The leading storyline for the Los Angeles Lakers in the team’s most recent preseason game against the Phoenix Suns was the season debut of Luka Doncic. While the Slovenian star put on a strong performance, he didn’t get much backup from the Lakers’ supporting cast.
Even with Doncic’s 25 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, Los Angeles lost the game by nine, scoring a total of just 38 points in the entire second half. Whether it was on either side of the ball, Lakers head coach JJ Redick made it clear the loss was ‘frustrating‘ from all aspects.
“It’s very simple, actually: I’m trying to form consistent habits. So you’re trying to do that, that means everybody. That doesn’t mean three guys. You need everybody doing that,” Redick said postgame. “We took a step backwards tonight. That’s a little bit frustrating.”
Along with Doncic, Austin Reaves also dropped 25 points in the loss. While it was both Doncic and Marcus Smart’s first preseason action of the year, the Lakers were without LeBron James and other rotational players as their injury woes continue, less than a week before the official start of the season.
JJ Redick Not Happy With Lakers
After the loss, the Lakers are now 1-3 in preseason, with just one more game to play. Redick has yet to have both Doncic and James on the court together, and the team has been dealing with a number of other injuries and health concerns across the roster.
Regardless, Redick believed his team didn’t do everything they could to close out the game with a victory. The second-year coach did say he saw some positives, but overall, there was a lot to learn from.
“I thought there were some really good things tonight on both ends of the floor… But if you want to be a good time, you got to do it every single time. You got to do the right thing every single time,” Redick said. “That’s where, I don’t think any of the groups tonight were as consistent as they need to be. To me, we took a step forward with some of the defensive stuff from the other night against Golden State.”
Redick has been brutally honest with his team in the past, but his latest comments come at a crucial point in the basketball calendar. With James set to miss the start of the season, Redick has yet to name a replacement starter, and after the loss, he doesn’t seem closer to making that decision.
Luka Doncic Shines In Preseason Debut
While Redick wasn’t too happy with how the team performed as a whole in the loss to Phoenix, Doncic looked to be back to his mid-season form in what was his first appearance for the Lakers this season.
His 25 points were tied with Reaves for a team-high, and his +11 was the highest on-court differential for the team. Doncic played only 22 minutes, most of which came in the first half, but was the most impactful and efficient player for Los Angeles.
“He has an ability to do what I would call it, like, silly stuff, but still be locked in. It’s important to him that basketball is fun,” Redick added about Doncic’s performance. “He’s at play. And that’s part of what makes him great.”
Even after his busy offseason with signing the extension, losing weight, and leading Slovenia in the 2025 EuroBasket tournament, Doncic said he felt comfortable on the court in what was his first NBA action since April.
“I felt great,” Dončić said postgame. “That was probably better than I expected. Those first games are kind of rusty, but I was just very happy to be out there again.”
As of now, with the current injuries, the Lakers have a long way to go before they look to be back in championship form. But for the time being, Doncic looks to have not missed a step entering his first full season in Los Angeles.
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