Luka Doncic highlighted the collective effort that fueled Los Angeles’ 128-121 win over Memphis on Friday. “I think we have a lot of people that can close the game. Especially me and Bron, he took over today. Vando hit a big shot, Jake hit a big shot, Jaxson had a big dunk. So it’s kind of just everybody,” he said.
On the defensive end, Doncic emphasized the team’s focus in tight moments. “When the game gets tight, you kind of press up, play better defense… we’re trying to get it to 48 minutes,” he explained, reflecting on the Lakers’ ability to hold Memphis in the fourth quarter.
Doncic praised Jarred Vanderbilt’s resurgence. “Vando was shooting low 20s from three before he was pulled from the rotation… since he’s been back, he’s shooting around 50%. That’s confidence up, and if they’re going to let him shoot, we’re always passing him the ball when he’s open,” he said.
He also underlined the importance of Vanderbilt’s all-around contributions. “There’s so many other things he does for us… rebounding, steals, flex, all that stuff with a three-point shot. That’s exactly what we need for him,” Doncic said.
On Jaxson Hayes’ development this season, Doncic highlighted his pick-and-roll instincts. “The most improvement he did during the summer is just following us in the pick and roll… finding the right pocket. He’s been doing blocking shots, making dunks, all that stuff,” he said.
Discussing the impact of urgency and energy on both ends, Doncic noted, “Obviously, we started the game great… we started defending, running… those guys picked it up. They went on a big run and we managed to stay together and get the win.”
Reflecting on his and LeBron James’ scoring, Doncic said, “I think just trying to get downhill a lot more than usual… for him, he’s just playing his game, attacking whatever he sees, being efficient and helping us win the games.” Both stars scored 30 or more points for the third time in their partnership.
Doncic’s comments highlighted not only individual performances but also the Lakers’ depth and balanced attack. “It’s kind of just everybody contributing… that’s winning,” he said, underlining the collective approach that helped Los Angeles overcome a 15-point deficit.
