LeBron James has no qualms about Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick’s sentiment that the team’s offense should orbit around Luka DonÄiÄ.
âI think Luka needs to be the guy that controls the offense,â Redick told reporters after the Lakersâ 123-100 win over the Denver Nuggets. âAnd Bron and AR, because weâre going to stagger everybody, theyâre going to have their times to be on the ball. But all three of those guys are very intelligent basketball players, and we can create mismatches. We can get teams in the blender.â
The Lakers beat the Nuggets for the first time in their last 10 meetings with DonÄiÄ taking over on the offense that kept him engaged on defense.
DonÄiÄ exploded for a game-high 32 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and four steals, all team-highs. He shot 10-of-22 from the floor and 4-of-9 from the 3-point line. It was DonÄiÄ’s best game in a Lakers uniform after three subdued games since the trade.
The 40-year-old James took the backseat with 25 points on 11-of-19 shooting with nine rebounds and five assists.
LeBron’s ‘Don’t Fit in, Fit Out’ Message
James is fully supportive of Redick’s idea, which was essentially his message to DonÄiÄ before he made his Lakers debut.
“Luka, be your [expletive] self,” James during the pregame huddle against the Utah Jazz on Feb. 10. “Don’t fit in, fit the [expletive] out.”
“Just want him to be himself — when he gets back to himself,” James told ESPN. “Obviously, he’s been out since Christmas and I think he told me or said it to us, that’s the most he’s ever been out since he started playing basketball — because of an injury. Obviously, it’s not going to happen overnight, but I believe that in order for us to ultimately be the team that we want to be with him here, he has to have the ball, he has to be able to put us all in position, he has to be him. The seven years that we’ve seen in the NBA with Luka, we want that Luka.
“So we all have to transform our game for the betterment of him, obviously. But it’s not going to happen overnight. We know that. But my message has been, ‘Just be you. You don’t have to confine [your game] to us. We need to figure it out with you.’ Whatever he needs, I’m here. So, whatever he needs.”
After his breakout performance and the full backing of Redick and James, expect a more aggressive DonÄiÄ from hereon.
Luka’s ‘Poor Conditioning’ Rumors ‘Awakened a Beast’
The Dallas Mavericks are bracing for DonÄiÄâs revenge game as they face him and the Lakers for the first time since the seismic trade that rocked the NBA landscape.
ESPNâs Dave McMenamin reported that DonÄiÄ is extremely motivated to face his old team that discarded him like he wasnât a five-time All-NBA and All-Star player who led them to the finals last season.
âThough DonÄiÄ did not publicly comment on the constant flow of leaks from the Mavericks organization disparaging his weight and conditioning, one source close to DonÄiÄ told ESPN the comments have served as a motivator. âA beast was awakened inside him,â the source said,â wrote McMenamin.
Reports surfaced in the aftermath of the shocking trade that DonÄiÄâs on and off-court habits frustrated the Mavericks which led to his cold and abrupt departure from Dallas.
According to ESPNâs Ramona Shelburne and Tim MacMahon, a team source vented on why DonÄiÄ gained weight while playing 40 minutes a game. DonÄiÄâs latest calf injury â his fourth in his NBA career â was the last straw that led to this blockbuster trade as the Mavericks are betting his body will break down faster because of his off-court habits.
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