DENVER — Lakers coach JJ Redick knew when to identify when Luka Doncic, who was playing in his fourth game with his new team against the Denver Nuggets, was starting to feel like himself again.
After being sidelined for 6 ½ weeks because of a strained left calf, a period that included a stunning trade to the Lakers on Feb. 2, Doncic hadn’t played like his five-time All-Star self in his brief time with the Lakers.
Statistically or attitude-wise – at least overtly.
That changed in the Lakers’ 123-100 win over the Nuggets on Saturday, with Doncic having his best performance as a Laker in the team’s first victory at Ball Arena since April 2022.
“I told him [Saturday] morning that I want at least one blackout episode where he’s screaming indiscriminately at no one in particular because he’s excited,” Redick said pregame. “That means he’s back. That’s the Luka I know, the killer.”
Doncic appeared to have multiple of those “blackout” episodes en route to leading the Lakers (34-21) with 32 points (10-of-22 shooting, four of nine on 3-pointers), 10 rebounds, seven assists, four steals and a blocked shot.
The first came late in the first half after Doncic’s third 3-pointer of the game, with the 25-year-old Slovenian yelling towards the Lakers’ bench after knocking down a stepback 3 that helped give the Lakers a nine-point lead going into halftime.
The second came when Doncic knocked down his fourth 3-pointer, a stepback in transition to cap off a 10-0 Lakers’ run to put LAL up 73-62 early in the 3Q, with Doncic seemingly talking trash to a fan courtside afterwards.
Doncic essentially sealed the victory for the Lakers when he scored against Michael Porter Jr. with a circus shot in an isolation situation, putting the Lakers up 117-97 with just over four minutes left.
The Lakers had four players score in double figures.
LeBron James finished with 25 points (11-of-19 shooting), nine rebounds and five assists.
Austin Reaves added 23 points, seven assists and four rebounds while Rui Hachimura recorded 21 points (7-of-12 shooting, four of nine on 3s) and four assists, while also being the primary defender against three-time MVP Nikola Jokic.
The Lakers limited Jokic, who finished with a triple-double, to just 12 points on 2-of-7 shooting – the second-fewest points he’s scored in a game this season.
Jokic’s field goal attempts were tied for the fewest he’s had in a game this season.
He also had 13 rebounds and 10 assists, with the Lakers consistently sending double teams his way in the post, contributing to Jokic finishing with six of the Nuggets’ 22 turnovers that led to 39 Lakers’ points.
The Lakers scored 33 fastbreak points, taking advantage of the Nuggets’ ineffective ball security and poor transition defense.
The Nuggets (37-20) had their nine-game winning streak come to an end with Saturday’s loss.
Denver beat the Lakers in 13 of the previous 14 matchups entering Saturday, including the two playoff series.
The Nuggets were led by Aaron Gordon’s 24 points, five rebounds and four assists on Saturday. Jamal Murray added 19 points and six assists but also had five turnovers.