The Los Angeles Lakers didn’t lack effort against their crosstown rival, the LA Clippers, tonight. Instead, the fatal flaw was late-game execution, which led to a crushing 112-104 loss, which just adds to the team’s midseason woes. After the game, superstar guard Luka Doncic directly addressed the issue, pointing to an unexpected culprit: himself.

“I think the energy was there, obviously,” Doncic told reporters in his postgame interview. “I didn’t help the team enough to win this game, but I think the energy from everybody was there. Just keep them together.”

It was an unexpected admission from a superstar of Doncic’s caliber, especially after he logged a 32-point, 11-rebound, eight-assist night. That tone mattered, and the leadership he displayed was a clear point of focus for him during the summer as well, while he played for the Slovenian team in EuroBasket.

His point was clear; the effort is already there, all they need is a better alignment. That mindset showed up immediately afterward when asked about lineup combinations that showed promise. Doncic singled out two-way forward Drew Timme as as someone who is “playing the right way,” fitting into a group without forcing anything.

Timme has logged some solid performances lately, including a 21 point outburst against the Portland Trail Blazers. Over the three games before tonight, he logged a respectable 11 points per game along with 2.7 rebounds in about 18 minutes per game.

Timme has played particularly well in double-big lineups, paired with starting center Deandre Ayton and reserve forward Jarred Vanderbilt, whose energy Doncic praised.

“Obviously, Vando was unbelievable tonight,” Doncic told reporters. “Like, he’s every game fighting. So, just got to help him out.”

Luka Doncic Returns to Dallas with Respect But Faces Unexpected Circumstances

Looking ahead, the Lakers are set to head to Americans Airline Center to take on the Dallas Mavericks, which clearly puts the spotlight on Luka Doncic yet again. However, the tone of his return is significantly different compared to his return last year.

Everyone remembers seeing the emotionally charged tribute video in his first game back in April last season, and the striking image of Doncic teary-eyed on the LA bench. When asked about facing Dallas, he made it clear that the first visit had already served its purpose.

“Obviously, always going to feel like home there… But, like I say, I needed that game to move on a little bit… I always appreciate those fans. They were really, really tight. I think we had some special bonding.”

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This game marks Doncic’s second return to Dallas, but circumstances might need the game to be pushed back. The north Texas area, including Dallas, is expected to face up to half an inch of ice, heavy snow, and potential power outages as a storm rolls in on Saturday.

Dallas airports have begun sending out travel advisories before the storm, which is set to start around Friday afternoon, but we don’t know if Doncic and the Lakers will be able to make the trip in time. For now, all we can do is wait on an update regarding the situation, potentially postponing Doncic’s return to his former team.