Overview
- After a 111-103 win over the Pelicans, LeBron James called 27-year-old Luka Dončić the franchise player and said teammates must adjust their games to him.
- Dončić had 30 points and 10 assists while James posted 30 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in the victory.
- The Lakers improved to 23-11, placing them third in the Western Conference standings at the time of the comments.
- Dončić is on a five-game streak of 30-plus points and is averaging 33 points per game on 46 percent shooting from the field and 32 percent from three.
- James described today’s NBA as a numbers game that favors actions like pick-and-roll over isolation, as the Lakers continue to tidy defensive and organizational issues during Austin Reaves’ absence, with one report noting a recent 4-4 stretch.