Luka Doncic didn’t wait long to remind everyone that preseason doesn’t change his approach.
In the Lakers’ 114-110 win over the Sacramento Kings on Thursday, the six-time NBA All-Star picked up a technical foul after jawing with an official late in the third quarter. The exchange came during a timeout, when Doncic kept disputing a call and was seen trading words with referee Aaron Smith.
The flare-up was just part of a night that showed plenty of the same Doncic energy the Lakers are expecting to lean on this season. He led Los Angeles with 23 points in 25 minutes before exiting, and he also delivered one of the game’s biggest highlights with a three-pointer from near half court as the Lakers pulled out their second preseason win over Sacramento.
The technical didn’t change much about the outcome. Los Angeles still did enough to control the game for long stretches, even if the stat sheet looked messy.
The two teams combined for 50 turnovers, and the Kings grabbed 20 offensive rebounds. The Lakers offset some of that sloppiness by getting to the line 38 times and building a sizable cushion before the reserves let the lead shrink late.
Austin Reaves was back in the lineup and finished with eight points, eight assists, and six rebounds. Jake LaRavia chipped in 14 points, and Sandro Mamukelashvili led the Lakers’ bench with 19.
Los Angeles now moves on to face the Golden State Warriors in Las Vegas on Tuesday.
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One place the staff can look is the wing group, where the Lakers have been exploring bigger bodies to help stabilize those lineups and generate more defensive stops. Adou Thiero is part of that conversation as well, with the rookie trying to carve out a larger role after knee injuries interrupted his season, and the way Redick handles those combinations could shape how much trust he has in the teams deeper bench options. [Read more 🡒]
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Sandro Mamukelashvili is still getting settled with the Lakers after joining the team this summer, but he already has a clear read on two of the players shaping the group around him. He pointed to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves as central voices in the locker room, with Doncics presence helping set the tone on offense and Reaves bringing a steady, positive energy that new teammates notice quickly.
For a roster that has changed again and is trying to build toward contender status, those kinds of early impressions matter. Mamukelashvilis view suggests the Lakers are not just leaning on star talent, but on the daily habits and communication that help a new group come together, and the way Doncic and Reaves carry themselves could go a long way in making that transition smoother. [Read more 🡒]
Luka Doncic Just Raised The Stakes For The Lakers Season
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Doncic has said he is motivated to come back strong after recovering, and the stakes around his health are obvious for a Lakers group that already tasted how far it could go without him. The disappointment of watching the run end short lingers around this team, and the next question is whether Doncic can stay on the floor when the Lakers need him most. [Read more 🡒]