The Los Angeles Lakers survived a 118-116 thriller against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, but the spotlight unexpectedly shifted to Luka Dončić’s defensive performance.
Former NBA Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart stamped it with a seal of approval on Dončić’s hustle, anticipation, and defensive stats.
“Luka had what? 5 steals? 2 blocks? What? Luka! 5 steals and 2 blocks, baby! I see you! DPOY, baby!” Smart exclaimed after the game, acknowledging Dončić’s defensive effort in disbelief.
Doncic finished the night with 35 points on 9-of-27 shooting, nearly posting a triple-double with 13 rebounds and 9 assists. Yet it was his defense that drew the loudest reactions: five steals and two blocks.
The performance was a stark contrast to the criticism Dončić faced last postseason, when his defensive lapses, compounded by lingering effects from a calf injury, drew sharp scrutiny. Following the Lakers’ Game 5 playoff elimination, Mike Jagacki of LockdownHoops.com called Dončić’s effort “one of the worst defensive performances” he had ever seen in a must-win contest.
“Lakers can’t even hide Luka in the zone,” Jagacki wrote on X in May. “Gets blown by on the wing, poor footwork — wide base, lung steps, no explosive slide, no positive pelvic angle to generate lateral movement. Looking around for his help — the true sign of a bad defender.”
A Season of Defensive Growth
This season, Dončić is averaging two steals per game, a product of his well-documented physical transformation through a strict diet and new training regimen. The forward himself acknowledges the ongoing learning curve.
“Obviously, there’s always going to be critics,” Dončić said. “But I think it was more myself. I think I can do more things to help my team win.”
Lakers head coach JJ Redick praised Dončić’s maturity and focus on defense during the Spurs matchup.
“We changed a little bit of stuff on Castle at one point just to keep Luka away from that matchup where we potentially could have picked up his sixth foul,” Redick explained postgame. “You know, we mixed in some zone when Wemby was off the floor.”
Resiliency and Leadership on Display
Redick lauded Dončić’s resiliency and leadership, particularly given the absence of Austin Reaves and LeBron James.
“The word of the day is resiliency,” Redick said. “I thought he showed that in the second half, playing through some foul trouble and through what, quite honestly, was a frustrating, abnormal offensive night for him. He stayed with it. I thought the focus level with the referees and just the focus with his teammates, getting on to the next play, was excellent. Without Austin, without LeBron, his teammates are looking to him to kind of keep that resolve and maintain a positive disposition, and he was able to do that throughout the game, which is an area of growth.”
Doncćic himself downplayed his leadership role, highlighting a collaborative approach: “It’s definitely more vocal, too,” he said. “But I think leadership shouldn’t be just one player. Everybody talks a lot of times. I feel like everybody’s on the same page.”
Defense as the Key to Lakers’ Victory
Despite a few slow defensive starts earlier in the season, Donćic’s defensive impact against the Spurs was undeniable. Los Angeles held San Antonio to 39.4% shooting and forced 19 turnovers.
“To have five steals and two blocks on a night when you’re in foul trouble, still staying active and participating like that, there was nothing lacking,” Redick said. “There were a couple of times he got switched onto Wemby, got switched onto Castle, was in a closeout — there wasn’t Matador defense. He still guarded, and that was huge. The reason we won the game, you can look at singular plays or whatever, is because we guarded in the fourth quarter. Our fourth-quarter defense was the number one reason we won the game.”
Donćic attributed his success to communication and activity: “First of all, just communication. Getting the people in the right spot. I’m a lot of times the low man, so I got to communicate that. I got to put people in their spots. But then just the activity — I think it’s better. I’m more focused and just got to keep going like that.”
With his combination of offensive firepower and newfound defensive intensity, Dončić is proving he can be a two-way force in Los Angeles — a potential DPOY-caliber talent in the making.
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