LOS ANGELES — The Luka Dončić era in Los Angeles started about as well as possible on Monday.
The Lakers, winners of five straight entering the contest, dominated the Utah Jazz 132-113 to improve to 32-19. They’re No. 4 in the West and have won 12 of 14 overall.
Throughout the evening, the message from the Lakers was clear: Dončić is the new face of the franchise.
All 19,079 fans in attendance received Dončić t-shirt jerseys. During Dončić’s pregame warmup, in which all eyes in the building were on him, the Lakers played Serbian music, which was a staple for Dončić’s warmups in Dallas. The Lakers even introduced him last in the starting lineup introductions, the spot typically reserved for LeBron James (even after Anthony Davis joined the organization). Everything was designed and catered to make Dončić feel welcomed and acclimated.
Dončić finished with 14 points (5-of-14 shooting), five rebounds and four assists in 23 minutes — he was on a minutes restriction, according to coach JJ Redick — in his first game as a Laker and his first since suffering a calf strain on Christmas.
The Lakers largely functioned normally offensively, though Dončić was more of the primary ballhandler, with James and Austin Reaves playing off the ball more than normal. Dončić ran a bunch of high screening actions, targeting Utah’s bigger and slower defenders off the dribble, and then spraying the ball on drive-and-kicks and no-look bullets to the opposite corner. He went just 1-for-7 on 3s, with his lone make coming in the form of a step-back on Jazz center Walker Kessler. Dončić and James connected late in the first half, with Dončić hitting James with an outlet pass for a layup for the superstar duo’s first assist together.
LUKA ➡️ LEBRON
Full-court outlet for the easy FLUSH 💥
UTA-LAL on ESPN! pic.twitter.com/uW9O4Xbt5C
— NBA (@NBA) February 11, 2025
He also had plenty of help. LeBron James had 24 points, seven rebounds and eight assists. Reaves, who took a backseat with ballhandling duties with Dončić running the show, still had 22 points, nine rebounds and four assists. Rui Hachimura added 21 points and six rebounds.
Celebrities, including Adele, Will Ferrell, Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki and Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua were all in attendance.
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(Photo: Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
