JAZZ ROLL PAST LAKERS
FINAL/OT
LP
FINAL
LP
FINAL
LP
FINAL
LP
FINAL/OT
LP
FINAL
LP
FINAL
LP
FINAL
LP
FINAL
LP
119
FINAL
131
Delta Center, Salt Lake City, UT
Click on any linked stat to view the Video and/or Shot Chart
Click on any linked stat to view the Video and/or Shot Chart
LAL: Cam Reddish, Trey Jemison III, Dorian Finney-Smith, Maxi Kleber, Gabe Vincent
UTA: Taylor Hendricks, Oscar Tshiebwe, Micah Potter, Elijah Harkless, Collin Sexton
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A little more than a week after the trade that shocked the sports world, Luka Dončić made his Los Angeles Lakers debut in Monday night’s matchup against the Utah Jazz.
That game went off without any issues. Dončić dropped 14 while helping the Lakers to a dominant 132-113 win over the Jazz in downtown Los Angeles. He shot 5 of 14 from the field and 1 of 7 from behind the arc with five rebounds and four assists in what was his first game back in weeks after a calf injury. Though he only played 24 minutes, Dončić looked back to his old self.
“I was just happy to be on the court again,” Dončić said on ESPN after the game.
Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki also came to Los Angeles to watch Dončić’s debut.
I will always be a Mav for life, but had to come support my guy 77 @luka7doncic in the first game of his new chapter!
— Dirk Nowitzki (@swish41) February 11, 2025
“Great friend, great mentor,” Dončić said of Nowitzki. “It really means a lot that he was able to show up here.”
Dončić entered the Lakers’ starting lineup alongside LeBron James, and he was announced last to a loud roar from fans at Crypto.com Arena. Fans received a custom Dončić Lakers shirt upon arrival, too.
Luka Dončić gets his first introduction as a Laker 🤩
UTA-LAL on ESPN! pic.twitter.com/4Wtpq7YZ9K
— NBA (@NBA) February 11, 2025
Lakers fans will be feeling the Luka Magic tonight. 🪄
(📸: @Lakers) pic.twitter.com/H6Ojm1tITz
— theScore (@theScore) February 10, 2025
Dončić didn’t waste much time scoring, either. He drained his first points with the Lakers on a 3-pointer from the top of the key just a few minutes into the contest.
LUKA FOR THREE 👌
HIS FIRST BUCKET IN LA! pic.twitter.com/Cn2jRTuEKX
— NBA TV (@NBATV) February 11, 2025
Dončić was traded to the Lakers on Feb. 1 for Anthony Davis, a move that’s still the talk of the NBA thanks to the collective anger of Dallas Mavericks fans and Davis’ inauspicious start with the team.
The Mavericks have reportedly beefed up security after death threats against general manager Nico Harrison — and that was before Sunday’s news that Davis will reportedly be out multiple weeks with an adductor strain he suffered during his debut on Saturday. Davis sustained the non-contact injury in the third quarter of the Mavericks’ game against the Houston Rockets. The game was his first since he suffered an abdominal strain on Jan. 29 while still playing for the Lakers.
Dončić hadn’t played since Christmas, sidelined with a left calf strain. In 22 games this season, he’s averaged 28.1 points 8.3 rebounds and 7.8 assists, and joins a Lakers team that is now 32-19, sitting fifth place in the Western Conference.
Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht was made available for Monday’s game, too, though coach JJ Redick said he doesn’t plan on playing him. Knecht was traded to the Charlotte Hornets before the deadline, but that trade was rescinded after Mark Williams failed a physical. Knecht is expected to play again on Wednesday night.
James missed Saturday’s game with ankle soreness. He’s returned from a one-game absence to join Dončić in one of the most anticipated NBA player debuts in recent memory. James finished with 24 points, eight assists and seven rebounds in the win.
Austin Reaves dropped 22 points and nine rebounds, and Rui Hachimura added 21 points and six rebounds for the Lakers. Lauri Markkanen led Utah with 17 points in the loss after he went 1-of-8 from behind the arc. John Collins finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds, and Jordan Clarkson finished with 16 points. The Jazz sit at 12-40 on the season.
While it was a blowout win and the two stars are still working to figure out how they mesh together on the court, the Dončić era is officially underway in Southern California.
Lakers Injury Report Vs. Jazz: Luka Doncic, Dorian Finney-Smith, Gabe Vincent & More
The Los Angeles Lakers released their injury report for Wednesday’s road game against the Utah Jazz, the final game before the All-Star break, and it’s a lengthy one.
LeBron James (left ankle soreness) and Austin Reaves (left elbow contusion) are listed as probable. Luka Doncic (left calf strain) and Bronny James (left forearm muscle strain) are questionable, while Dorian Finney Smith (left ankle soreness), Maxi Kleber (right foot surgery recovery), Cam Reddish (personal) and Gabe Vincent (left knee soreness) are out.
Dalton Knecht and the newly-acquired Alex Len are not on the injury report, signaling they should be available to play in what looks to be a severely shorthanded game to close out the first half.
The Lakers come in winners of six straight and 10 of their last 11, so the hope is that they will take care of business against an inferior Jazz team to maintain momentum going into the All-Star break.
Being without two of their better defenders in Finney-Smith and Vincent will be tough, but if Doncic is able to play then the Lakers should still have enough firepower to get a win. Doncic’s status will be worth monitoring, however, considering he just played his first game in nearly two months.
Two-way guard Jordan Goodwin has looked good the last couple of games, so he will likely get rotation minutes off the bench once again.
Luka Doncic made his highly-anticipated Lakers debut against this same Jazz team in L.A. on Monday night in what was a blowout victory. Doncic admittedly to feeling a little nervous to suit up in purple and gold for the first time, but head coach JJ Redick felt the 25-year-old handled everything very well.
“I think he handled it well,” Redick said after the game. “Knowing Luka, whether he will admit it or not, there was probably a little bit of nerves playing for the Lakers for the first time and the anticipation that our fans had, this building had, his teammates had, our coaching staff had. He kind of gets that, he sees that.
“I thought he’s handled it really well and he played really well tonight. He could not make a 3 outside of the first one, but it just goes back to all our guys, he just played agenda-free basketball. He didn’t make it about Luka. He made it about playing good basketball and playing Laker basketball.”
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