Rui Hachimura reflected on Luka Doncic’s March performance after the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 127-113 on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena. “You can see he’s the MVP. I don’t really know everything about it, but I think I can only see is he’s the MVP in this league,” Hachimura said. “You know what he does, what he brings to the game, you know, every game literally.”
Hachimura credited the Lakers’ defense for the win, referencing the team’s adjustments after a previous loss. “I think we did a good job, you know, defensively. We held him, James, and, Mitchell. So, yeah, I think that was our key for the defense the whole game, and we did that.”
Asked about his own leadership role, Hachimura downplayed personal credit. “My leadership? No, I’m not leader, no. It starts with Bron, Luka, Marcus, you know, there’s a lot of vets here reading, leading the whole team. We start understanding each other better, off the court, and on the court. We have better communication now.”
The forward also commented on Doncic’s dunk and its impact on team energy. “I don’t know about that one. It was a little heavy, looked heavy. You got to walk on a little bit. He’s having fun. Especially this March, he’s been amazing. He does literally everything.” Hachimura emphasized how Luka’s energy boosts the roster. “It definitely helped us, you know, the whole team, the chemistry, the mood, vibes. Especially in a long season, it’s hard, but he brings good energy, fun vibes. It motivates us.”
Deandre Ayton’s presence on the boards also received praise. “We need those things he does on the court. He’s a very unselfish player. Just being there, using his body to protect the rim, getting offensive rebounds, whatever we miss. So yeah, it’s been great.”
Hachimura addressed upcoming matchups against the Oklahoma City Thunder. “We have two more games with the Thunder. They’re the championship team, defending championship team, so it’s going to be a good test for us. Especially last time we played them, we lost quite properly.”
The Lakers extended their home winning streak to 10 games. “We need that,” Hachimura said. “We understand how important the fans are, how much the way they cheer the whole team matters. That’s what we need for playoffs. It’s a great way to end the season and connect to the playoffs.”
Regarding defensive strategy, Hachimura highlighted teamwork. “It’s a team defense. When those guys have the ball, you see three, four bodies literally in front of them. That’s what we need to do as a team. We’ve been doing a good job, and that’s why it’s been working.”
Luka Doncic led the Lakers with 42 points and 12 assists. Deandre Ayton contributed 18 points and nine rebounds, while Austin Reaves added 19 points. LeBron James, Jake LaRavia, and Hachimura each scored 14. The Lakers secured a fourth consecutive victory and their 50th win of the season after the Phoenix Suns lost earlier Tuesday.
