LeBron and Doncic warm up again for the Los Angeles Lakers

Los Angeles Lakers arrived at the matchup against the Sacramento Kings in a delicate moment. Three consecutive defeats, the absence of Austin Reaves due to a calf injury, and an unusual internal meeting had marked the previous days. In that context, the team found a resounding response with a 125-101 victory led by LeBron James and Luka Doncic, enough to regain stability.

From the start, James wanted to make it clear that the focus should not only be on the two great figures. "I don't want to create the narrative of just me and Luka. There are five players on the court and seven coming off the bench. It has to be a team effort. But it's important that we set the tone," he explained after the game.

He set that tone himself in the early minutes. James scored his first three shots in just three minutes, anticipating an especially efficient night. He finished with an 11-for-13 on field goals, an 84.6% shooting percentage, his best since donning the purple and gold, and the third highest of his career. "I felt in a very good rhythm. I felt good energy in my legs and in my jump, and I tried to make the most of every touch," he pointed out.

While James dominated in the first quarter, Doncic took over the offensive spotlight in the second. The Slovenian scored 15 of his 34 points in that period, with a 5-for-7 shooting, to solidify the Lakers' lead before halftime. "I think it all starts with us. When AR comes back, it will be the three of us. But for now, it starts with us. We have to show what we can do, and the group will follow us," Doncic commented.

At halftime, the Lakers were up 68-53 and they further broke open the game after the break with a 13-2 run in the first three and a half minutes of the third quarter, mostly based on defense. JJ Redick highlighted that stretch as a clear reference to what they are aiming for. "There were several possessions in that 13-2 run where we defended as five. That's what we want: five players involved in every possession. That's our guiding star to build a solid defense," the coach explained.

Redick also linked the performances of James and Doncic to the work from the previous day. "I'm not surprised by how they played together. Yesterday was one of the best practices we've had with them sharing the ball and executing two-man actions," he stated.

The team's reaction came after a few intense days. Following the tough 119-96 loss to Houston on Christmas Day, the Lakers learned that Reaves would be out for at least a month. On Saturday, a team meeting was held, followed by a longer and more demanding practice than usual, which Redick himself described as "uncomfortable," but turned out to be an exchange of ideas between players and the coaching staff. Additionally, on Sunday, there was an unusual morning session before a scheduled game at 6:30 p.m. local time.

In their first opportunity to translate all of that onto the court, the response was collective. Deandre Ayton recorded a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Rui Hachimura contributed 12 points on 5-for-10 shooting following several games with low offensive output. Jake LaRavia added 11 points, four assists, and two steals off the bench.

One of the standout names was Nick Smith Jr., on a two-way contract, who started the game with a perfect 7-for-7 shooting, ending with 21 points in 24 minutes and receiving the game ball in the locker room. "In this league, you have to have confidence. If you don't, it shows right away. I feel like I can play against the best," he said.

Lakers' Improvement

For the first time this season, the Lakers won all four quarters, a clear sign of the collective effort. "We talked about some things and came together. If we play like this every night, we are a very tough team to beat," LaRavia pointed out.

The game also held special meaning for James as it was the last before he turns 41. He thus concludes a remarkable year at 40, with 56 regular-season games where he averaged 23.9 points, shot 52%, dished out 7.4 assists, and grabbed 7.1 rebounds. "Do you remember my announcement about Father Time? I'm in a battle with him, and I'd say I'm winning," joked the Lakers' leader after a night that once again underscored his enduring presence.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, LeBron y Doncic vuelven a entrar en calor para Los Angeles Lakers