Luka Doncic Was Painfully Honest About How Well He's Playing for Lakers

Tim Capurso | Feb 28, 2025

Doncic reacts after making a basket. / Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images

As far as Luka Doncic is concerned, Los Angeles Lakers fans haven't seen anything yet.

Since being dealt to Los Angeles in a blockbuster trade earlier in February, Doncic has appeared in six games for the Lakers. And he's not happy with how he's been playing.

Speaking to Spectrum Sportsnet's Mike Trudell after the Lakers' 111-102 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday, Doncic, who made an unbelievable shot falling out of bounds, offered a harsh assessment of his own play in response to a question about the improbable three-pointer.

"I mean, it's crazy," Doncic said. "I can't make a normal shot and I make that shot ... Just, at this point, who I am ... But I gotta work on the easy shots. Gotta knock them down. I'm playing horrible, so I gotta get back to it."

Doncic has certainly struggled with his shot since joining the Lakers, as his 36.5 percent mark from the field in the six contests he's played for Los Angeles would suggest. But to be fair, these games represent the Slovenian superstar's first game action since Christmas Day, when he suffered a left calf injury that sidelined him for over a month. Oh, and he had to process the emotions he felt in the wake of the Dallas Mavericks' stunning decision to trade him—and subsequent public bashing of his professionalism through the media.

Through it all, Doncic has still managed to fill the stat sheet for the Lakers—he recorded a triple double in his first game against Dallas since the trade, and is averaging nearly two steals and a block per game with Los Angeles.

As for Doncic's shot? Lakers coach JJ Redick isn't worried about it.

"We trust Luka as a shooter and as a decision-maker ... And the type of shots he's been able to create throughout his career," Redick said. "I think we've all had stretches like that. He'll find his rhythm."

"We're confident in that."

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