Well, one preseason game is in the books for the Los Angeles Lakers, and certainly, there was much to like, especially for star guard Luka Doncic, who finished with 21 points in just 16 minutes and was in midseason NBA form when it came to drawing fouls–Doncic went to the free-throw line nine times on the night.
It’s a good start for a season in which Doncic will be expected to carry a heavier burden following the departure of star forward LeBron James in free agency, and is looked upon as being one of the top MVP contenders for the season. With that in mind, Doncic apparently took something of a different approach to conditioning this summer. Of course, anyone who has followed Doncic in the past knows that every training camp features stories of how he is in the best shape of his life–but this time, Redick says, it’s actually true.
Lakers’ Luke Doncic ‘Actually Ran This Summer’
Redick was asked about Doncic’s conditioning after the Lakers’ win, and said that Doncic changed the way he got into shape this summer–running first, then working his way into basketball rather than just relying on pickup games to be his conditioning work. He even poked fun at Doncic’s reluctance to do sprints.
As Redick said: “He’s great physically. I mean, the guy worked his butt off all summer. Staying in shape and actually ran this summer. Like he actually did like sprints and stuff, and came into camp in fantastic shape. I think for someone who normally plays a ton of basketball, live basketball, he didn’t do as much of that this summer by design. And we’ve seen him like, literally, every day in camp just incrementally more in rhythm.
“So, I think for him, throughout this preseason, that’s the goal. That’s the goal for all the guys but particularly for him, continue to build that game shape and continue to build that offensive rhythm.”
So far, so good. The Lakers will next take the court on Tuesday night against the Warriors.
Lakers’ JJ Redick Jabs at Luka Doncic Conditioning