The Los Angeles Lakers have upgraded Luka Dončić to probable to play on Tuesday, March 4, against the New Orleans Pelicans with right knee contusion.
Dončić is fresh off averaging 30 points on their twin wins over their crosstown rivals Los Angeles Clippers on the weekend that pushed the Lakers (38-21) past the Denver Nuggets (39-22) for the second seed in the West.
Dončić suffered the injury after bumping knees with Clippers guard Kris Dunn during the first quarter of their latest win — a 108-102 against the Clippers on Sunday, March 2. But he came back to lead the team in scoring with 29 points and tied LeBron James in leading the team in assists with nine.
Dončić was trending to playing against the Pelicans as he wasn’t too concerned about his right knee after the win.
“It was on the fall, I think,” Dončić told reporters about the knee contusion. “Just a little tight. But then I got kneed in the knee. Third straight game in the same spot, so kind of struggle on that right leg. But I’m good.”
But the constant hits and wear and tear may push the Lakers to be cautious as it may lead to a more serious knee injury.
Sunday’s win was Dončić’s eighth game with the Lakers since the shocking trade and the calf injury which sidelined him since last Christmas.
Luka’s ‘Super Saiyan’ Game vs. Clippers
Dončić was back to his old self, screaming and animated each time he made a big play.
“It just seemed like throughout the game, when we needed a bucket, when we needed him to draw a second, third defender at times, he was able to make the right play — minus the six turnovers. But he played fantastic tonight,” Lakers coach JJ Redick told reporters. “And again, it was that verve and that spirit of competition. But also just something that is — maybe it’s an inner demon, I don’t know — but it comes out and it’s fantastic for us when it does.”
Lakers guard Gabe Vincent, who scored nine points starting in Reaves’ place, likened Dončić’s stellar playmaking and primal roar to an anime character.
“You’ve got a guy in your corner going Super Saiyan, for lack of a better word,” Vincent told reporters. “And making great plays, hitting shots, it’s a lot of fun. It can give us a lot of life and we’ve been creating a lot of energy on the defensive side. And when he gets hot offensively, we feel like we can’t be stopped in that regard.”
The Lakers outscored the Clippers by 19 points when Dončić was on the court. It was the second-highest plus-minus by a Lakers player in the win next to Dorian Finney-Smith‘s plus-24.
Luka Loves Hollywood Star Treatment in L.A.
Doncic is no longer as shell shocked as he was in his intial games. He’s enjoying the adulation he’s getting from the Lakers fans and he’s reciprocated the love by giving them what he wants — win games.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Doncic is loving the star treatment from the Lakers and their fan base, which is good news when it comes to his long term future with the team.
“I think he’s loving his time in LA, I think he’s loving how the stars are being treated like stars,” Charania said on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday, March 4. “It’s Hollywood. It’s making the star players bigger than life, and that’s what we’re going to see with Luka.”
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