The Los Angeles Lakers secured a dominant 123-100 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night, with Luka Doncic leading the way in his best performance since joining the NBA franchise. The All-Star guard recorded his first double-double as a Laker, finishing with 32 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists. After the game, Doncic responded to head coach JJ Redick’s pregame challenge, in which Redick urged him to have a “blackout moment”.
The “blackout” moment is one of those stretches where he completely takes over. “JJ told me, ‘You gotta have one of those blackout moments you have,’” Doncic said. “I think I had one. Just felt like me a little bit, so I was happy.”
And he certainly did. Doncic looked like his dominant self, drilling step-back threes and igniting the crowd with his signature celebrations—reminiscent of his best moments with the Dallas Mavericks. There had been concerns about his shooting struggles since arriving in Los Angeles, but given his adjustment to a new system, teammates, and coming off a lengthy injury, this breakout performance could be just the beginning.
JJ Redick’s challenge: the blackout moment
Before the game, Redick spoke about what he wanted to see from Doncic moving forward. According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, the Lakers coach issued a direct challenge to his star guard ahead of the matchup against Denver.
Head coach JJ Redick of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts during the first half of the game against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center.
“I told Luka to have a ‘blackout episode’ against the Nuggets and to ‘scream at no one in particular,’” Redick said. “That’s the Luka I know. That’s the killer.”
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Doncic delivered exactly what his coach was looking for, controlling the game with his scoring, passing, and energy, as the Lakers picked up an important win in the Western Conference playoff race.
LeBron on his chemistry with Luka
There were initial concerns about whether Doncic and LeBron James could coexist, with some questioning whether their playing styles and ball dominance would clash. However, James made it clear that their partnership is already clicking—and that the rest of the NBA should take notice.
“I’m a natural-born wide receiver, and he’s a natural-born quarterback. So, it fits perfectly,” James said. “I’ve been running the floor, 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 just all about eye contact—him being the great quarterback that he is and me being the recipient of it.”
With Doncic finding his groove and his connection with LeBron strengthening, the Lakers are shaping up to be a dangerous threat as the postseason approaches.
