Luka Doncic arrived in Los Angeles yesterday for his introductory press conference in the morning, while he watched his new team make easy work of their in-city rival Los Angeles Clippers in the evening 122-97.
In his introductory presser, Donic remarked how much of an honor it will be to don the Laker purple and gold and be the latest superstar to have been acquired for the franchise. He spoke about how he did not know why the Mavericks dealt him, and said that his goal is to win championships in Los Angeles.
Doncic will participate in 5-on-5 action this week, and will make his Laker debut on Saturday against the Indiana Pacers. The Lakers have won three consecutive games (8-2 in their last 10) and face the Golden State Warriors at home on Thursday night.
LeBron James led the Lakers with 26 points, 9 assists, and 8 rebounds on Wednesday, going 8-for-13 from the field and 8-for-11 from the charity stripe. Austin Reaves (7-for-13) and Rui Hachimura (7-for-14) each added 20 points. Rookie Dalton Knecht was 6-for-9 (2-for-4 from deep) for 14 points.
Normal Powell, who is averaging 24.0 points on 50 percent shooting this season, led the Clippers with 20 points, while Derrick Jones Jr. had 17 points. Kawhi Leonard and James Harden both struggled, Leonard 4-for-11 om 22 minutes with 11 points and Harden 2-for-12 in 30 minutes with 7 points and 9 assists.
After losing 11 consecutive games to the Clippers from December 22, 2020 - April 5, 2023, the Lakers have won four of the last six match-ups between the two squads.
Wednesday, the Lakers seemed rejuvenated and focused, James leading the way and his teammates following suit. The Lakers jumped out to a 45-29 lead after one quarter. The team shot 56 percent from the field and made 18 of 37 triples, while holding the Clippers to 38 percent shooting and dominating the boards 50-36.
The 25-point was a good momentum builder for the Lakers as they usher in a new era of sorts on Saturday. They are currently fifth in the Western Conference at 29-19, two games up on 28-22 Clippers.
James and Doncic on Saturday will be something to see, an unprecedented tantum of two high level play-makers, frankly two of the best play-makers that we have ever seen. If we look throughout history, Pete Maravich played with Larry Bird, but that was just for one season (Bird's rookie season), and represented the final 26 games of Maravich's career.
Two of the NBA's greatest floor generals - Jason Kidd and Steve Nash - both played in Phoenix for the 1996-97 and 1997-98 seasons. But that was before Nash, who never averaged more than 22 minutes per game in his first go around with the franchise, hit his stride. Kidd, who came over after 22 games in '96-'97 from the Dallas Mavericks, played 115 games with Nash as a teammate and garnered all-star honors in '97-'98 with averages of 11.6 points and 9.1 assists. Still, Kidd was not the player that he would become.
In Tuesday's presser, Laker GM Rob Pelinka touched on the Lakers making more moves, and said that while the big man market is thin right now, the team will try and fill the gaps. The team's big weakness right now is interior big men with the departure of Davis.
Around the League
Trades
There were two trades on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the first, on Tuesday, being the Dallas Mavericks trading Quentin Grimes and a 2025 2nd-round draft pick to the Philadelphia 76ers for forward Caleb Martin. Martin, averaging 9.1 points on 44 percent shooting this season, was integral in the Miami Heat's roster over the last two seasons. In Game 2 of the 2024 first round series against the Boston Celtics, Martin scored 21 points and had 18 points in Game 5. Last season, he averaged 10.0 points. He is a career 36 percent 3-point shooter who can hit perimeter shots and defend. He gives the Mavericks another solid wing option.
For the 76ers, Grimes is a good shooter who is young, just 24 years old. He averaged 10.2 points in 12 starts for the Mavericks this season.
On Wednesday morning, the Milwaukee Bucks acquired forward Kyle Kuzma from the Washington Wizards along with Patrick Baldwin Jr. and a 2nd-round draft pick for Khris Middleton, A.J. Johnson, and a pick swap.
Middleton, 33, has been hit by injuries the past three seasons, playing in just 111 games. This season, he is averaging 12.6 points on 51 percent shooting (9 attempts per game) in just 23.2 minutes with seven starts. He spent 12 seasons in Milwaukee, making three all-star appearances.
Kuzma, 29, is averaging 15.2 points on 42 percent shooting this season. He is a talented player who at times can be a volume shooter, but he gives the Bucks a younger forward who can still score. The last two seasons he has averaged 22.2 and 22.1 points per game, on 46 percent and 45 percent shooting. He has two more years left on a 4-year, $90 million deal, while Middleton has a player option of $34 million dollars for next season.
The deal for the Bucks also helps them get under the second apron, meaning in part that they can sign buyout candidates, and won't have their 2032 picks be untradable. The Bucks can also send cash in a trade and take back more incoming money than outgoing money.
Tuesday's Scores
76ers 118 (20-29)
Mavericks 116 (26-25)
Maxey: 33 PTS, 13 AST (13-for-22 FG)
Embiid: 29 PTS, 11 REB, 10 AST (12-for-23 FG)
Irving: 34 PTS, 9 REB, 4 AST (11-for-21 FG, 10-for-11 FT)
Marshall: 19 PTS (6-for-13 FG)
Celtics 112 (36-15)
Cavaliers 105 (40-10)
Tatum: 22 PTS, 7 AST, 4 REB (7-for-23 FG, 4-for-11 3PT)
White: 20 PTS (7-for-14 FG)
Porzingis: 19 PTS, 7 REB (7-for-20 FG)
Mitchell: 31 PTS, 10 REB, 6 AST (12-for-25 FG)
Garland: 25 PTS (8-for-20 FG)
Allen: 17 PTS, 18 REB (6-for-11 FG)
Nets 99 (17-33)
Rockets 97 (32-18)
Johnson: 22 PTS (7-for-16 FG)
Claxton: 14 PTS, 4 REB (7-for-10 FG)
Sengun: 24 PTS, 20 REB, 4 AST (8-for-18 FG)
Brooks: 16 PTS (3-for-7 3PT)
Sheppard: 16 PTS (5-for-14 FG)
Knicks 121 (34-17)
Raptors 115 (16-34)
Brunson: 28 PTS (10-for-21 FG)
Towns: 27 PTS, 20 REB (10-for-19 FG)
Barnes: 23 PTS, 5 AST (8-for-23 FG)
Dick: 14 PTS (4-for-8 FG)
Bulls 133 (22-29)
Heat 124 (24-24)
Giddey: 24 PTS, 7 AST, 5 REB (8-for-14 FG)
Buzelis: 24 PTS (10-for-10 FG)
White: 22 PTS, 7 AST (7-for-16 FG, 4-for-7 3PT)
Herro: 23 PTS, 9 AST, 8 REB (5-for-15 FG, 10-for-11 FT)
Adebayo: 23 PTS, 8 REB, 4 AST (10-for-17 FG)
Ware: 17 PTS, 12 REB (8-for-12 FG)
Trail Blazers 112 (22-29) Pacers 89 (28-21)
Simons: 22 PTS, 7 AST (8-for-16 FG, 4-for-9 3PT)
Grant: 20 PTS (6-for-14 FG, 3-for-6 3PT)
Sharpe, Henderson: 17 PTS
Nembhard: 17 PTS, 6 REB (6-for-10 FG)
Siakam: 16 PTS, 6 REB (6-for-14 FG)
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