LeBron James and Luka Doncic lit it up for the Lakers at the Ball Arena last night. The Los Angeles Lakers duo showed flashes of their chemistry in the previous games, but they truly exploded against the Nuggets. Doncic and James combined with each other to ensure the Lakers’ 123-100 dominant victory over the Nuggets. After the game, when asked about his chemistry with the Slovenian superstar, LeBron had a rather unique analogy to explain their connection.
“I’m a natural-born wide receiver, and he’s a natural-born quarterback, so it fits perfectly,” James stated. “I’ve been running the floor and running lanes like, um, you know, pretty much my whole life, and he’s been throwing great passes pretty much his whole life. So, um, it’s not hard to get a rhythm when it comes to that.”
Well, the WR-QB was certainly on display during the matchup. Early in the game, Doncic dished an impressive 94-foot pass to James, who caught it for a solid dunk. Not just that! The No. 77 also lobed a great pass to King James for another empathic slam. Doncic also talked about his passing after the game. “I mean, it’s gonna take some time. I mean, even in the first game, we had some of those, uh, so I’m happy to get my first ally-oop with him,” said Doncic. It is a first of many, that’s for sure. He stated that it’s just his fourth game in the Lakers jersey and that building chemistry with the team will take time.
And from such a show on the hardwood, it seems that the two superstars seem to be connecting well, and it won’t be long before performances like these become a daily occurrence. Moreover, it’s great to see both play their natural game, something that has been emphasized by coach JJ Redick multiple times. LeBron James has assumed his scoring role, and Doncic seems to fit right in as the facilitator for the team. However, this win was a team effort as well.
Luka Doncic and LeBron James excel as Lakers snap Nuggets 9-game winning streak
After going 1-2 and averaging 14.7 points, which is well below his usual in his first three games for LA, Luka Doncic had his breakout game against Denver. The Slovenian point guard scored 32 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and dished out seven dimes at the Ball Arena. Notably, this performance helped LA snap Denver’s 9-game winning streak.
Feb 10, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) is defended by Utah Jazz guard Johnny Juzang (33) in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images.
Well, Doncic didn’t do it without help from his teammate LeBron James, who added 25 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists along with Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura chipping in 23 and 21, respectively. Interestingly, the Lakers never trailed in winning in Denver for the first time since April 10, 2022. Turns out, they had managed to drop 13 of their previous 14 games against the Nuggets.
Moreover, it’s nice to see that Doncic is happy playing alongside LeBron James and the rest of the Lakers roster. The duo’s performance in Denver should be enough to give the Lakers and their fans a sense that they can make a deep playoff run. Something they’ve been missing for the past two seasons. It surely will be something everyone will have their eyes on as the season progresses.
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