-
Dave McMenamin
LOS ANGELES — After playing a game-high 41 minutes in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 119-109 opening night loss to the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday, Luka Doncic spent even more time in the training room receiving treatment after the game on the inside of his right leg.
“It’s probably nothing,” Doncic said after emerging at the postgame news conference nearly an hour and a half after the final buzzer. “Just felt it a little bit because my hip went [the opposite] way. Felt it a little bit, but it’s probably nothing.”
Prior to the tweak, Doncic was dominant. He finished with 43 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists and appeared more mobile on defense than he was after being traded to the Lakers for the latter half of last season, recording two steals.
“I think I’m getting better on the defensive end, I’m just trying to get more involved, more communication [with his teammates],” Doncic said. “But overall, 41 minutes, so I like that.”
Doncic, who spent the offseason trimming down his physique through an intense exercise and dietary regimen, was effective attacking the rim against the Warriors. He shot 13-for-14 in the paint and 15-for-17 on 2-pointers, according to ESPN Research.
He did commit three turnovers, which was a problem for the entire L.A. team as the Lakers coughed up 20 miscues, leading to 22 points for the Warriors.
And he shot 2-for-10 on 3-pointers, contributing to the Lakers’ 8-for-32 struggles from 3.
The Lakers were also outscored 35-25 in the third quarter, which broke the game open for Golden State.
“The trend I see is that we continue to be a terrible third-quarter team,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “That was last year. That was the preseason. Gotta rethink some things and it’s, you know, a two-way thing with the guys. What do they need at halftime to make sure they’re ready to play? They’re not ready to play to start the third quarter.”
The Lakers will have two days of practice — and recovery time for Doncic — before their next game, at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Friday.