Luka Doncic issued an ultimatum to one of his favorite Lakers teammates, and it resulted in a winning performance.
The Los Angeles Lakers got a monumental 104-98 win over the Houston Rockets. Two of the best teams in the West put on a show to give fans an early preview of what playoff basketball will look like.
This gritty and sloppy affair was thrilling. Despite the big three of LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves not playing well offensively, they massively impacted the game.
It appears that JJ Redick’s meeting with LeBron, Doncic, and Reaves has paid dividends. Doncic led the team in scoring with 20 points, six rebounds, and nine assists.
Reaves may be benefitting from Luka’s presence, but he had a slow offensive night. However, it was one of Luka’s favorite teammates who delivered the goods on the night.
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Luka Doncic on Dorian Finney-Smith’s performance
Speaking after the Los Angeles Lakers’ win, Luka Doncic spoke about how Dorian Finney-Smith fits into their team as a shooter.
Luka apparently issued an ultimatum to Finney-Smith ahead of the game, warning him that he would take deep shots if Dorian didn’t want to.
“I just told him today, if you don’t want to shoot it, I’ll shoot it… He talks **** in practice when he shoots with me. So I don’t know why he doesn’t want to do it in the game.”
“Those players you need on a team. Never complain. You can play 48 minutes, play zero, he’s never going to say a thing. And he’s a fighter, man. I always loved him. I always love how he plays, and I’m just happy to be reunited with him.”
Doncic was poking fun at his oldest teammate, but did appreciate his performance. Finney-Smith put up a game-high 20 points (tied with Doncic and Gabe Vincent) while going 6-11 from range.
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Lakers must go on strong run
The Los Angeles Lakers moved to 46-29 for the season while staying fourth in the Western Conference. Getting a big win on the Rockets, who sit second in the West, is a huge boost.
The Lakers genuinely have a chance to clinch the second seed before the season is over. But they need a lot to go in their favor over the next few games.
They should try and win their next game against the Rockets, and a win over the Thunder would help. On top of that, they need the Nuggets to lose a few games to surpass them in the standings.
Will the Lakers get their way? There’s certainly a chance. But given how volatile the NBA season has been, it’s hard to see what’s going to happen in the next 20 days.
