The Los Angeles Lakers opened up their season with a 119-109 loss against the Golden State Warriors, and it took almost everything from Luka Doncic for them to stay in the game. Doncic finished the game with 43 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists, and also had some good defensive moments.
After the game, Doncic stayed getting treatment a little longer than usual, and it was on the inside of his right leg where they were working. Though there could be a cause for panic from fans, Doncic shut down any concern, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin.
“It's probably nothing,” Doncic said. “Just felt it a little bit because my hip went [the opposite] way. Felt it a little bit, but it's probably nothing.”
Doncic has a history of having small injuries, but he still ends up playing through them. The hope was that those injuries would be limited after going through his body transformation during the offseason. Already, it looks like Doncic is moving better on the floor, and he feels like he is, too.
“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.”
It's good news that Doncic's injury is nothing to worry about, especially with LeBron James already sitting out for the time being.
Lakers lose season opener to Warriors
The Lakers came out of the gates on a slow start, but Doncic was able to keep them afloat for the most part. The second quarter was good to them as they were able to get back into the game going into halftime, but it was the third quarter that doomed them. The Lakers were outscored 35-25 in the quarter and didn't have much of an answer for the Warriors, which bled into the fourth.
“The trend I see is that we continue to be a terrible third-quarter team,” head 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 to improve their play in the third quarter if they want to stay in games, and their next chance to do so will be against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
