In the Los Angeles Lakers’ world, nothing is going their way. After LeBron James’ injury, the Lakers faced a 1-5 defeat in the preseason. But despite all the troubles, the Lakers have only one man to pin their hopes on: Luka Doncic. JJ Redick has tried to save Serbian for the season, but gave him two appearances to warm up, where he was brilliant with a 28-point average. But with limited minutes, Luka has been analyzing the Lakers’ game from the sidelines and found the solution to his head coach’s troubles.

Now, you see, this core of 13 who played on Friday didn’t get to play a full preseason together. ESPN’s reports say that LA purposefully held Luka Doncic out for the majority of the slate. The medical staff also gave him a modified workload for a handful of practice days, keeping his EuroBasket duty over the summer in mind. Thus, speaking to the media right after Friday’s game, the 26-year-old Slovenian addressed this ‘dress rehearsal’ before Tuesday’s tip-off against the Golden State Warriors.

“What did you get out of the dress rehearsal tonight and playing extended minutes with this group?” one of the reporters asked Doncic. “I mean, obviously, we didn’t win. Like I just said, there were a lot of good things,” Doncic clarified. “Some things we need to go through, we need to clear up. But there were a lot of good things after that first quarter. So just go from there. We have two more practices, so we need to clean up some things.”

At the end of the first half, the Lakers were leading 61-58 against Sacramento. However, the rhythm took a turn in the final quarter when the Kings played a 31-point game, thus crushing JJ Redick’s dream of winning the last of their preseason matchups. Meanwhile, the reporter is asking Luka about the team’s defensive performance, noting that Redick mentioned they need to apply closer pressure on the ball.

Where do the Lakers need growth before Tuesday’s opening night? “Yeah, I think we start a little bit slow, not being physical. When we start games being physical, that’s when we were at our best. So we need to be more physical for sure, get in the ball, pick your roles; just be more physical,” Doncic said. Thus, the new era of the Sacramento Kings without De’Aaron Fox seems to have overpowered the Purple and Gold by just a point.

The Lakers’ defensive struggles against the Kings cost them dearly, as Sacramento shot 54.7% from the field and 44.8% from three while scoring 48 points in the paint versus 40. The Kings outrebounded the Lakers 40-33 overall and 35-25 on defense, securing second-chance opportunities. Despite forcing 16 turnovers, the Lakers only committed 21 fouls, showing soft physicality. Luka’s call for early intensity, on-ball pressure, and pick-and-roll focus perfectly explains how these stats exposed them.

Los Angeles played well for most of the game on Friday, but still lost to the Kings 117-116 in the preseason final game. Doncic scored 31 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists. Meanwhile, Rui Hachimura added another 18, besides Gabe Vincent and Marcus Smart, who added 14 points each. Austin Reaves struggled with 8 points to his name, whereas Jaxson Hayes notched 6 points. But sadly, he didn’t return in the second half because of a right wrist contusion. However, there was a good side to things in the matchup as well.

Critics might say it’s not enough for a team like the LA Lakers, but for Luka Doncic, it was the highlight. The number of assists that LA picked as a team might be one of their best so far in the preseason. The offense could’ve been better, for sure. But the joy of basketball? No, it’s not fading as long as Doncic takes on the floor with 77 stitched across his chest.

Luka Doncic points out the important progress in LA’s assists after Friday’s loss against Sacramento

The media highlighted how impressive the team’s passing and ball movement had been on Friday and in the preseason. Meanwhile, one of the reporters wanted to know what Luka thought was driving this style. How important was it, and how will it impact the regular season?

“I think it’s very important. 28 assists, I think that’s amazing. I know we could have a lot more. I missed like three or four laps, they’re normally good,” Doncic explained. “But I think it’s great. There was a lot of possession, everybody touched the ball, everybody was moving. So I think it’s very important to bring that into the regular season.” 

Rui Hachimura carried L.A.’s scoring with five of their first 12 points, yet the team racked up 28 assists, showing fluid ball movement and shared possession. Luka’s praise for everyone touching the ball and moving connects directly to these stats. This shows that teamwork and precision make high-level offense possible and vital for the regular season.

However, physicality remains the No. 1 priority for the Magician now heading into the 2025-26 regular season, Tuesday onwards. Luka Doncic might have lost the game, but he won the moment. With his 31-point brilliance, sharp court vision, and calm command, he turned a preseason defeat into a lesson in rhythm and resilience. The Lakers may still be ironing out the edges, yet their chemistry glimmers through every pass. Now, as Tuesday looms, Luka’s message is clear: bring the fire early, and the wins will follow.