Luka Doncic led the Lakers with 33 points in Saturday’s 105-104 win over the Orlando Magic, highlighting team effort in the final moments. He said, “I saw Smart under the basket like saying it’s good… we had the whole confidence in him. It was a lot of guys that made a great play, you know, LeBron with the cut to make him open, Smart with the pass… it was beautiful to see.”
Reflecting on the team’s nine-game streak, Doncic credited chemistry as the key factor. “I honestly think just the chemistry. We’re trusting each other and that’s awesome to see,” he said. He added that even in games where the Lakers struggled, the squad found ways to secure wins. “I think I played terrible… we didn’t play good and we still… win this game was super impressive,” he noted.
Looking back at the previous loss to Orlando, Doncic emphasized growth and effort. “I think we’re in way better spot… we put in the effort in. Today, I don’t think we played good, we still came up with the win in an away game,” he said, pointing to the team’s ability to overcome adversity.
Doncic also addressed his 16th technical foul of the season, which carries an automatic one-game suspension. “I let my team down. But honestly, I wasn’t trying to. He sat at the free throw. He will f*ck my whole family and at some point, you know, it’s his basketball court. At some point, I just can’t stand. I got to stand up for myself. But I know I’ve got to do better. Hopefully it gets rescinded,” he said, clarifying that the comments that drew the technical were in Serbian.
The Mavericks star praised Luke Kennard’s clutch performance in the closing seconds. “It was pretty awesome… one of the best shooters in the NBA. We had the whole confidence in him,” Doncic said.
He reflected on how the team’s versatility has fueled the streak. “There’s sometimes we struggle to score, we struggle to defend, and we just come up with things that good teams do,” he said, highlighting trust and adaptability on the court.
Doncic’s remarks underscored the Lakers’ resilience on the road. “All nine games we’ve had… it’s awesome. We all having fun on the court,” he said, pointing to the importance of momentum and team unity as the season progresses.
The win improved Los Angeles to 46-25, maintaining their third-place position in the Western Conference. The Lakers continue their road trip Monday against the Detroit Pistons, while the Magic host the Indiana Pacers in Orlando.
