Luka Dončić has been playing at an MVP-caliber level to open the season, lighting up defenses with the kind of offensive firepower that makes even elite opponents look overmatched. But on Monday night against the Phoenix Suns, we saw a rare stumble-and it came at a moment that proved costly for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Dončić came out of the gates scorching, dropping 20 points in the first quarter for the second straight game. He looked unstoppable early, hitting shots from all over the floor and keeping the Lakers' offense humming. When he knocked down two free throws with 4:26 left in the second quarter, the Lakers had a 48-47 lead and seemed to be in control.
But then came a stretch that flipped the game on its head.
In the span of just two minutes, Dončić committed four turnovers. Phoenix pounced on every mistake, turning defense into instant offense, and by the time the dust settled, the Suns had ripped off an 11-2 run and led 58-50.
That sequence didn’t just swing momentum-it cracked the game open. The Lakers never found their footing after that.
Despite the missteps, Dončić still finished with a monster stat line: 38 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists. But the nine turnovers loomed large-and he didn’t duck responsibility.
“That was my fault,” Dončić said after the game. “No way I can have nine turnovers in a game.”
He owned it, plain and simple. And while the Lakers had issues beyond just Dončić's miscues-22 turnovers as a team, including 10 in that second quarter alone-the timing of those giveaways was brutal.
Phoenix turned those mistakes into fast-break gold, outscoring L.A. 28-2 in transition. That’s not just a stat; it’s a storyline.
The Suns ran wild off turnovers, and the Lakers couldn’t keep pace.
Even with the loss, the Lakers are still sitting pretty at 15-5, holding onto second place in the Western Conference. Their seven-game winning streak may have come to an end, but this is still a team playing high-level basketball.
Now comes the next test: a tough three-game road trip that kicks off Thursday against a Toronto Raptors squad that’s been one of the early surprises of the season. At 14-7, the Raptors are no pushover, and the Lakers will need to tighten things up-especially when it comes to ball security-if they want to bounce back on the road.
For Dončić, Monday was a reminder that even the best can have off stretches. But if his season so far is any indication, don’t expect him to stay down for long.