The Los Angeles Lakers continue to see Luka Doncic play MVP level basketball and get respect from his opponents. A strong Sunday night victory over the Toronto Raptors saw Doncic leading the way with an astonishing 45 points. The Lakers improved to a 5-2 record as one of the better NBA teams in the overall standings after almost two full weeks.
Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic revealed praise for Luka torching his defense to the point where they had no answer for him:
“We were on the body, we had two hands up, we had two people on him (at times). We made it as hard as it gets. He’s so big and he can shoot over anyone on the court. Credit to him.”
Toronto couldn’t do anything to limit Doncic and couldn’t even stop him when double teamed. This shows the Lakers’ plan for the season to overwhelm defenses with Luka’s superstar play. Austin Reaves then gets easier shots as the second star who benefits from Doncic.
The Lakers also invested in some role players who can hit three pointers to make double or triple teaming a tougher process. Center Walker Kessler had another strong game of 16 points on 100% field goal shooting due to Luka’s offense leading to wide open looks under the hoop.
Can Luka Doncic Keep This Historic Pace?
Early stats compare Doncic’s high usage role in the Lakers offense historically to James Harden tenure on the Houston Rockets. Some pundits believe that Houston always failed in the playoffs during the Harden era due to their superstar running out of gas by the finish line.
Concern is there that Luka will have to continue playing at a faster pace and with higher usage for the Lakers to keep winning. This style of play often fails players when facing a more well-balanced offense like the Rockets or San Antonio Spurs this season.
Regardless, Doncic is playing like the best offensive player in the world, and it is hard to move on from that. Head coach JJ Redick is not going to stop Luka from playing this level of basketball out of fears for previous scenarios involving other teams and players.
NBA’s Best Defensive Minds Praising Luka Doncic
A coach praising Doncic is not that crazy, but the extent of which Darko did was fascinating. Toronto’s defensive scheme helped Scottie Barnes progress into an elite defender and someone capable of a Defensive Player of the Year Award.
The Raptors have good game planning to at least make things tough for the opposing star players they face. Doncic could not be denied and continues his legacy of elite scoring from the Dallas Mavericks start to his current Lakers tenure.
Opposing teams must decide between leaving others open for the Lakers via double teaming or letting Luka thrive in single coverage. The offseason moves have paid off so far, but time will tell how much it can work in a playoff setting. Pressure is on Doncic to prove this playing style can lead to an NBA Championship in the modern NBA.
Raptors Coach Praised Luka Doncic For Destroying His Game Plan