Luka Doncic has only been living in Los Angeles for two months and a half now, but he’s already feeling the city as his own. Now that they are about to enter postseason action vs. Minnesota, he can’t wait to represent the purple and gold franchise in what he calls “big games.”
With his intense competitiveness, brilliant passes, and prolific scoring, he’s been building chemistry with his Lakers teammates, but they’ve never seen playoff Luka. “I like big games,” the Slovenian said on Thursday. “The playoffs is a fun time. Everybody plays 100%. It’s just fun to be out there.”
Teammate Dorian Finney-Smith has seen him in these circumstances. “Oh man, it’s exciting,” he said after spending five seasons with him in Dallas. “I already know bro is going to come with the juice. He loves the moment. Knowing him, probably got to calm him down, too, because he’s going to be barking. It’s going to be exciting.”
For example, last year Doncic also faced the Timberwolves in the playoffs, and was one of his best performances ever. The guard led the Mavericks charge and beat their rivals in five games of the Western Conference Finals, averaging 32.4 points, 9.6 rebounds, 8.2 assists and 2.2 steals.
“The goal is to win a championship,” Luka insisted. “I think we have a great team. We have guys that are willing to go to war. Everybody is staying together. The chemistry is high, so I think we for sure have a chance.”
Up to this point, the European star has been averaging 28.1 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists after 28 games in Los Angeles. He’s played 21 of those matches with LeBron James and Austin Reaves at his side, a trio that might inspire a championship title.
“He’s smiling on the court and off the court, talking a lot of trash on the bench or with whatever fans he’s picking out that’s yelling at him, and it’s exciting,” Finney-Smith kept at it. “He brings an excitement to the game. He makes unbelievable passes.”
