Luka Doncic Struggles on the Court: Lakers Confident He’ll Bounce Back and Find His Shooting Rhythm

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Luka Doncic struggled during his third game with the Los Angeles Lakers, finishing with just 14 points in a tough 100-97 loss to the Charlotte Hornets. LeBron James also had an off night, but the team isn’t panicking.

In this game, Doncic shot only 5-for-18 and missed all but one of his nine three-point attempts. He added 11 rebounds and eight assists but had a rough time with six turnovers and five fouls in 33 minutes of play. This was his longest game since joining the Lakers in a major trade from Dallas.

“I was a bit rusty,” Doncic admitted. “I started with four or five turnovers. That can’t happen. I just need to play basketball the right way.”

Doncic’s return comes after a long absence due to a calf strain he suffered on Christmas Day. Fans cheered for him, hoping to see the scorer they know, but often groaned at missed shots.

In his three games with the Lakers, Doncic has struggled overall, hitting just 16 of 45 attempts and making only 5 out of 24 three-point shots. His two home games have been particularly tough, with just two makes out of 16 three-point attempts. The back-to-back losses to the lower-ranked Utah and Charlotte teams are concerning for a squad that had been winning before the recent slump.

Despite this setback, James remains unfazed about Doncic’s performance. “This is only his third game back since Christmas and with our team,” James explained. “He’s still learning our plays and coverages. It’s going to take some time, but we’re figuring it out together.”

Even amid his struggles, Doncic had some bright moments against Charlotte. He led the Lakers in rebounds and had the best plus-minus rating at plus-13, showing he can still contribute positively on the court.

“He needs to be himself because he’s one of the best players out there,” teammate Austin Reaves said. “It will take some time to get back into the groove, but we’ll figure it out.”

When the game was on the line, Doncic passed the ball to James for what would be the final attempts. “He was in rhythm, so we went with him,” Doncic stated. “It can switch back and forth depending on how the game goes.”

Doncic joined the Lakers on February 2 when they traded Anthony Davis to the Mavericks. Before the All-Star break, he played limited minutes to ease back into action.

After the loss to Charlotte, the Lakers were off to Portland for their next game and have a matchup against the Denver Nuggets shortly after. One exciting game ahead is against the Mavericks on Tuesday.

“I’m thrilled to be part of this great team,” Doncic said, looking toward the future. “It’s going to take some time to adjust, but I’m happy to wear this jersey.”

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