By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Luka Doncic guided the Los Angeles Lakers to a 2–0 start in the 2026–27 NBA Regular Season, despite personal struggles.
“Obviously, my game was terrible,” noted the Slovenian superstar after committing a career-high 11 turnovers against the Los Angeles Clippers in crypto.com Arena on Friday. “Not playing a great team game by me and AR, but we have a lot of room left. So, it’s very exciting news, honestly.”
The turning point came directly after a halftime tie when the Lakers mounted a decisive third-quarter run. “I think we did some great things defensively in that second half, especially that third quarter,” explained Doncic. “We got out and ran, and got some turnovers on their side so we could score from that.”
The night also featured a matchup against former teammate Rui Hachimura, drawing a quick joke from the 27-year-old guard. “I don’t like Rui. No, it was just great to see him,” he smiled. “That’s my guy. We had one and a half, two years together. We are great friends, so it was very nice to see him.”
Doncic played 37 minutes, registering 23 points, seven assists, and six rebounds, while Austin Reaves carried the scoring load with 28 points to offset the 17 combined turnovers he shared with the Ljubljana native.
Up next, the Lakers travel to face the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center on Sunday. They have four games next week, including their Emirates NBA Cup opener versus the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center.
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