Luka Doncic has heard the criticism about his defense for years. His offensive brilliance has rarely been questioned, but his work on the other end has often become a talking point. However, his latest performance against the Toronto Raptors offered a different perspective on his defensive abilities, earning praise from both the Los Angeles Lakers coaching staff and his teammates.

Earlier in the press conference, JJ Redick called Doncic’s defensive display “awesome.” Walker Kessler doubled down on that assessment, describing his teammate as “incredible.” When reporters asked Luka about the compliments, he could not resist a sarcastic response. “Oh, finally, right?”

The Slovenian admitted that he is not “the best defender in the NBA.” But he also stated he was a better defender than last year. When asked whether criticism motivates him, Doncic offered a straightforward response.

“Look, people going to talk bad no matter what. So I just trying to focus on me on my team. (What) I can give to the team better. But like I said before, I think I made a huge step forward, you know, both ends.”

The reaction came after Doncic helped Los Angeles secure a 131-125 victory over Toronto on Sunday. He finished with 45 points, 15 rebounds and six assists, but his defensive numbers made the night even more remarkable. The Slovenian recorded five steals and drew three offensive fouls, becoming the first NBA player to accomplish both in the same game since player tracking began during the 2013-14 season, according to StatsWilliams.

The timing of Luka Doncic’s performance is particularly interesting. Reggie Miller spoke on the Slovenian’s defensive ability during NBC’s broadcast of the Lakers’ matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers.

“Look at his defense here… Just show me the effort. I’ll take it. You know, I’m not telling you to be Jrue Holiday on the defensive end, but show me that you care a little bit for the guys behind you, and they’ll respond,” Miller said.

The criticism came when Luka Doncic was defending Damian Lillard on the perimeter and wanted the Lakers guard to take more responsibility instead of allowing his teammates to compensate for defensive breakdowns.

Luka Doncic’s latest outing offered a pretty convincing response. Five steals alone would have made for an impressive defensive contribution. Drawing three charges on top of that demonstrated another side of his commitment. This performance was particularly history-making.

And the defensive performances from the Slovenian are not limited to just one game. Through six games, Luka Doncic was averaging 1.83 steals and 7.83 defensive rebounds.

Those numbers highlight his activity around the ball and his importance on the defensive glass. Lakers coach JJ Redick was the first to appreciate his six-time All-Star after a win against the Raptors.

“He’s been awesome on defense. I think, you know, even just his on-ball throughout this early stretch of games has been really good just in terms of containment.”

Walker Kessler, who finished the Raptors game with 16 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks, was particularly impressed by his teammate’s contribution.

“He had five steals and three charges. Incredible. Just incredible. Luka doesn’t get enough credit for his defense. He’s a very high-IQ individual when it comes to being on the court. So, his positional defense is being in the right spot at the right time, and it is really good.”

Opponents can still test Doncic through switches and pick-and-roll situations. Sometimes in isolation he will have no answer, just like in his moment against Stephen Curry. But the attention to improve his defensive responsibilities will only help solve Redick’s point of attack defense.

The Lakers are only seven games into their campaign, so one historic performance cannot erase years of defensive criticism. However, Luka Doncic has given JJ Redick, Walker Kessler, and his teammates another reason to believe in his development.