Luka Doncic in the starting lineup for his debut with the Los Angeles Lakers
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Luka Doncic was in the starting lineup for his debut with the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night.
Doncic joined LeBron James, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes as starters for the streaking Lakers against the Utah Jazz.
Lakers coach JJ Redick, who played alongside Doncic for 13 games in 2021 with the Dallas Mavericks, was eager to see what the Slovenian superstar would do in his much-hyped debut with his new team.
“Excitement level is high,” Redick said. “I don’t think anything in our approach or game plan for Utah changes. It is always a challenge in-season to integrate, and we have to be able to give each other patience for that.”
Doncic had been sidelined since Christmas because of a strained left calf, and he was on a minutes restriction to start.
“Feel like it’s best right now to ease Luka back in to playing NBA action,” Redick said. “I think if it was up to Luka, he would probably play 48 minutes, but we’re thinking long-term and we want to be safe.”
Everybody received a Doncic T-shirt to mark the occasion at the Lakers’ downtown arena — including James, who warmed up before the game in the gold No. 77 shirt.
Doncic was followed by dozens of cameras as he warmed up for about 10 minutes before the game, and the Lakers' arena played the Serbian music he favors for pregame workouts.
The Lakers acquired Doncic just over a week ago from the Mavericks in a seismic trade for Anthony Davis and Max Christie. Los Angeles has made three major trades this season, although the third deal was rescinded Saturday after Charlotte center Mark Williams failed his physical, leaving the Lakers without a proven veteran big man behind Hayes.
James returned from a one-game injury absence Monday when the Lakers began a home-and-home set with the Jazz heading into the All-Star break.
“I don’t think any of us know exactly what it’ll look like," Utah coach Will Hardy said. “I assume it’ll look good. (Doncic and James) are two of the best thinkers, problem-solvers that we’ve ever seen. So yeah, I think preparing for it is a little weird. ... But I don’t see any world where those two playing together isn’t a good thing. Like I said, their processing speed mentally is incredible, and so I’m sure they’ll figure it out.”
The Lakers had been playing excellent basketball even before they added Doncic, last season’s scoring champion and a five-time All-NBA selection. Los Angeles had won five straight and 11 of 13 after Reaves scored a career-high 45 points to lead the Lakers past Indiana 124-117 on Sunday without Doncic or James, who sat out to rest his sore ankle.
Doncic has watched three straight Lakers victories from their bench since arriving in Los Angeles a week ago. He saw Reaves’ decimation of the Pacers while sitting next to the 40-year-old James, a player often described by Doncic as his idol.
Doncic began Monday by donating $500,000 to fire recovery efforts in his new community, making an immediate impression with his pledge to help with the damage caused by the rampant wildfires that devastated parts of Southern California last month — including Pacific Palisades, where Redick's home was lost.
“It's been so sad to see and learn more about the damage from the wildfires as I landed in LA,” Doncic wrote on his Luka Doncic Foundation's social media channels. "I can't believe it, and I feel for all the kids who lost their homes, schools and the places where they used to play with their friends. Today, my foundation is donating $500,000 to immediate recovery efforts. I am also committed to helping rebuild courts, playgrounds and fields that were destroyed, because every kid needs a safe place to play.
“To everyone affected by these fires: we're here to help, now and for the long haul.”
Doncic signed his note: “Your new neighbor.”
Doncic's initial donation is being made to the Community Foundation Wildfire Recovery Fund. He also plans to donate “significant additional funding over the next two years” with a focus on rebuilding children's play spaces, according to a spokesperson.
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