A franchise that has featured some of the game’s most legendary players will celebrate the debut of its latest star, with Luka Doncic expected to take the court for the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday against the visiting Utah Jazz.
In a trade nobody saw coming that has been widely discussed ever since, the Lakers officially acquired Doncic on Feb. 2 for Anthony Davis in a deal that also sent Max Christie to Dallas and Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to Los Angeles.
Doncic’s Los Angeles debut has been delayed because of a calf injury, but he is finally expected to see action for the first time since Christmas Day. Doncic was upgraded from questionable to probable on Monday. LeBron James (left ankle soreness) also was upgraded to probable.
Doncic and James will now form a dynamic duo for a team that has been rejuvenated with five consecutive victories and wins in 11 of its past 13 games.
“It’s just like a dream come true,” the 25-year-old Doncic said about playing with the 40-year-old James, a four-time MVP. “I always looked up to him. There’s so many things I can learn from him, and I’m just excited to learn everything and get to play with him. It’s an amazing feeling.”
The Lakers earned a 124-117 home victory over the Indiana Pacers on Saturday, when Austin Reaves scored a career-high 45 points, Rui Hachimura had 24 and Jaxson Hayes grabbed 12 rebounds.
James did not play because of the ailing ankle, and Reaves almost missed the game as well because of a sore left elbow but decided shortly before tipoff that he was ready to go.
“I woke up (Saturday) morning, it was sore all over, elbow especially,” Reaves said. “My trainer … looked at me and it’s like, ‘Well, out or in?’ And I was like, ‘Let’s do it.’ So, it’s tough. But like I said, once you get out there and start playing, then the adrenaline kicks in and you feel better.”
The Lakers also likely will have back rookie Dalton Knecht, who had been shipped to Charlotte in the trade for center Mark Williams that later was rescinded. Knecht is listed as probable, while Cam Reddish, who also was part of that trade, is out for personal reasons.
The Jazz will play their second game in the Los Angeles area in three days after a 130-110 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday. Jordan Clarkson scored 24 points for Utah, while Keyonte George added 21.
The Jazz got off to a fast start and had a 12-point lead in the first quarter. Clarkson was 4 of 6 from 3-point range in the opening period. But Utah ran out of gas on the second night of a back-to-back following an overtime loss against the Phoenix Suns on Friday.
Utah is 2-11 since Jan. 15 and is on an eight-game road losing streak.
Five Jazz players scored in double figures on Saturday, including Johnny Juzang, who added 19 points to finish three off his season high.
“We want to play in a style where everyone’s involved in the game because I think that’s what’s gonna drive the energy of the group every day,” Utah coach Will Hardy said. “Everyone thinks everyone wants to shoot, and that’s kinda true, but the reality is everyone wants to touch the ball. … We try to emphasize every day that everybody’s involved.”
–Field Level Media
