Most people walked away from the Los Angeles Lakers' 112-97 victory over the Dallas Mavericks with the same thought: these guys are definitely contenders. Why is that?
As far as statement games go in the 2024-25 NBA season, the Lakers have delivered more impressive victories than that one. It would not even take much to go searching for one either. The dominant win, on the road, against the Oklahoma City Thunder showed the league just how scary this Lakers team can be on their best day.
In all fairness, many were probably taking Los Angeles seriously as a contender then. However, the chatter has been louder since the win over the Mavericks. There is one key reason for that.
Hollywood's newest superstar loves the spotlight
The victory over the Thunder was a louder message from the Lakers. However, the triumphant return of Luka Doncic to Dallas was a much bigger moment. The stage was huge.
Seeing Doncic absolutely lighting up his former team reminded everyone of one crucial aspect leading up to this year's NBA Playoffs: Luka loves those big moments. It was something that Zach Lowe was reminded of when watching the game.
"If there's one sure thing in the NBA, it's that this dude is going to show up in big moments," Lowe told the audience of The Zach Lowe Show. "He might miss some ... but he is always going to show up and play well and have the courage to take the big shots. ... He was very composed, measured and surgical in the way he just shredded their defense."
Big moments are not hard to come by in the NBA Playoffs, and Doncic has always proven to enjoy them a ton. Who could forget the soul-crushing Game 7 slaughter of the Phoenix Suns that was led by the Slovenian superstar?
How about the monumental shot Doncic drained late in the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, while being guarded by the Defensive Player of the Year? The superstar point guard has brought an energy to Crypto.com Arena that is comparable to what Kobe Bryant created when it was still called the Staples Center.
Of the seasons when Luka's teams have made the playoffs, there was only one postseason run that Doncic did not raise his scoring average from his regular-season mark. The lone exception was the 2023-24 campaign, when his team made it to the NBA Finals.
The longer Luka is in Los Angeles, the more apparent it becomes that Doncic was made for the bright spotlight of the city. That will become even more apparent when this year's NBA Playoffs officially start.