Despite not playing, Luka Doncic was the protagonist in the friendly between the Lakers and the Mavericks in Las Vegas. The point guard rested after having made his preseason debut the day before against the Suns. It would have been the second game on consecutive nights, an unnecessary effort at this stage. But even dressed in a tracksuit, the Slovenian player was in the spotlight in the reunion with his former team.
Doncic greeted all his former teammates and joked with many of them before the game. The point guard, who did a bit of on-court work, looks very fit and well-defined. He has gained mobility, endurance and even jumping ability. His work in the summer was even praised by Jason Kidd, his former coach with the Mavericks. “What he has done with his physique is extraordinary. His game has improved. We respect his work,” he said.
The Slovenian took his physical improvement very seriously and the results are evident. He arrived at the Lakers’ preseason weighing 110 kilograms, a figure offered by the Los Angeles franchise. Last year, at this time, the Mavericks put his weight at 104 kilograms. Either Dallas lied by taking weight off their then-star or he has gained a great deal of muscle. It’s probably a mixture of both.
Doncic’s weight was one of the most talked about issues after his trade to the Lakers in February. He was criticized by the Mavericks for how little he took care of his body. His complicated departure from the franchise meant that the two duels in which he faced his former team in the regular season were marked by the morbid.
The Angelenos won both and in one of them the point guard scored 45 points.
Minimize its effects
Looking ahead to the upcoming season, the Mavs will try to minimize the effects of a fitter-than-ever Doncic with MVP aspirations. “He’s in front of us now, and he’s going to try to beat us, and we’re going to try to beat him. That’s what competition is all about. But you have to recognize what he has achieved this summer: he is working and wants to be the best. We will face him four times and try to stop him”, said Kidd.
You have to recognize what he has achieved this summer: he is working and wants to be the best
With Doncic on the bench and LeBron James injured, the Lakers succumbed in the Las Vegas friendly by a resounding 94-121. The 8-37 run in the last quarter was devastating. Anthony Davis, the piece for which the Los Angeles team traded the Slovenian in the mega-trade, scored 18 points and nine rebounds, while the stellar rookie Cooper Flagg scored 13 points. For the Lakers, the top scorers were Gabe Vincent with 22 and Rui Hachimura with 19.
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