his second child, he’s hoping the league will make an exception so he can still be eligible for year-end awards and that Super Max deal.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

On Wednesday evening, the Los Angeles Lakers got back into the win column as they closed out their East Coast swing with a road win over the Indiana Pacers. Although the game came closer than necessary down the stretch, there was still a solid performance from the Lakers, led by Luka Doncic, who scored 43 points in the game.

Doncic has been on an absolute heater for the Lakers in recent weeks, and following the Pacers’ win, ESPN NBA insider Dave McMenamin revealed the latest piece of history the star has accomplished.

“Luka Doncic is the first player to average 40 points over a six-game span since Michael Jordan in 1986,” McMenamin reported on Twitter, citing a report by ESPN’s Matt Williams.

In fact, Doncic has been obliterating the competition the last few games for the Lakers, consistently troubling opposing defenses with his step-back threes and other highlight plays.

Los Angeles recently saw its nine-game winning streak end at the hands of the Detroit Pistons earlier this week, but they bounced back in solid fashion on Wednesday, blowing a 20-point lead in the first quarter and eventually allowing Indiana to get back into the game, but things slowly wore off.

The Lakers are now 47-26 on the season, which is good for third place in the Western Conference playoff picture, a spot they are currently in the running for. Los Angeles will now return home for a much easier schedule, with their next two games against the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards.

The Nets game is scheduled to begin at 10:30 PM ET on Friday from Crypto.com Arena.

There are plenty of stories heading into the final few weeks of the 2025-26 NBA season, but none bigger than the Los Angeles Lakers’ lead in the Western Conference. More importantly, all the talk in Hollywood has focused on Luka Doncic and his MVP campaign that has skyrocketed over the past few weeks.

Can Luka really overtake Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the favorite for MVP heading into the final three weeks of the season?

It seems like the Oklahoma City Thunder star has already been labeled as the MVP favorite since before the All-Star break, and Nikola Jokic was the obvious second choice. But then Jokic suffered a knee injury and the Denver Nuggets took a step back.

Sure, Victor Wembanyama and his success with the San Antonio Spurs have solidified his place in the MVP rankings, but no other player is doing what Doncic is doing right now.

Since the beginning of March, Doncic has averaged 36.8 points, 8.5 rebounds and 7.5 assists in 12 games, while shooting 49.2 percent from the floor and 39.5 percent from 3-point range. Over that span, Luka ranks first in points (442), shots made (150), shots attempted (350), 3-pointers attempted (62), 3-pointers attempted (157), and 30-point games (9).

In addition to all of these individual stats, Luka’s video-game-like numbers have directly led to success for the Lakers, who are 11-1 since the beginning of March and have won nine straight games. The last time the Lakers went on a nine-game winning streak, they captured their 17th championship.

Could history repeat itself with Doncic leading this version of the franchise?

Only time will tell on the championship front, but as far as MVP is concerned, Doncic has put himself firmly back in the mix. The only question is whether it’s too late in the season for the Lakers’ superstar to sway voters.

Well, I’m not voting for MVP this year, but as we approach the final week of ClutchPoints’ MVP rankings, Doncic has firmly put himself back in the top 3 and is being talked about in this year’s race.

Previous 2023-24 NBA MVP Rankings: Week 21 | Week 20 | Week 19 | Week 18 | Week 17 | Week 16 | Week 15 | Week 14 | Week 13 | Week 12 | Week 11 | Week 10 | Week 9 | Week 8 | Week 7 | Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | week 1

1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Oklahoma City Thunder*

Previous ranking: #1

2025-26 season stats: 50 games, 31.6 points, 6.6 assists, 4.4 rebounds, 1.4 steals, 55.3 FG%, 39.0 3P%

*Can only miss a maximum of 5 more games to remain eligible.

Since breaking Wilt Chamberlain’s record for consecutive games with 20-plus points, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has twice had a scare of scoring exactly 20 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves and Brooklyn Nets. In between those games are two 40-point games.

The Thunder have won 11 consecutive games, the longest active winning streak in the league, and they now lead the Spurs by three games for the top spot in the NBA. Gilgeous-Alexander has left his mark on the Thunder’s success this season, especially given all of his injury concerns.

Despite missing some time before and after the All-Star break, Shai led the Thunder to another remarkable season in the absence of Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren on the court consistently. This is another major reason why he will win MVP awards consecutively.

2. Victor Wembanyama – San Antonio Spurs*

Previous ranking: #3

2025-26 season stats: 56 games, 24.3 points, 11.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 3.0 blocks, 50.4 FG%, 35.6 3P%

*Can only miss a maximum of 3 more games to remain eligible.

Victor Vembanyama is on a mission right now. If you don’t believe me, just listen to the guy:

“Right now, I’m taking great care of my body because I want to win MVP and DPOY as well,” Wembley recently said about the remainder of the season. “So, I’m just trying to press the gas from now until the end of the season. Really take care of my treatment, take care of my sleep, take care of my routine and perform for my team.”

Well, there you have it. Vembanayama wants to win the MVP award, and he’s putting together a compelling case right now, just like Gilgeous-Alexander and Doncic.

In addition to recording at least 20 points and eight rebounds in four of his last five games, Wembanyama has also recorded at least four blocks in three of his last five games. The Spurs star looks like the best two-way player in the league right now, and San Antonio is still just behind Oklahoma City in the West standings, which is enough for Wembley to be No. 2 in the MVP rankings.

3. Luka Doncic – Los Angeles Lakers*

Previous ranking: #5

2025-26 season stats: 55 games, 32.8 points, 8.5 assists, 8.0 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 47.3 FG%, 36.5 3P%

*Can only miss a maximum of 5 more games to remain eligible.

There are no other words to describe what Luka Doncic is doing right now sensory.

He hasn’t scored below 30 points in nine straight games, and over that span, Doncic has four games with at least 40 points, two games with at least 50 points, and one 60-point performance.

At this point, we can see Doncic getting closer to Bam Adebayo when he scored 83 points against the Washington Wizards. Funnily enough, Luka and the Lakers will see the Wizards on March 30, so who knows?

The Lakers are winning games, Doncic is putting up Wilt-like scoring numbers, and perhaps the most unrecognized area of ​​development for him over the past few weeks what the stats won’t tell you is that Luka has really increased his intensity and physicality on defense.

Doncic has been named Western Conference Player of the Week for several consecutive weeks, and he leads the league with four Player of the Week awards this year. It wouldn’t take long for Luka to win the Western Conference Player of the Month award once March ended.

4. Nikola Jokic – Denver Nuggets*

Previous ranking: #2

2025-26 season stats: 56 games, 28.0 points, 12.6 rebounds, 10.6 assists, 1.5 steals, 57.3 FG%, 38.5 3P%

*A maximum of 1 more game can be missed to remain eligible.

Nikola Jokic has put together a great season. No matter which statistic you look at, he’s tops in the league, and averaging a triple-double for the year is no small feat.

Unfortunately, amid the Denver Nuggets’ struggles as a result of his untimely knee injury and injuries across the board, his MVP stock took a big hit entering the All-Star break and coming out of it for the final stretch run of the season.

While MVP is an individual award and we’ve seen Jokic be a one-man team player at certain times during his career, his turnover rate and overall efficiency have declined over the past month compared to SGA, Wembley and Doncic. Jokic committed 10 turnovers on Wednesday against the Memphis Grizzlies, and he is averaging 4.8 turnovers per game in March.

This is not the perfect recipe for winning MVP, and neither is your team significantly below the teams of all three players above you in the MVP rankings.

Previous ranking: #6

2025-26 season stats: 64 games, 28.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.0 steals, 47.7 FG%, 34.3 3P%

Jayson Tatum may be getting all the attention now that he’s back on the court for the Boston Celtics, but Jaylen Brown is having his best season in the NBA. In all honesty, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call him the best two-way wing in basketball right now.

Brown has led the Celtics to a top team in the Eastern Conference in what many thought would be a gap year, and he has averaged career highs in nearly every major statistical category. Lately, Brown has been the main reason for Boston’s success.

Over his last four games, where the Celtics have gone 3-1, Brown has averaged 33.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game, while shooting 44.9 percent from the floor and 35.0 percent from 3-point range. He scored 41 points on March 16 against the Phoenix Suns, his sixth 40-point game of the season.

Brown has moved ahead of Cade Cunningham in the MVP rankings after finishing sixth last week as the Detroit Pistons star suffered a collapsed lung and is expected to miss a significant amount of time, making him ineligible for the award.

just missing the cut

6. Cade Cunningham – Detroit Pistons [Ranked No. 4 last week]*

7. Jalen Johnson – Atlanta Hawks [Ranked No. 10 last week]

8. Kevin Durant – Houston Rockets [Ranked No. 8 last week]

9. Kawhi Leonard – Los Angeles Clippers [Ranked No. 9 last week]

10. Anthony Edwards – Minnesota Timberwolves [Ranked No. 7 last week]

*Signals players are in danger of meeting the 65-game minimum threshold for awards/accolades.

Recently, the NBA announced it would void a technical foul on Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic during the team’s win over the Orlando Magic over the weekend. The technical foul would have been Doncic’s 16th incident of the year, which would have required an automatic suspension, but Doncic’s post-game clarification about the technical foul may have played a role in the league’s decision to void it.

One person who doesn’t agree with the league’s decision is former NBA great DeMarcus Cousins, who recently went on FanDuel’s “Run It Back” show to express his thoughts.

“My issue is not with Luka Doncic. … If it’s Draymond Green, he’s not getting canceled,” Cousins, formerly of Run It Back on X, claimed on Twitter.

Indeed, Golden State Warriors power forward Draymond Green has gained quite a reputation as an argumentative player with referees, the other team, and sometimes with his Warriors teammates. This certainly plays a role in his perception, although some have argued that it actually works in the opposite way and gives the star long leeway when it comes to arguing with officials during games.

Doncic, meanwhile, is known to be a frequent complainer in his own right, facing heavy criticism from fans and pundits for his frequent scathing criticisms of referees, which often comes at the expense of playing defense or getting back in transition. However, Saturday’s case was a little different, as the technical foul originated from an interaction between Doncic and Magic big man Goga Bidaatje, with Doncic later claiming that Bidaatje booed his family, which led to the altercation.

In any case, Lakers fans are certainly happy that the technical foul was canceled and Doncic will be able to prepare for Monday night’s game against the Detroit Pistons, in which Los Angeles will try for its tenth consecutive win.

The Los Angeles Lakers have appealed Luka Doncic’s 16th technical foul following an exchange with the Orlando Magic’s Gogo Bitadze during their 105-104 win, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. Luca’s technical foul occurred when he was assessed a double technical for continuously taunting both players.

If the call is upheld, Doncic will face a one-game suspension against the Detroit Pistons. This could interrupt the Lakers’ nine-game winning streak at a critical moment.

Luka Doncic admitted disappointment but said Gogo Bitadze had crossed a line. Meanwhile, the Lakers argue that a warning should have come earlier, although officials say a warning had already been issued.

Despite all this, Doncic finished with 33 points and eight assists against the Magic.

Luka Doncic continued his high-scoring onslaught over the past few days, exploding 60 points in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 134-126 win over the Miami Heat on Thursday at Kasia Center.

Doncic was coming off a breakout season of 40 points in their win over the Houston Rockets, 124-116, at the Toyota Center on Wednesday, but the busy schedule hasn’t stopped him from getting frantic again.

He was efficient against the Heat, shooting 18 of 30 from the field, including 9 of 17 shots from long range. He made 15 of 19 shots from the free-throw stripe.

After Doncic’s heroic performance, which was the second-highest output of his career, fans couldn’t help but bring up, or should we say, put down, Bam Adebayo’s 83-point game against the Washington Wizards.

“The Lakers’ Luka Doncic’s 60-point competitive game was far more impressive than the Heat’s Bam Adebayo’s 83 points in a meaningless game. Imagine if Luka had made 13 more field goals, five of them threes, and 24 more free throws? Come on,” @das_187 said.

@Gunsmoke__Q echoed, “Bam Adebayo scores 83 on Wizards, Luka scores 60 on Heat.”

@TomBrady80 said, “If Adebayo had shot as efficiently as Luka, he would have had 100+ points.”

“Luka just showed Adebayo what it was like,” @_SayParlay_ posted.

@BallinKP8 commented, “Luka Bam showing Adebayo how to properly put up a significant amount of points straight in his face. #thatsforkobe.”

The hate train continues for Adebayo to have a career night. Recall, he made 23 of 43 shots from the field, including 7 of 22 from long distance. He went 36-of-43 from the free-throw line. The Heat won 150–129.

Many, including Michael Jordan, congratulated Adebayo for his historic performance.

But on Thursday, he was on the receiving end of Doncic’s outstanding performance, and of course, Adebayo, who had 28 points and 10 rebounds, respected it.

JJ Redick heaped praise on Luka Doncic after he stunned the Nets in the Los Angeles Lakers’ win over the Miami Heat on Thursday night.

Doncic is going through the eighth season of his NBA career, his second with the Lakers. He has made significant progress in his adaptation to Los Angeles, which has become a key factor in the team’s chances of success.

In 38 minutes of action, Doncic lit up the court from nowhere against Miami’s defense. He finished with a stat line of 60 points, seven rebounds, five steals and three assists. He made 18 of 30 shots from the field, including 9 of 17 from beyond the arc and 15 of 19 from the free-throw line.

Redick reflected on Doncic’s hot stretch of scoring after the game. After Thursday night, the Lakers superstar has scored 51 points, 30 points, 36 points and 40 points in the team’s winning streak. This resulted in the head coach praising Doncic’s remarkable efforts.

Reddick said, “His teammates are enjoying it just as much as him right now… It’s a special race.”

Luka Doncic, how the Lakers played against the Heat

JJ Redick and the Lakers are happy to see Luka Doncic getting hot at a crucial time. Los Angeles is coming off a big win, moving it up in the conference standings and the playoff picture.

Four players scored in double figures for Los Angeles in the win, including Doncic. LeBron James delivered a triple-double performance of 19 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists on 8 of 12 shooting from the field. Austin Reeves was next with 18 points and five rebounds, while Marcus Smart added 13 points and four assists.

Los Angeles improved to a 45–25 record on the season and finished third in the Western Conference standings. They are above the Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets, while trailing the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder.

Coming off the back of eight consecutive wins, the Lakers will be looking forward to their next contest. They are on the road when they face the Orlando Magic on March 21st at 7pm ET.

The Los Angeles Lakers continued their momentum and defeated the Houston Rockets 124-116, as Luka Doncic once again took control of the night. In the process, he delivered a near triple-double with 40 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists. This wasn’t just another strong night. Instead, it felt as if something rare was unfolding in real time.

Doncic controlled the pace from the beginning. He attacked mismatches, created space and punished every defensive lapse that Houston showed. At times the Rockets remained within reach and continued to apply pressure. He increased the speed and tested Los Angeles. However, the Lakers responded every time. Calm. accurate. Under control. As a result, Doncic made sure the momentum never slipped.

According to OptaSTATS, the race has now reached historic territory. Notably, Doncic is the first player in NBA history to record at least 250 points, 50 rebounds, 50 assists and 25 threes in a seven-game span while going undefeated. The numbers are clear. However, sustainability stands out even more. Night after night, the production continues. In turn, the impact never diminishes.

Lakers looking for identity behind Luka Doncic

This latest Lakers-Rockets clash showed the full picture. From the start, Doncic shot 12 of 25 from the field and 7 of 17 from deep. As a result, he remained efficient when needed and explosive when needed. Furthermore, he read and adjusted every coverage without hesitation. Houston tried several looks. However, none lasted long.

More importantly, the Lakers are evolving. For one, the vacancy is more intense. Besides, the ball moves faster. As a result, confidence appears on every asset. It is no longer just about speed. Instead, this structure is taking shape.

And now, the big question arises. If Luka Doncic is already making history on this field, what happens when the stakes rise and the lights get even brighter?

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic just got the best of NBA legend Kobe Bryant.

Doncic led the Lakers to their sixth straight win in defeating the Houston Rockets 100-92 at Toyota Center on Monday. He had a game-high 36 points on 14-of-27 shooting, six rebounds, four assists and two steals.

It was a strong follow-up to his courageous performance against the Denver Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday, in which he scored the game-winning bucket, 127-125, in overtime. He finished with a triple-double of 30 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists.

Oh, he also dropped 51 points in Thursday’s 142-130 win at home over the Chicago Bulls.

According to ESPN Insights, Doncic has averaged 37.8 points in his last six games. Most in team history Bryant’s 39.5 points in a six-game span since the 2011–2012 season.

Luka Doncic has averaged 37.8 PPG over his last six games, the most by a Lakers player over a 6-game span within a season since Kobe Bryant (39.5) in 2011–12. pic.twitter.com/eom3aR50Iv

– ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) 17 March 2026

While he is more of a passer than Bryant, Doncic can easily make it on offense when needed. After all, he is the league’s leading scorer with 32.8 points – the second-highest total in his career. He is on his way to winning his second scoring title.

The 27-year-old star has often praised Bryant, the two-time scoring champion, for being an inspiration, including mentoring him during his freshman year.

“I remember meeting him for the first time before I started my NBA season. One thing he said was, ‘Look, you’re European, they’re going to come after you.’ You know, he was right,” Doncic told Yahoo! Shared in a report. Sports’ Bruno Felix.

The Lakers improved to 43–25 and moved into third place in the Western Conference, surpassing the Rockets.

The Los Angeles Lakers got a big win over the Denver Nuggets in overtime and they had to go through a lot of drama to get there. Austin Reeves intentionally missed his free throws at the end of regulation and was able to make a floater to get the ball back and tie the game.

At the end of overtime, Luka Doncic had the ball in his hands and did what he does best, making clutch shots. The Nuggets didn’t have enough time to get clean shots, and a game that looked like they were going to win turned into a Lakers win.

After the game, LeBron James spoke highly of Doncic and his ability to make clutch shots, and there will be more from him in the future.

James said, via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, “Just a big shot by a generational player. … We wanted the last shot. We wanted to get the ball in our guy’s hands. So, this will be the first of many game winners for him and in a Lakers uniform.”

“Just a big shot by a generational player. … We wanted the last shot. We wanted to put the ball in our guy’s hands. So, this is going to be the first of many game winners for him and in a Lakers uniform.” – LeBron James on Luka Doncic’s game winner pic.twitter.com/UhTsEIovS6

-Dave McMenamin (@mcten) 15 March 2026

Doncic has never been afraid to take the big shot, and more often than not, he nails it. James knows what his guy is capable of and probably doesn’t mind giving him one last shot at the end of every game.

With the win, the Lakers have the tiebreaker over the Nuggets, which is big as the Western Conference standings continue to tighten toward the end of the season.

The Lakers have played well last week, and they are making progress at the right time to be in a good position when the season ends. As long as they have a closer like Doncic, they should be in good shape moving forward.

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Lakers continued to move forward and won their fourth consecutive game with a 142-130 victory against the Chicago Bulls. The story of the night was Luka Doncic who dropped a career-best 51 points for the Lakers in the win. After the game, Lakers head coach JJ Redick commented that Doncic’s recent games were not being discussed enough.

“He’s playing as good as any other player in the NBA right now, and I think that’s probably not being talked about,” Redick said during his postgame press conference. “But I’m going to talk about it.”

Once Luka Doncic reached 51 points, at the end of the fourth quarter, the Lakers committed an intentional foul to take him out of the game. He finished just one assist shy of a triple double with 10 rebounds and nine assists. He shot 17 of 31 from the field, 9 of 14 from the 3-point line, and 8 of 9 from the free-throw line.

Early in the game, Doncic talked some trash with Bulls young gun Matas Buzelis, a conversation that seemed to infuriate him. For Redick, one of the most impressive things about Doncic is his ability to stay focused between these little one-on-one battles.

Luca has words for Matas Buzelis after stepback trey

Doncic is one technical away from automatic suspension.pic.twitter.com/cMpQDODafo

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 13 March 2026

“It’s a unique quality. It’s not just the fact that he reacts to any kind of rude behavior or trash talk, but that he can broadcast it,” Redick said. “He can channel that while also doing all the other things that need to be done. That’s obviously reflected in his defensive rebounding, his assists, his steals. Another game where he gets a high assist number with low turnovers.”

Over the last 10 games, Doncic has 22, 41, 26, 28, 27, 27, 44, 35, 31 and now 51 points. The Lakers have gone 7-3 in that span with a few wins against very good teams in the New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves. As the Lakers have climbed up to the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference standings, Doncic has begun to garner MVP buzz again.

This season, he leads the league in scoring (32.5 points), field goal attempts (22.0), 3-pointers attempted (3.8), 3-pointers attempted (10.4) and free-throw attempts (10.2). He is shooting 47.3 percent from the field, 36 percent from the 3-point line and 77.4 percent from the free-throw line.

The Lakers have just one home game remaining, with another big test with the Denver Nuggets coming to town on Saturday. They then took the field for six games before returning home to conclude the month.

No one scored 83 points in the Association Thursday night, but someone rallied for a 50-point triple-double, thanks to none other than Los Angeles Lakers superstar guard Luka Doncic.

The former NBA scoring champion tore apart the Bulls’ defense in a memorable performance. In just 37 minutes, Doncic scored 51 points and came just one assist away from a 50-point triple-double, as he had 10 rebounds and nine dimes.

He pushed it from behind the arc, knocking down nine triples on 14 attempts. He was 17-for-31 overall from the field and 8-for-9 from the charity stripe. Despite having the ball in his hands most of the time, Doncic turned the ball over only once.

A night after Bam Adebayo surpassed Kobe Bryant’s 81 points, Doncic gave Lakers and basketball fans a stellar stat line to celebrate.

“Luka smiling at that Lakers gold after 51-10-9? Pure joy 🔥 Trade of the century!”. one fan said.

Another commented, “Moral hoops by the GOAT. He had 73 ts.”

X, formerly a social media user on Twitter, shared, “All class Luka. Amazing game.”

“An honest 51 too,” one comment read.

“Luka putting on a show again. Back-to-back 50-point nights?”. a separate social media commentator said.

Luka Doncic also loves facing the bulls. He had 46 points in last January’s meeting with Chicago in the Windy City. The good news for Chicago is that it won’t be until the 2026-27 NBA season that they’ll share the court with Doncic again.

The win over the Bulls improved the Lakers’ record to 41–25 and extended L.A.’s winning streak to four games.

LOS ANGELES – After a disappointing loss against the Denver Nuggets, the Los Angeles Lakers got back on track with a 1128-117 win against the Indiana Pacers on Friday. Luka Doncic led the Lakers with a game-high 44 points, but it wasn’t their offense that he wanted to talk about following the game.

Throughout the season, the media and fans alike have talked about Luka Doncic’s offensive game, but there has been very little mention of his defensive impact for the Lakers. So much so that it has actually become an underestimated part of his skill-set.

“I know people will never talk about it. Just trying to do my job,” Doncic said during his postgame press conference. “Trying to be more offensive, trying to be more engaged. Just trying to be better defensively.”

Doncic’s defense was certainly on display during the Lakers’ win against the Pacers. He finished with two blocked shots and three steals, including an impressive block where he hit Pacers guard Aaron Nesmith who thought he could get an easy look at the basket. The block immediately caused the Lakers’ fast break.

Doncic carries a huge offensive load for the Lakers, and he is very explosive when it comes to scoring the basketball. Perhaps that’s why it’s easy to overlook his defensive impact. But the numbers don’t lie. When it comes to regular rotation players, Doncic is second only to Jared Vanderbilt in defensive rating at 114.4, according to StatMuse.

Vanderbilt is easily one of the Lakers’ top defenders; You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who disagrees. But Doncic also deserves some credit for his role on the defensive end. And for head coach JJ Redick, it’s not just getting stops or steals or blocks that measures Doncic’s impact.

“I think he’s had really good stretches, and then sustainable stretches leading up to the game,” Redick said during his pregame press conference. “And then it seems like occasionally there’s a play where the engagement and effort isn’t there. There are times within the game where maybe one or two possessions happen. But I would say across the board, on our team, outside of maybe Marcus Smart, that’s the situation for our guys on that end of the field.”

“We have the numbers. When he switches on the ball, it’s the fewest of any player on our perimeter in terms of points per possession. So I think he’s done a good job. He’s shown he can control the basketball,” Redick continued. “He’s obviously one of the best wing defensive rebounders in the NBA. He’s able to generate steals and deflections. With some provocation, also taking charges. So he’s doing a lot of good things defensively.”

On the season, Doncic has appeared in 51 games, a little over 35 minutes per game. He is averaging a league-leading 32.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 1.5 steals while splitting 47.5 percent shooting from the field, 36.2 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 77.3 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

LOS ANGELES – Luka Doncic picked up his 15th technical foul of the season amid more interaction with the referees during the Los Angeles Lakers’ 120-113 loss against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday. Another technical foul and Doncic would automatically receive a one-game suspension. But amid their interactions on the court, Lakers head coach JJ Redick believes Doncic’s competitive fire is second to none.

Before the Lakers’ game against the Indiana Pacers on Friday, JJ Redick explained how he will go to battle with Doncic every night.

“He’s a special type of player, a special type of person and a special type of competitor,” Redick said during his pregame press conference. “I’d prefer someone who’s going out every night and trying to kill, rather than someone who you literally have to revive with a defibrillator every other day. I’d take Luca all day.”

Doncic’s latest interaction with the referee resulted in a technical foul that was somewhat puzzling. Jamal Murray hit a 3-point shot in transition, and one of the officials immediately called a technical foul on Doncic, despite him not even looking the referee’s way as he walked back onto the court.

Doncic was incredibly heartbroken by what happened, and was not given a full explanation until after the game via the pool report. Crew chief Ed Malloy explained that the technical foul on Doncic actually occurred before the game, but officials called for the defense not to stop the transition play for the technical foul. The argument was that Doncic had used profanity toward officials earlier in the play.

The Lakers have 19 games remaining in the regular season after Friday’s matchup against the Pacers. Teams will definitely have to be aware of Doncic’s technical fouls and reactions during the final stretch of the year. Once the playoffs arrive, the technical foul count is reset, but suspensions begin early with seven.

Doncic is in the running for the MVP award this season, his first full year with the Lakers. Coming into Friday’s game, he had appeared in 50 games averaging just over 35 minutes per game. He is averaging a league-leading 32.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.6 assists and 1.4 steals while shooting 47.3 percent from the field, 35.8 percent from the 3-point line and 77 percent from the free-throw line.

Doncic is also leading the NBA in 3-point shot attempts (3.7), 3-point shot attempts (10.2) and free-throw attempts (10.3).

The Los Angeles Lakers lost 120-113 to the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night, but the biggest conversation afterward focused on Luka Doncic and a tricky technical foul during the Western Conference matchup. The Lakers star recorded his 15th technical foul of the season in the loss to the Nuggets, causing confusion among fans and players inside the arena. After the game, referee Ed Malloy clarified the situation in the official pool report shared by Benjamin Royer of the Orange County Register.

“Doncic was issued a technical foul for using profanity toward a referee. We are not trained to stop offensive turnovers when a technical foul is called on defense.”

The clarification helped explain why the whistle did not come immediately. Officials allowed play to continue before assessing a penalty at the next dead-ball moment. Still, the delay left many wondering what actually caused the call to occur.

The moment also overshadowed another strong performance from Doncic under the arena lights. The Lakers guard finished with 27 points on 11 of 24 shooting, while adding 11 rebounds, seven assists and four steals. His influence was visible on the entire game. Yet technical fouls soon became the main story after the Lakers lost another tough matchup against the Nuggets.

Lakers star reacts after controversial technical

Doncic addressed that moment directly after the game. The Lakers guard insisted he tried to remain quiet during the conversation.

Luka Doncic said he heard three other players “yelling” at him for his 15th technical foul of the season.

“I was trying not to talk at all. The first thing I said was no warnings or anything.” https://t.co/KBmkywJXV0 pic.twitter.com/EqR4RCV0rA

– Benjamin Royer (@thebenroyer) 6 March 2026

“I was trying not to talk at all. The first thing I said was no warnings or nothing,” Doncic said.

Technology has real consequences. It was his 15th of the season. Under NBA rules, a player automatically receives a one-game suspension after reaching 16 technical fouls.

Reporters asked the Lakers starter whether he planned to avoid the second one.

“We’ll see. Can’t predict the future,” he said.

Then he gave a blunt answer about what should happen next.

“Don’t take another technique.”

The Lakers are moving forward now knowing that another blowout could sideline their star. Under the bright lights of the field and the pressure of the playoffs, every word and whistle carries more weight. After Luka Doncic’s technical foul, will the Lakers star survive his 16th whistle, or will the next whistle bring a suspension?

Despite putting in big numbers this year, Luka Doncic has faced heavy criticism this season. From the discussion about his foul play to a heliocentric game that people consider “undesirable”, Doncic has gone through a lot of discussion as the Lakers try to steady themselves in the final stretch of the regular season.

Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors star and host of his eponymous podcast, decided to weigh in on the discussion, taking the media to task for its criticism of Doncic, but saying it was the same criticism that prompted Harrison to be traded in the first place.

A lot of people crushed on Nico for the reasons he gave. When Nico gave those reasons everyone said he was ridiculous, he was crazy. Now when I turn on the TV all I see is the media that trashed Nico, which essentially got him fired, repeating the same things Nico Harrison was saying. I haven’t seen anyone come out and say, ‘Hey Nico, I’m sorry for the things I said about you when you did these things because I said the same things out of my own mouth.’

Green said, “It has nothing to do with Luca and it has nothing to do with the media and Nico Harrison. Nico gave his reasoning for why he felt it was the right move. Everyone said ‘You’re an idiot.’

Harrison’s criticism of Doncic focused on a mix of on-court and off-court factors. The former Mavericks star was due to receive a five-year, $345 million supermax extension in the summer of 2025 and Harrison raised issues about Doncic’s condition, off-court habits and a chronic calf strain that sidelined him to the point of being traded to the Lakers.

Harrison was eventually relieved of his duties with the Mavericks after a disappointing start to the season.

Luka Doncic may be the face of the Los Angeles Lakers, but that doesn’t exempt him from some classic locker room danger. After the Lakers defeated the Golden State Warriors 129-101 on Saturday night, the birthday boy decided to express some complaints about his teammates’ gift-giving habits, or lack thereof.

During his on-court interview after his impressive 26-point performance, Doncic, who turns 27 on Friday, jokingly called out the team. “Nobody has given me a gift yet, it’s crazy,” the superstar guard said with a smile.

The joke didn’t stop here. While Austin Reeves tried to handle his own media duties in the locker room afterward, Doncic decided to interrupt by hitting two towels at the third-year guard. Reeves didn’t make a move and responded laughing, “I actually got a gift for you, you’re crazy!”

Luca throws 2 towels at Austin

“I actually brought a gift for you, you idiot”🤣 pic.twitter.com/d4zAAoiX1S

– Oh no, he didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) 1 March 2026

The light-hearted conversation highlights the growing chemistry in Los Angeles that is ultimately translating into the win column. The Lakers didn’t just talk big games; He played one. Along with Doncic, Reeves provided a big spark off the bench. He finished the night with 18 points and three assists, and shot an efficient 7-11 from the floor.

DeAndre Ayton took over on defense and dominated the boards, scoring four points and 10 rebounds, helping the Lakers overcome a Warriors team led by Gui Santos’ 14 points.

Winning fixes everything, and for a Lakers team that has faced a lot of outside noise lately, seeing their two most popular players trade barbs and towels is a good sign. It remains to be seen if Reeves actually has a gift for Luka, but a 28-point road win over a rival is a very solid start.

Luka Doncic had a birthday he’ll never forget, and he ended it by sharing a laugh with the greatest shooter of all time. After the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Golden State Warriors 129-101 on Saturday night, Doncic and Stephen Curry met with each other for a warm hug and some banter, even after a blowout.

The Slovenian superstar turned 27 on Friday, but the real party took place at the Chase Center. Doncic dominated right from the start and put up a massive line of 26 points, six rebounds and eight assists. He carved out the Warriors’ defense with surgical precision, shooting 9 of 17 from the field and connecting on four triples. It was the kind of performance that reminded everyone why the Lakers pushed all of their chips into the middle to get him.

Steph Curry and Luka Doncic share some laughs after Lakers’ win over Warriors 🔥

pic.twitter.com/4OCdHHq84s

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 1 March 2026

While the Lakers took care of business, Gui Santos did his best to keep Golden State in the hunt. The Brazilian finished 6 of 12 from the field with 14 points and two assists. The Warriors had no answer to the Lakers’ size and transition game, as Los Angeles outscored them in fast-break points.

This win is a big momentum boost for a Lakers team that has faced a lot of criticism recently. LeBron James anchored the interior with 22 points and nine assists, while Austin Reaves scored 18 points to provide the needed scoring balance.

For the Lakers, seeing their franchise cornerstone share a light-hearted moment with a legend like Curry signals a changing of the guard in the Western Conference. If Doncic continues to play at this MVP level, Los Angeles could be the “contender” everyone expected.

Lately, the Los Angeles Lakers haven’t had much to celebrate. They are on a three-game losing streak, which began with a loss to traditional rivals the Boston Celtics. So when Luka Doncic’s 27th birthday came, the entire Lakers team was seen celebrating it wholeheartedly.

LeBron James led the group in singing “Happy Birthday” for the Slovenian international player, who wears number 77 for both the Lakers and his national team. Doncic’s teammates then presented the highlight of the celebration before their game against the Golden State Warriors, a birthday cake shaped like a jersey but broken down the middle; According to a post on X by ClutchPoints, one half represents their national team, and the other the franchise.

Lakers wish happy birthday to Luka Doncic, who turns 27 today

(via @lakers)pic.twitter.com/CfHfr8ekrn

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 1 March 2026

“Slow-Lakers,” Doncic read from the cake, which quickly became a chant the entire room started chanting. The Lakers undoubtedly got reason to celebrate despite the loss, with Luka Magic turning 27 on February 28.

Regardless, the Lakers are still in sixth place in the West with a 34–24 record, but have lost significant positions to teams like the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets, who have a 37–23 record. Doncic and co. I have a simple way to eliminate slippage.

They have a relatively healthy roster with one each of Austin Reeves, LeBron and Doncic to call upon. In comparison, the Warriors are seriously handicapped, with Jimmy Butler and LJ Cryer out, the Curry brothers out, Kristaps Porzingis questionable and Draymond Green probable.

The Lakers need to steady the ship quickly to avoid sinking further, with teams like the Phoenix Suns (34-26) in close pursuit. The Suns handed them their third of three consecutive losses, two of which were against teams the Lakers had expected to beat.

In addition to the Celtics, the Lakers also lost to the Orlando Magic 110–109, which again came despite the presence of their big three players. A win would not only mean an end to the streak, but would also put an end to the noise over fitting their three biggest stars into the same starting lineup.

The Los Angeles Lakers finally find themselves in another tough game, this time against the Phoenix Suns. They lost their matchup earlier in the week against the Orlando Magic after a poor final game between Luka Doncic and LeBron James. Against the Suns, they had a chance to win again with the final possession, but Austin Reaves was not able to capitalize.

The Lakers have now lost five of their last seven games, and they are trying to get back on track during the second half of the season. After the game, Doncic explained what the team needs to do to get back in the win column.

“Just go game-by-game, try to win every game. Obviously, we didn’t start well [out of the All-Star break]But nothing is finished. “We just have to have the mentality of trying to win every game,” Doncic said.

“Just go game-by-game, try to win every game. Obviously we didn’t start well [out of the All-Star break]But nothing is finished. We just have to have the mentality to try to win every game” – Luka Doncic on what the Lakers, who have lost 5 of 7, need to do to get on track pic.twitter.com/Bjbd9nJutO

-Dave McMenamin (@mcten) 27 February 2026

Head coach JJ Redick offered another perspective on the recent loss, and he knows the spotlight is weighing heavily on them, just because of who they are.

“Our losses stand out more than other teams. Because we’re the Lakers — and that’s how we lose,” Redick said, via Benjamin Royer of The Orange County Register.

The Lakers have also been healthy this stretch, which perhaps makes things more disappointing for them. The last two losses are nothing to be too concerned about as they have come down to final possession, but they are games they definitely want to win.

The Lakers are now 34-24 and in sixth place in the Western Conference standings, and there is a possibility they could fall in the play-ins. There is still enough time in the season for them to work hard and register some wins so that they can secure a comfortable place in the top six.

On Sunday evening, the Los Angeles Lakers returned to the loss column with a crushing home loss to the Boston Celtics. Luka Doncic put 25 points on the board in this one, but he wasn’t particularly efficient in getting there, shooting 9-22 from the field and dishing out just three assists.

Doncic was seen raising his hands and complaining to the referee throughout the evening, as well as apparently flopping in an attempt to get a call, which was widely mocked on social media.

Recently, The Ringer’s Bill Simmons, a noted Celtics fan, reflected on the play.

“The foul nonsense is the worst it’s been in a while,” Simmons said, according to “It’s so bad that even LeBron is like, ‘Wow, this guy really sucks at calls.’ But I don’t think it helps them.”

James has been known to commit a foul or two during his illustrious career, but even his antics have never come close to the acrobatic routines that Doncic displays in an attempt to draw calls on a nightly basis.

This issue has been noted for Doncic dating back to his days with the Dallas Mavericks, as has his tendency to constantly argue with referees, and at some points, it threatens to eclipse the talent he is able to achieve on the basketball court, which he does not need to rely on foul play to generate.

Meanwhile, Lakers fans’ concerns about Austin Reaves’ ability to perform against good defense were proven justified by his performance on Sunday night, as well as the team’s lack of viable perimeter defenders.

Los Angeles is currently 34-22 on the season, and will have to fight to stay in the top six of the West during the season.

The Lakers will next take the field against the Orlando Magic on Tuesday at 10:30 PM ET.

The Los Angeles Lakers faced the LA Clippers for the fourth and final time in the 2025-26 regular season, and it was another chance for Luka Doncic to play against a team he has struggled with more than any team in his career.

In their first game out of the All-Star break, the Lakers led by 14 points at the end of the first quarter, 41–27, thanks to Luka Doncic’s hot shooting start. In the first 12 minutes of the game, Doncic recorded 17 points, two rebounds and four assists, while shooting 6 of 8 from the field and 4 of 5 from three.

Doncic’s four assists led to a pair of three-pointers and a pair of two-pointers, meaning he accounted for 27 of the Lakers’ 41 points in the opening period.

Doncic’s 17-point first quarter marked the 30th time the guard recorded at least 10 points in a quarter against the Clippers. This is the 60th time that Doncic has recorded 10 or more points against the Clippers in a single quarter, including the regular season and postseason.

Tonight’s first quarter was the 60th time in Luka Doncic’s career that he recorded 10+ points in a quarter against the LA Clippers.

This was his 30th appearance in the regular season.

– Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) 21 February 2026

The only other player to have a quarter of 10 or more points against the Clippers is Kevin Durant, with 79 points. Doncic tied Stephen Curry’s 60 quarters of 10 or more points against the Clippers.

What is the difference between the three? Durant is currently in his 18th season in the NBA, Stephen Curry is in his 17th season, and Doncic is only in his eighth season. By the time it’s all said and done, who knows how far up on that list Luka Doncic will be.

Additionally, Luka Doncic has the second-most points per game average of any player versus the Clippers franchise.

Doncic’s 32.1 points per game average against the Milwaukee Bucks trails only Michael Jordan’s 32.3 points per game. The next three highest points per game averages against a single franchise are also owned by Michael Jordan (32.0 vs. the Cavs, 32.0 vs. the Knicks, and 31.9 vs. the Knicks).

Luka Doncic is averaging 32.1 points per game against the LA Clippers.

This is the second-highest career points per game average of any player versus one franchise (regular season and postseason). pic.twitter.com/Bw2fVALr7w

– Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) 21 February 2026

Entering Friday’s game, Luka Doncic had played 42 games against the LA Clippers, combining both the regular season and postseason. Their record in those games is 23-19.

LOS ANGELES – It’s been two weeks since Luke Kennard was signed to the Los Angeles Lakers following the NBA trade deadline, but Thursday was his first practice with the team. After his acquisition, the Lakers’ schedule did not allow any practice time, and then the All-Star break loomed. But considering the games he has played for the team so far, consider Luka Doncic a fan.

Luka Doncic has not played alongside Luke Kennard yet since he was sidelined with a hamstring injury during the Lakers’ win against the Philadelphia 76ers on February 5, which was just the game before Kennard’s debut. But after watching him on the court in subsequent games, and now after going through a practice session, Doncic likes the confidence that Kennard has whenever he blasts a shot from downtown.

“He was great in practice today. He’s been great just finding himself,” Doncic said after the Lakers’ practice Thursday. “He’s only played four games with us, so obviously he won’t be fit straight away, obviously he needs time. But in practice, whenever he takes a three, he always thinks it’s going to go in. It’s great to see.”

In Kennard’s Lakers debut, on February 7, in a win against the Golden State Warriors, he finished with 10 points, two rebounds, two assists and one steal in 26 minutes. He shot 4 of 7 overall, 2 of 4 from the 3-point line and most importantly, he closed the game as part of the crunch time lineup at the end of the fourth quarter.

Kennard has appeared in four games so far for the Lakers, including one start, averaging nearly 24 minutes per game. He averaged 10.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists with a split of 62.5 percent shooting from the field and 45.5 percent shooting from the 3-point line. When averaging his 3-point percentage from earlier in the season with the Atlanta Hawks, Kennard leads the league with 49.4 percent.

For Lakers head coach JJ Redick, just being with the team is a good way to get through the on-court grind, especially when the entire group is able to practice.

“I just think every day when you’re with the group, it’s more comfortable,” Redick said. “He did his drills this morning, did a good job. He had a great practice today. It was good to have Luca and AR with us as well.”

Reddick mentioned earlier in the season that he used Pechakucha’s Japanese storytelling presentation format to help with team-bonding activities, and Kennard finally got his opportunity.

With the All-Star break now in the rearview, the Lakers resume the season at home against the LA Clippers on Friday.

LOS ANGELES — As he explained Saturday, it was a short stint for Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic during the NBA All-Star Game. Doncic took the court for the first time since suffering a minor hamstring injury during the Lakers’ win against the Philadelphia 76ers on February 5.

During his media availability session as part of All-Star Weekend, Doncic admitted that he was only going to play a little bit in the actual game, and that his hamstring injury was looking good. Sure enough, Doncic only played five minutes in the first game of Team World’s new All-Star format, sitting out the second game. He finished with two points and two assists while shooting 1-3 from the field.

After Team World’s exit from the new All-Star Game tournament, Doncic explains how his injury felt after getting back on the court

“It was cool. Obviously I wanted to be there, the fans voted for me to be in this game so I wanted to be there and be a part of it a little bit,” Doncic said. “But [my hamstring] I liked it.”

Doncic missed four consecutive games after the injury. The Lakers went 3–2 in those games. They came into the All-Star break with a 33–21 record and fifth place in the Western Conference standings. They are only one and a half games behind the current No. 3 seed Denver Nuggets, but only one and a half games behind the No. 7 seed Phoenix Suns and the play-in spot.

As the Lakers try to build some stability during the final stretch of the season, one thing they are counting on is staying healthy. Injuries have forced the Lakers to shuffle their lineup, and while they have a full roster available, they have yet to find a consistent extension.

Doncic thinks that’s the main thing for the team to finish strong over the next few months.

“Just health,” Doncic said. “We are struggling with injuries a lot, so this will help.

In his first full season with the Lakers since the trade, Doncic appeared in 42 games at a rate of just over 35 minutes per game. He averaged a league-leading 32.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.6 assists and 1.5 steals while splitting 47.3 percent shooting from the field, 34.5 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 78.1 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

The Lakers will resume play after the All-Star break on Friday, February 20 at home against the LA Clippers.

Ahead of Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic’s sixth All-Star Game appearance, he talked about the longevity of his career, one month away from teammate LeBron James’ 41st birthday. As for Doncic, he can’t see himself in James’ shoes during the 26-year-old’s eighth NBA season.

Doncic sees a long career ahead of him, but he’s not sure if he’ll still be able to do it Playing basketball at the age of 41he said, according to ESPN’s SportsCenter.

“Definitely not 41,” Doncic said. “I won’t play until 41, I’ll tell you that.”

“Definitely not 41. I won’t play until 41, I’ll tell you that.”

At what age does Luka Doncic intend to retire😅

(via @sports center)pic.twitter.com/OKkWTcdEpr

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 14 February 2026

In his 23rd season, James is still playing at an elite level, averaging 22.0 points on 50.2% shooting, 7.1 assists, 5.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game. While it’s hard to imagine LeBron retiring at the end of this season, at the very least, one more season will welcome a 24th season in 2026-27, when James turns 42.

Lakers All-Star Luka Doncic still has some way to go before he can even think about making it a career. Perhaps a conversation for their amusement about a decade from now.

LeBron James hints at retirement after Lakers’ win

Lakers veteran LeBron James isn’t waiting for his play to decline to retire. Keeping NBA fans excited, James will do this Retire on your own termshe said, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

“My game is not going anywhere,” James said, via Dave McMenamin. “It’s all these other things, it’s a lot of other factors that go into how long the game has to be played. I don’t think it would ever have any impact on my game if I decided to continue playing, no matter how long it is. I think it should be [my mind]:How long can I stay in love with this process?

“If I can’t continue to be in love with this process, if [my mind] If it goes, my body is going to go. And once my body is gone, it’s a wrap.

James and the Lakers entered the All-Star break 33–21, the fifth-best record in the Western Conference.