Three games into Luka Doncic’s Los Angeles Lakers career, critics were ready to do a victory lap.
The new arrival was hit by questions over his professionalism to try and explain why the Dallas Mavericks would part with a five-time All-Star in his prime.
GettyDoncic will be the face of the Lakers when LeBron James retires[/caption]
Doncic, who was coming off an injury when he arrived in Los Angeles, scored a respectable 44 points in his first three games as a Laker.
On Saturday came an explosion as the Slovenian put up 32 with 10 rebounds and seven assists in a blowout victory over the Denver Nuggets.
LeBron James had 25 points and nine rebounds as head coach JJ Redick‘s new deadly duo fired a clear warning to their NBA rivals.
The Lakers‘ starting five all put on a show. Forward Rui Hachimura and guard Austin Reaves added a combined 44 points.
Center Jaxson Hayes held Nikola Jokic to just 12 points in 35 minutes with 28.6 percent field-goal shooting. Per StatMuse, he never went under 42 percent against Anthony Davis, who was part of the blockbuster trade.
Doncic suggested that what fans saw against the Nuggets was just a glimpse of what’s to come.
“I think we still got a lot of improvement,” he said. “This is my fourth game.
“Chemistry takes time. We saw today that it’s getting better. So, every day it’s going to get better.”
Pairing 25-year-old Doncic with a veteran LeBron is a dream for Redick.
But after a trade for Mark Williams fell through, many felt the Lakers were short a big man.
GettyLeBron is enjoying playing alongside creative mastermind Doncic[/caption]
Doncic is a fan of Hayes, who shares the same agent, and thinks Los Angeles can make a deep postseason run.
“Our goal is to win the championship,” he insisted. “That’s our only goal, and I think we have the team for that.
“Obviously, the chemistry with me and the guys will take a little of time still. But like you saw today, I think it’s getting better and better.”
At 40-years-old, King James will know that he will be passing the crown to Doncic one day.
For now, he is enjoying life with an exceptional playmaker with a range of passing that extends over the full court.
Redick said after acquiring Doncic that his shiny new weapon would have the ball in his hands and after being teed up for an explosive alley-oop — the first of the Luke-LeBron tandem — James seems happy with the arrangement.
“I’m a natural-born wide receiver and he’s a natural-born quarterback, so it fits perfectly,” he revealed. “I’ve been running the floor and running lanes pretty much my whole life, and he’s been throwing great passes pretty much his whole life, so it’s not hard to get a rhythm when it comes to that.
“It’s all about eye contact and him being a great quarterback like he is and me being the recipient of it.”
Doncic has 23 assists so far as a Laker — eight have gone to James, with five of those in transition.
After the European inbounded to LeBron for two missed game-tying 3-pointers against the Hornets, it was suggested that the roles could be reversed next time.
And Doncic admitted he isn’t content to be the only one dishing out assists.
“Next time he’s gonna throw it,” he joked about the alley-oop.