Now that we know Tracy Morgan is OK, we can joke about what recently happened: On St. Patrick’s Day, the Knicks-Heat game got delayed over 10 minutes because he threw up courtside. It would’ve been a perfect way to relaunch “30 Rock.”
Is Luka Dončić Fully Back?
Q&A on his adjustment with Lakers
Something to remind yourself when thinking about Luka Dončić on the Lakers (42-25) is … yes, it really happened. It’s real. This is something the Mavericks decided to do. The next thing to remind yourself is Dončić hadn’t played in over a month when he finally made his debut with Los Angeles, due to a calf strain suffered on Christmas Day. So, even as he’s dazzling the world in a new uniform we never thought he’d don, he’s still not the Dončić we’re used to seeing dominate the court.
In 15 games with the Lakers, the 26-year-old Dončić is averaging 26.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 8.1 assists, 1.9 steals and 4.2 turnovers in 34.5 minutes. He’s making just 40 percent of his shots, 33.6 percent of his 3-pointers and 77.6 percent of his free throws. To put that into perspective, here’s what he did last season, when he finished third in MVP voting:
33.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, 9.8 assists, 1.4 steals, 4.0 turnovers, 48.7/38.2/78.6 splits.
His numbers are good, but not what we’re accustomed to seeing. However, we’re seeing Dončić getting more and more comfortable lately in his time back from injury. You can see a change in Dončić’s numbers from his first seven games with the Lakers to the last eight:
First seven: 21.0 points, 8.6 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.7 steals, 3.4 turnovers, 37.3/24.1/76.5 splits in 31.0 minutes.
Last eight: 30.8 points, 9.0 rebounds, 9.5 assists, 2.1 steals, 4.5 turnovers, 42.0/39.8/78.3 splits in 37.7 minutes.
He’s not quite back yet, but he’s starting to look really good. A good chunk of that has come with LeBron James sitting out due to a groin injury. I decided to ask Lakers writer Jovan Buha what he’s seeing and how much of this could be due to LeBron’s absence.
I know you’ve only been covering Dončić a short time, but does it seem like he’s getting back to his normal level?
Buha: Yes, it does. Dončić has scored 30-plus points in five of seven games, an indication that he is trending toward being the 30-point, triple-double threat he’s been since coming into his own early in his career. He’s looked increasingly comfortable running high pick-and-rolls with Jaxson Hayes, who has benefited the most of any Lakers player since Dončić’s arrival. The only blemish has been his turnovers, which have been a bit of an issue, especially with defenses keying in on him with James out of the lineup.
Then again, is there a possibility LeBron missing time actually helped Dončić get back to this quicker? Or is that nonsense?
Buha: I think it has little to do with James being out. If anything, James being out has caused teams to blitz and double Dončić more, making matters more difficult for him offensively. But there are two things going in Dončić’s favor over this stretch: time and opposing defenses. Dončić has now been back over a month and progressively looked more like himself. That was inevitable the further removed he was from his calf strain and once he had more reps in the Lakers’ offense. The Lakers have also played some weaker defenses, like Brooklyn (23rd in defensive rating), Denver (22nd) and Phoenix (27th), which Dončić has shredded. Even the best defense they’ve faced (Milwaukee) is bereft of defensive talent on the perimeter.
Once LeBron is back, what’s the priority on the court for the Lakers the rest of the season?
Buha: The priority should be getting the offense on track. Since Dončić’s team debut on Feb. 10, the Lakers rank just 16th in offensive rating. It’s not much better with Dončić and James on the floor together: they rank in the 63rd percentile of offensive lineups, per Cleaning The Glass. Between Dončić, James, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura, the Lakers have the foundation to be a top-10, if not top-five offense. If they can reach that ceiling and maintain their top-10 defense (they’re sixth since Dončić’s arrival), they have a legitimate chance to beat anyone in a seven-game series.
