Los Angeles Lakers

Luka Doncic looks to lead Lakers this season

Published

October 20, 2025

Apr 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) shoots a free throw against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first half in game five of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The NBA preseason ended on Friday. Most teams were trying to find their rhythm. The Los Angeles Lakers included.

LA had their star player, Luka Doncic, back for two games, as they tried to get their team to gel together before the start of the regular season.

Related: Lakers announce starters for opening day

On Friday, the Lakers played their last preseason game against the Sacramento Kings and Doncic went off for 31 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Despite this performance, the Lakers fell to the Sacramento Kings 117-116.

Luka Magic getting after it early 🪄 pic.twitter.com/BFB6lgS9cJ

— NBA (@NBA) October 18, 2025

In the preseason, LA finished with a 1-5 record. Doncic played in the final two games averaging 28.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game.

LeBron James is slated to miss at least the first three weeks of the season. This will put the burden more on Doncic’s shoulders.

Doncic isn’t new to this, as he shouldered much of the Dallas Mavericks’ workload for years before Kyrie Irving joined the squad.

Still, if Doncic doesn’t rise to the occasion, the Lakers could find themselves in a bad spot by the time LeBron returns, leading to an uphill battle for the remainder of the NBA season.

About the Author Published Oct 20, 2025

TITAN FREY

Titan Frey is a dedicated father to three wonderful children, whom he takes immense pride in. His passions include reading, writing, basketball, both playing and watching, and playing chess. Titan spent five years working as a journalist for the basketball website fadeawayworld.net, where he served as editor-in-chief for four and a half years. One of his most notable achievements was interviewing Chuck Cooper III, the son of Chuck Cooper, the first African American ever drafted by an NBA team, and writing a biography that has been praised as the most definitive article about Cooper’s legacy. Titan is the author of more than ten novels and the screenwriter of three produced short films. His newest young adult novel, Echoes of the Hardwood: Braxton Foxworthy’s Time‑Travelling Book Report, blends basketball history with heartfelt storytelling and is now available. Order here: https://a.co/d/bo7BYz1