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  • Luka Dominates as Slovenia Defeats Israel, Move on to Round of 16

    Lakers star Luka Dončić notched yet another dominant performance in EuroBasket 2025, as he and Slovenia defeated Israel earlier today to cap off group stage play. Slovenia had already secured a berth in the Round of 16 during their last victory against Iceland. So technically, today’s contest against Israel was not of the must-win type. With the victory, however, Slovenia afford themselves slightly better seeding than they would have had they lost today’s game. It also brings their record to a respectable 3-2, following an 0-2 start, which suggested whispers of a potential early exit for the Slovenians.

    Dončić was outstanding today, playing perhaps his best game of the tournament so far. The Slovenian forward finished the game with 37 points, 11 boards, 9 dishes, 3 steals and a block. He also committed 7 turnovers. Luka once again showcased his all-around brilliance, tallying game-highs in points, rebounds and assists. He was also quite efficient today, shooting 12 for 21, including 4-11 from downtown. The latter is still not the most ideal figure, but Luka did in fact show improvement today hitting the three, doing so more assertively. Luka got off to his customary hot start, hitting on a couple of his patented stepback threes early on. He was the catalyst behind Slovenia’s offense in the early goings, as he finished the first half with 24 points, six rebounds and six assists, while helping his side open up a double-digit lead before the break. He was once again masterful on the pick and roll, where despite constant hard hedges and traps, he consistently found the right angles to sneak pinpoint-dimes to the roll man. Slovenia’s pick and roll plays have definitely looked a bit more dynamic as of late, compared to what they were doing to start the tournament. They even incorporated some double drag action for Luka in transition, which he used to dice Israel’s defense for plenty of early offense chances. Their pick setting was also aggressive and effective, often confusing Israel by switching up screen angles.

    Today, Luka’s rhythm was on point, as he knew precisely when to be aggressive with the ball or when to create for his teammates, completely dictating the pulse of the game. Israel are no slouches either, as they’ve also secured a trip to the Round of 16. They’re also led by talented NBA player Deni Avdija, who finished with a team-high 34 points, nine rebounds, two assists and two steals. He had a good back and forth going with Luka, with Luka ultimately besting him as Slovenia came together to play maybe their best game of the group stage round.

    Slovenia received some sizeable support from their supporting cast today. Guard Aleksej Nikolic contributed 16 points and seven assists. Rok Radovic (14 points), Gregor Hrovat (10 points, seven assists) and Allen Omic (10 points, 11 boards) all reached double figures in scoring, rounding out a well-balanced offensive attack for Slovenia. Additionally, they collected 28 assists on their 37 made baskets (shooting a robust 54.4% from the court), showing vast improvements with their complimentary playmaking, outside of Dončić. This is precisely the type of effort that Slovenia will need in order to hang with the better teams in the Round of 16. They played a complete team game today, and in doing so, looked quite legitimate. We need to see more of this all-around effort if Slovenia wishes to advance deep in EuroBasket 2025. Luka played great, but so did his teammates. It was their ability to lead a multi-pronged offensive attack that made Slovenia looked perhaps their best yet in the tournament.

    Luka continues to excel in FIBA competition, and that’s a great thing to see for us Lakers fans. He’s been the best player in the tournament so far. Granted, he’s had plenty more responsibilities thrusted on his shoulders, compared to the likes of Giannis or Jokic, as Luka is clearly the engine of his team. They go as far as he takes them, and they don’t seem to have the talent to feature any ‘co-stars’. Today, however, they were able to find a balanced scoring output as a unit. They played aggressive and purposefully, giving Luka all the help he needed, in addition to his own brilliant play. This is a good recipe for Slovenia. If they can play like this, with Luka dominating, they can make some noise later in the tournament. Also encouraging was the fact that Luka seemed to get hot towards the end, and wasn’t bothered by fatigue, making three of his four three-pointers in the fourth quarter. It remains to be seen whether this type of inspired play can continue as the competition gradually gets tighter. But so far, they’ve managed to rebound, after a weak start, to finally look the part of a legitimate player in this tournament. Slovenia’s next opponent is yet to be determined, as they will kickstart the Round of 16 later this weekend. At least they go in with some momentum, and knowing Luka’s competitive spirit, he’ll want both his team and himself to be even better going forward. Let’s hope they continue to show up and show out, and ultimately make some noise in EuroBasket 2025. Until then, Go Lakers and Go Slovenia.

  • Slovenia Survive Against Iceland, Keep Tournament Hopes Alive

    Following a rocky start to EuroBasket 2025, Slovenia has rebounded strongly to bring their record to an even 2-2 in the group stages of the tournament. Today they defeated Iceland by a score of 87-79. The final score might tell a slightly different story, as this game was very closely contested for the vast majority of its duration. The resilient Iceland team brought forth a never-say-die attitude that challenged the Slovenians to dig deep. But ultimately, it was Luka and Slovenia who prevailed and as a result, will advance to the round of 16.

    Luka had a good showing once again. The Lakers Star tallied game-high 26 points, to go with seven rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block. He did have a tough night shooting though, making only 8 of his 22 attempts, and once again shooting a less-than-stellar 2-10 from distance. It’s perhaps too early to worry about the shooting numbers, but Luka has struggled uncharacteristically so far from range, bringing his overall three point shooting for the tournament to a smidge under 28% after today’s match. It could be attributed to poor shot quality, or it could be that he’s simply going through a slump, or it could be some mixture of different factors. But it should be noted that it has been by far the only downside to his play thus far, as everything else, from the scoring, to the playmaking, to the rebounding, and yes, even the defense, has been on-point so far. The important part is that Slovenia picked up the win, and will now set their sights on the round of 16. Luka also gets a few more cracks to break out with a big game from three-point range. The competition certainly gets stiffer from here, so Slovenia will need every bit of brilliance from Luka as they look to go deep in this tournament.

    It should be noted that this wasn’t an easy game for Sovenia. Coming off of the heels of a victory over Belgium, they needed every bit of this win in order to maintain their tournament hopes alive after starting just 0-2. It was a see-saw battle through two quarters, as Slovenia managed to take a 36-35 lead into the break. They opened the second half much more aggressively, eventually opening up a 60-46 lead on Iceland. But Iceland’s resilience was not to be denied, as they fought back to make it a 5 point game with over two minutes to go in the fourth quarter. A late three pointer helped the Slovenian side push their lead back to nine, affirmatively sealing the game. But credit to Iceland for hanging tough and refusing to go away easy.

    Despite the subpar shooting numbers, Luka looked very comfortable running the offense. He had some nice possessions on the pick and roll, as Slovenia has definitely gotten more creative on that end, at times running empty-side ball screens on the wing. Luka also made a couple of step-back threes, which showcased his dangerous scoring ability. I would still contend that one of the main reasons Luka is struggling from deep is because he is shooting most of those shots off-the-dribble, not to mention, Slovenia lacks the talent to deter teams from constantly doubling Luka when he has the ball. But when his step-back is going in, he certainly looks imposing. Another factor contributing to his poor shooting during the last two games is simply the fact that he’s logging alot of minutes. Because he is virtually the team’s offense, he has to play close to the entire game for Slovenia to have a chance to be competitive. It’s telling that even against lesser opponents like Belgium and Iceland, Luka still has to stay on the court for them to be competitive. They’re still not getting great production from other teammates, as guard Aleksej Nikolic (17 points) was the only other Slovenian to clock in double-digits scoring. No one else had more than seven points. It’ll be interesting to see if and how Slovenia can delegate responsibilities moving forward, as they desperately need more production from their other players, especially seeing as how they’ll be facing deeper and more talented teams in the round of 16. Today was easily Luka’s worst game of the tournament so far, scoring 26 points on 22 shots, and struggling with foul trouble for much of the first half. But even so, he still managed to robustly fill the box score, and more importantly secure a much needed win. I think they’ll need much more from Luka in order to beat the likes of Germany, France, Croatia and Greece. But then again, they’ll need much more from the entire team. Slovenia will have another match with Israel, on Thursday, before they embark to the round of 16. From a Lakers fan standpoint, Luka continues to impress both with his play and with his leadership. Even in a tough battle like today, they managed to come together to produce a badly-needed win. Now let’s see if they can collectively find that extra gear in order to go toe-to-toe with the elite European teams. Until then, let’s hope Luka continues to ball, and bring glory to his team and country. Go Lakers and Go Slovenia.

  • Luka, Slovenia Fall to France, Rebound to Beat Belgium

    Lakers superstar Luka Dončić and Slovenia continued their round of international basketball at the FIBA EuroBasket Tournament as they squared off against rival France early yesterday. Unfortunately for Luka and his side, France pulled away late on their way to a 103-95 victory. It was a closely-contested game for most of its duration, as both teams were tied at 83 apiece at around the three-and-a-half minute mark of the fourth quarter, before France went on an 8-0 run to push their lead to 91-83 with roughly two minutes remaining. At that point, they’d essentially sealed the win, for which Slovenia had no answers as they couldn’t keep up with France’s late game execution. Luka, for his part, was again terrific. He notched a game-high 39 points to go with eight boards and nine dimes, while also collecting two steals. Luka has been superb so far in these international contests, and one could argue that he’s been the best player out of any of the countries currently competing. It’s great to see from a Lakers perspective, and one has to admire Luka’s commitment to representing his country on the global stage. However, Slovenia simply lacks the horses to run with Luka against these more talented European teams, as their record now drops to 0-2 in the round robin stage. They have a long ways to go before they can confidently make any bids of going far into this tournament.

    France, their opponent, on the other hand boasts a very talented squad consisting of several NBA standouts. Among these are last year’s number one draft selection Zaccharie Richaser (who scored 12 points), big man Alexandre Sarr (who also added 12 points), and former highly touted international prospect Bilal Coulibaly (who contributed 13 points). For the game, they were led by guard Sylvain Francisco whose team high 32 points, seven rebounds and five assists paced the French side. Slovenia seemingly had no answer for him on ball screen actions. As has been the case so far in these games, teams are zeroing in on Luka when he has the ball in his hands. France was no different as they hounded the Laker’s superstar on every ball screen action, often blitzing and/or sending the early help. Luka did his part to stay aggressive and get himself to the free-throw line, where he connected on nineteen of twenty attempts. He played a great all around game offensively as well, as it’s also worthy to note that Slovenia did a better job of running some off-ball action for Luka, who had success scoring out of pin-downs, But it’s the rest of the roster that’s a problem. They simply lack the consistent stable of complimentary players that can score and defend at a high level (only two other Slovenians scored in double figures). France’s leading scorer, Sylvain Francisco (32 points), was coming off of the heels of a five point outing against Belgium. He also went on to score just 2 points during France’s next contest against Israel. Against Slovenia, he had his way and they had no answers for him. Moving forward, Slovenia will have to do a better job of defending their opponents’ lead guards who have seemingly broke down their defense at will. Their scoring saw a bit of an improvement this game, but in order to have any chance to advance in this tournament, they must up their defensive engagement.

    Fortunately for Slovenia, their next contest proved to be a fruitful one as they handily defeated Belgium 86-69. Luka was again great, registering a triple-double with a game-high 26 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists. His game had a bit of historical significance, as he finished with just the fourth ever triple-double in FIBA history. He was slightly less efficient in this game going only 9-23 from the field, including a poor 2-11 from three point range. But he was once again the driving force for his side, as only one teammate, Klemen Prepelic, finished in double digits scoring with 12 points. Against a less talented Belgian side, Slovenia did have a much more impressive showing defensively, registering nine blocks and three steals team-wide. Luka was brilliant early, as he looked to stay aggressive on the offensive end and helped push Slovenia’s lead to double digits. He scored both in transition and in isolation, and looked unstoppable during the early portions of the match, producing 19 of his team’s 43 points by halftime. He switched to more of a facilitator role during the latter part of the game, as the team already secured control of the match. The win gave Slovenia its first of group stage play, with their overall record now sitting at 1-2. Their next two games are now likely viewed as crucial, with 0-2 Iceland on the horizon, who they’ll play this Tuesday. Following a sluggish start to the tournament, Slovenia must find a way to emerge victorious in their remaining games if they wish to continue deeper into the EuroBasket Tournament. We’ll see how that plays out.

    So far, Luka has looked tremendous. He’s registered at least 25 points in all three of his contests so far, and has also been the leading scorer for all three of them. He looks comfortable, confident, aggressive and highly focused. He’s had success attacking off the dribble, and finishing at the rim. This is something we didn’t see a whole lot of with the Lakers last season. Additionally, his footwork looks superb. He’s been scoring on a healthy amount of post-ups and his fadeaway looks sharp. It’ll be interesting to see how this transitions into the NBA season. He’s been masterful on ball screens, even though he’s being doubled on most of them. He continues to turn the corner or split the double, in addition to leveraging his size to occasionally pass over the defense to the open roller. The only low point so far has been the tree point shooting, as thus far he’s only made nine of his 30 looks from deep (putting him at about 30%). This could be due to the fact that he’s settling for mostly tough shots, as no other player on his team truly commands the gravity to dissuade opponents from doubling him on the ball. I suspect he’ll get better quality looks from deep when playing for the Lakers, but it is something to keep an eye on. The playmaking and rebounding are also there, the latter of which is especially encouraging seeing how little help he currently has with Slovenia. His native side will certainly need every bit of Luka’s brilliant play to continue moving forward, as they need to start collecting some wins if the look to keep advancing in the tournament. But so far, he’s looked like one of, if not the best player in the tournament, which is is a great thing to see if you’re a Lakers fan. Hopefully he continues to have a clean bill of health (knock on wood), and continues to showcase his dazzling exhibition of international brilliance. If so, maybe the Slovenians might have a shot at making some serious noise. In the meantime, Go Lakers and Go Slovenia.

  • Luka, Slovenia Drop First EuroBasket Contest to Poland

    After weeks of exhibition contests, the FIBA EuroBasket Tournament kicked off earlier today, and saw Lakers star Luka Dončić along with his native Slovenia take on Poland during their tournament opener. Poland prevailed in a 105-95 victory, as they established an early lead which they did not relinquish for the rest of the match. The Polish side proved superior, as they featured four starters who tallied double figures in scoring, including a team high 32 points from guard Jordan Lloyd. Things continue to look somewhat bleak for the Slovenians, who went just 1-5 during the exhibition round (although they did endure a few games without Dončić, who was out with injury) and continue to look outmatched against opponents with deeper lineups. In order to make a dent in this tournament, Slovenia must look to get better production out of teammates not named Luka Dončić, otherwise it may be a short stint for them.

    Luka, for his part, was excellent today. He scored a game high 34 points, to go with 4 boards, 9 assists, 5 steals and 2 blocks. He finished with a minty 7/14 from the field, and 17/18 from the free throw line. He also shot 3/9 from distance. Luka was fighting an uphill battle all game, as he did his best to keep his side afloat. He had a nice run before halftime, eventually slicing Poland’s early lead to just one point, before the half. Poland came back with a 15-3 run to open the second half, effectively sealing the game away. However, from a Lakers-centric perspective, Luka was certainly impressive today, and that’s a great sign heading into the regular season. Physically, he looks his best in some time, and it’s also evident on the film as far as his crisp movements and ability to get to his spots with ease. Unfortunately, he isn’t getting much support from the rest of the roster, with only two teammates registering double digits in scoring. Poland was well aware of the fact that Luka is the main engine behind his team’s offense, as they consistently blitzed and trapped him on most of his pick and roll possessions. Luka was effective at splitting those double teams and getting to the middle of the floor, where he was either making mid-rangers, finishing at the rim or getting to the line at will after collapsing the defense. It’s clearly a one-man show for Slovenia at this point, as Poland pretty much ignored the roll man during most of Luka’s ball screen actions. Poland kept trapping with their big, which left a smaller guard as the low man whenever Luka split the trap, which led to many easy finishes or fouls drawn at the rim. It’s clear that Luka was being aggressive and trying to will his team to the finish line. Unfortunately, the ancillary contributions aren’t there at the moment.

    In order to maximize their offensive output, Slovenia must get more productivity from their roll man during Luka ball screens. As of right now, the roll man is simply a decoy. But even so, with Poland blitzing on nearly every ball screen, they should at least be able to short roll with their roll man, so that it collapses the defense and creates open shots for teammates on the perimeter. It looks like they might not have the personnel to play that way. With that said, they most likely will not get very far with Luka trying to split the trap and going 1v5 on every play. They simply need more activity and production from other players. This is however, unsurprising as Slovenia entered the tournament as one of the least talented squads. They also don’t seem to be the most well-coached bunch, as their offensive playcalling and sets appear to be fairly mundane. It didn’t matter much today though, as Poland simply outplayed them. They shot a scorching 59% from the field, to go with 54% shooting from range. Tough to overcome that level of efficiency from the opposition no matter how good the coaching is.

    Moving forward, Slovenia will have to regroup and find the right adjustments if they wish to make their FIBA journey a fruitful one. From a Lakers’ standpoint, it’s hard to complain about much when it comes to Luka and his play. He’s looked terrific so far, going back to the exhibition rounds. He looks slender, agile and locked in. All things that are great to see. Tonight, he was feeling the love from the Lakers’ brass, including Jeanie Buss and Rob Pelinka who were both present at courtside for today’s matchup. Can’t imagine that they aren’t pleased with what they’re seeing, as are many Lakers fans. Luka’s defense today was another high point, as he was very active as a help defender as well as disrupting the passing lanes. He generated his fair share of steals and turnovers with his defensive intensity. He’s certainly playing to win, showing the necessary commitment on both ends of the floor thus far. It’ll be interesting to see how far his team can go with Luka acting as virtually the sole driving force. With an early exit, at least we’ll see Luka head to training camp early, with some healthy game experience under his belt. But knowing the competitor that Luka is, I’d like to see them advance deep into the tournament which will yield a very locked in and sharp version of Luka for Opening Night. We’ll see how things shape out. Until then, Go Lakers and Go Slovenia.

  • Evaluating  the Lakers Roster

    After an eventful offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers seemingly have their roster set to enter the 2025-26 season. It started out with a bit of uncertainty, but the Lakers and GM Rob Pelinka managed to do a nice job to make some key acquisitions that will plug in several holes. The team started their summer spree with the acquisition of young forward Jake LaRavia, after he inked a 2-year/$12M contract with LA. LaRavia gives the team an infusion of youth and potential, as this is definitely a signing that can pay dividends for the team in the coming seasons. LaRavia can score and defend at a reasonably high level, checking two boxes when it comes to team needs. LA continued its offseason spree by landing center Deandre Ayton, who was recently coming off a buyout with the Portland Trailblazers. Ayton agreed to a 2-year/$16.6M contract, and all things considered, was probably the best realistic option for the Lakers to fill their void at the 5. They then went on to get former Defensive Player of the Year guard Marcus Smart, after he signed a 2-year/$11M deal either the team. Smart brings forth a defensive presence and a formidable force on the perimeter, which the Lakers certainly lacked last season. Additionally, the LA brought back big man Jaxson Hayes (on a 1-year/$3.5M contract), who will provide some much needed depth at the front court. The Lakers were also busy at draft night, after selecting Arkansas Razorbacks forward Adou Thiero with the 36th overall pick. Christian Koloko and Chris Mañon have also been brought in as two-way contracts, giving the Lakers some solid young clay to mold for the future, provided that they are committed to further investing in their player development programs. It’s been a fruitful summer for the team and they certainly look like a more complete roster than what they had to work with last season. 

    Of course, the signing of Luka Dončić was absolutely monumental. The Lakers now have a legitimate franchise player to build around for the next years, validating everything else they’ve done so far this summer. Next summer, in 2026, they’ll have even more cap room to add pieces around Luka and the rest off the core. Having a bonafide superstar committed to the franchise certainly gives them somewhat of a security blanket, as they’ve now checked off the difficult part; that being finding and signing said superstar to begin with.

    One of the main strengths for the Lakers is they are top heavy. They certainly don’t lack the star power. They’re led by Luka Dončić and LeBron James, arguably the best pure scorer in Luka and two of the very best playmakers in basketball. Of course, those two are flanked by Austin Reaves, who depending on who you ask, is a budding star in the NBA, and a hell of a competent playmaker himself. The combined playmaking on the team is perhaps one of the best in the NBA. Not to mention, newcomer Marcus Smart also has some ball handling chops and has experience running plays as an initiator. I don’t think that the team should have any issues scoring the ball. Additionally, the Lakers have a nice variety of players that can score the basketball. Luka, LeBron, AR, Ayton and Rui Hachimura are all capable of scoring in double figures on any given night. Scoring will definitely be a strength for this team, as they don’t lack the scorers or the playmakers to consistently keep the offense in high gear. Depending on how Head Coach JJ Redick structures his rotations, the Lakers can also boast a good bench; one which shouldn’t have significant offensive challenges. If they bring either Rui or AR as a sixth man, the team will feature a legit scorer off the bench to complement other capable defenders such as Gabe Vincent and Jarred Vanderbilt. Redick’s lineups and rotations will be key to defining the balance of the roster. The Lakers can be a deep team if they so choose to. 

    On the flip side, the Lakers as currently constructed are a very talented albeit flawed unit. For one, the team lacks a steady assortment of above average athletes on the roster. The best athlete on the starting group is likely LeBron James, who will be entering his 23rd season at age 41. The Lakers feature formidable offensive threats such as Luka and AR, but you wouldn’t exactly call any of them elite athletes. Those two win via their skill and instincts, which is terrific. But one would be remiss to evaluate this roster and overlook the lack of pure athletes. Will it hurt them? I think it will, at times. But I also think that the Lakers have enough on the talent and leadership departments to win consistently. Which leads us into another area that this roster is thin on; that being perimeter defense. Dorian Finney-Smith’s departure can definitely give the Lakers issues, just as Marcus Smart’s arrival will certainly lend a capable hand in this department. But on the aggregate, the Lakers simply don’t have a healthy stable of above average defenders, particularly in comparison to some of the other elite teams in the Western Conference, such as the defending champs OKC. The Lakers can potentially put together a nice combination of defensive stoppers. But that’s relying on several outside factors to swing their way; firstly Jarred Vanderbilt has to get back to his late 2023 form, where he was an elite team defender and disruptor. For that he needs to stay healthy. Furthermore, Marcus Smart needs to recapture his former DPOY level, and stay healthy himself. Then guys like Gabe Vincent, Austin Reaves and Deandre Ayton need to hit another gear defensively. None of them are known as perennial stoppers on that end, so it does raise some questions. Yes, I’d say perimeter defense is by far the team’s biggest question mark, and its best case scenario is dependant on numerous variables. But given their personnel, I think the Lakers can get by if the coaching staff can find a way to maximize the team’s rotations. The key will be injecting the starting unit with as many capable defenders as possible while still preserving a healthy dose of scoring, and if that means sending Rui or Austin to the bench so be it. It’s imperative for the starters to be able to defend at a high level, or at least at a competent one. Finally, the aforementioned bench unit can, in my opinion, swing both ways for LA. It could be a source of weakness, or strength. If the starting unit is too top heavy on offense, then look for the bench to be thin. But if there’s a balance established between scorers and defenders within the starters and bench group, then the bench can be a source of strength. For instance, a bench mob of Jaxson Hayes, Gabe Vincent, Jarred Vanderbilt, Jake LaRavia and one of Rui Hachimura or Austin Reaves, I think is potentially a well stocked bench unit. Furthermore it ensures that the starters are well-equipped to both score and defend at a reasonable level. As I stated previously, the effectiveness of the team’s depth will come down to how JJ Redick balances the team’s rotations.

    On the bright side, the Lakers have maintained a ton of roster flexibility moving forward. They will have most of their first round picks available to trade until 2031, with the exception of 2027 and 2029. They will also have a bevy of expiring contracts to work with, including Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, Maxi Kleber, Jaxson Hayes, with the big one of course being LeBron James. The team has positioned itself to have significant cap room during the summer of 2026, where they can potentially re-sign Austin Reaves via his cap hold, after going hunting for big names with the sizeable $50+M cap room that they’ll have at their disposal. This also means that the Lakers will have every opportunity to make a mid-season trade this upcoming season, if they feel the need to plug in a hole. They have the expiring salary plus the draft compensation to make such a trade possible. It all comes down to value vs. risk assessment, and if the team feels like foregoing 2026 summer flexibility in favor of a mid-season acquisition is worth the tradeoff. Either way, the organization has positioned itself in a fashion that affords them options and doesn’t tie them up to a specific timeline. Rob Pelinka, despite not constructing a picture perfect roster, has done an outstanding job of filling out the team via quality acquisitions with the cap room and resources that were available to him. Deandre Ayton is a terrific option at center, considering what was available. He can score and rebound effectively, and is deadly in ball screen situations as a screener and roller, which is exactly the type of piece that Luka needs in order to operate the offense. A player like Jake LaRavia also brings some much needed youth as well as a scoring punch that the team lacked last year. Marcus Smart brings the type of defensive acumen and toughness that’s needed to be a championship team. All these pieces were brought in with just the limited cap space that the team had at its disposal. It’s a very respectable haul, all things considered. Particularly after LeBron James opted in to his player option, and left very little room on the cap sheet. DFS opting out also presented an opportunity, one that Pelinka and the Lakers capitalized on. Once he signed with Houston, it opened up the entire non-taxpayer midlevel exception, which the Lakers split on both Ayton and LaRavia. Essentially turning DFS into two players. While I do think that the loss of DFS isn’t ideal, I do give the team credit for pivoting to a solid plan B. All in all, I like the outlook of the team. I think they’re a better team than last season. Their ability to add pieces without surrendering assets gives them some much needed cap flexibility moving forward, therefore, we can still look at this team as an unfinished product. Even though it already is a good one. 

    Realistically, what can we expect from this Lakers team? Well, I think that from a big picture standpoint they’re in a better spot than they were last season. You also have the added security of having locked up a player the likes of Luka Dončić. Last season, the Lakers finished as the 3rd seed in a competitive Western Conference. I strongly believe the Lakers should be a top 4 seed next season. Anything below a top 5 seed would in my opinion be a disappointment. We also have to account for other teams in the conference like the Rockets and Nuggets improving. With that said, I think the Lakers have improved as well, so I expect them to be in the mix of teams behind OKC, who are the cream of the crop in the Western Conference. Finally, if the team feels like it’s a move away at the deadline, they have positioned themselves to have the flexibility and ammunition to pursue such a scenario. This would further close the gap between them and teams sitting in front in the standings. I expect the Lakers to improve upon last season’s early playoff exit, and they have the talent and the coaching to make that happen. Some things will need to break their way, namely health. But if they can stay healthy, they are definitely a top team in the West, with plenty of flexibility for improvement. Go Lakers. 

  • Luka, Slovenia Dominated by Jokic, Serbia in Final Exhibition Matchup

    After a string of great performances on the international stage, Luka Dončić and his native Slovenia came back down to earth at the hands of Nikola Jokic and his Serbian side. It wasn’t a particularly close game either, with Serbia prevailing by a final score of 106-72. The game was in Team Serbia’s control the entire way with Slovenia failing to keep up with the skill and pace of their opposition. Dončić had looked mighty impressive in the last couple of games that he played, but on this one, against a strong opponent, he did struggle a bit. But so did the entire Slovenian squad, who were completely outmatched by a more balanced and talented group, one led by three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic.

    Luka Dončić had a relatively decent game, finishing with 17 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. He once again struggled shooting the deep ball, tallying just two makes on 10 attempts. Similarly to last game against Great Britain where he had an off night shooting the three. As is customary for Luka, he did get off to a hot start, scoring 11 points in the first quarter, keeping his side within striking distance. But Serbia’s overwhelming talent kept on pouncing, and by halftime they’d grown their lead up to 28 points. Serbia boasts a very talented roster, one that features no shortage of NBA talent, including the aforementioned Jokic, the Heat’s Nikola Jovic and the Clippers’ Bogdan Bogdanovic. They have no trouble scoring the basketball, even when Jokic isn’t involved. In fact, it was Jovic who led the way with 18 points and 7 boards, alongside Bogdanovic, who scored 14 points on 4-5 from three. Jokic was relatively quiet, scoring 10 points and grabbing 8 boards. He did however control the tempo early on and was instrumental in growing his team’s lead.

    Serbia made sure to clamp down on Luka defensively, often collapsing the defense on his drives to the basket. Slovenia doesn’t have the personnel to make defenses pay in that regard. They don’t have the shooters to space the floor, nor do their other players operate aggressively off ball. Against talented teams like Serbia, Slovenia should look to play aggressively, and they certainly didn’t do that. It is just an exhibition game so we’ll see how they fare next. They do have a mere 1-5 record thus far, with the lone win coming last game against Great Britain, who aren’t one of the premier teams in this tournament. We’ll see how things shake up. But one thing we do know for sure is Slovenia doesn’t have the talent win when Luka is having an off-night, or when he isn’t dominating offensively. In order to win, and to stand a chance against the more talented opponents, Luka has to be his usual MVP caliber self.

    This game unfortunately did very little for Serbia or their chances for success in this tournament, dropping them to just 1-5 in exhibition play. It also laid a blueprint for other teams who will be playing Slovenia in the near future; they can simply load up on Luka and watch his teammates try to create offense, which they haven’t been able to do consistently at this point. The exhibition portion of the tournament is now over, and actual tournament games are set to kick off on August 28th. Slovenia will play Poland to kick-off EuroBasket 2025. For us Lakers fans, they key here is Luka, and how he’s looking and how he’s playing. So far he’s looked great. It’s been good to see his mobility and crispness back to peak levels, not to mentioned the bodyweight he’s shedded which has enabled this. Tonight he had a bad game, but he looked great and has looked great so far in these exhibition contests. That is certainly a good sign. Let’s hope he can sustain that level of play when the intensity and magnitude of these games increases. I think Luka will continue to get swarmed by opposing defenses, especially as games become more crucial. So it’ll be up to his teammates to respond by making defenses pay, thus giving themselves a chance. Hopefully Luka has a strong rebound game against Poland to get his confidence back, and his team’s. Until then let’s just hope the great play continues and the health sheet remains clean. Go Slovenia.

  • Lakers Assistant Greg St. Jean Thinks Luka Still Has Room to Improve

    Luka’s dedication to his physical fitness this summer has been no secret. We’ve heard the reports all offseason regarding his workouts, his diet plan as well as his overall commitment to getting in the best possible physical shape. The hard work is clearly showing, as Luka’s looked great during the 2025 EuroBasket exhibition games thus far. He was particularly dominant in his last game against Great Britain, where he tallied a stat line of 28 points, 6 rebounds and 10 assists in 28 minutes, en route to a 93-81 victory. Luka clearly has listened to the critiques slung his way, and is determined to prove this season that he’s one of the best and brightest stars in basketball. But despite Luka’s progress, and newfound outlook on his physique, Lakers’ assistant coach Greg St. Jean believes that there’s still room for improvements.

    St. Jean has known Luka for a bit, having worked with the Slovenian star dating back to his days with the Dallas Mavericks. When speaking to Edvinas Jablonskis of BasketNews, the Lakers’ assistant had the following to say:

    “I think it’s still a work in progress, I think the summer’s not over yet. And he’s going to continue to get better. I think we’ll continue to see as he gets more in-game shape with some rhythm.”

    “He’s been doing a lot of training, and now he’s going to be playing five-on-five competition. His game last week was the first time he’s played five-on-five in a long time.

    “So it’s a work in progress. We’ll continue to see him play more and more, and as the tournament progresses, and then getting ready for the Lakers season”.

    This is a very important statement, in my opinion. It shows that Luka is deeply committed to having a great showing for his team this season. It also shows that he’s still trying to improve his conditioning, and doesn’t view his current state as a finished product. He’s obviously been paying attention to the murmurs and comments made regarding his conditioning and overall commitment to his game. Luka has in turn made this summer all about showing what type of player he is. Being that he’s a great competitor, he isn’t pleased with the negative chatter and is determined to show the naysayers why they’re wrong about him. Can’t ask for anything more if you’re the Lakers, or Lakers fans. A pissed off and motivated Luka is the best Luka.

    It’s a good thing that Luka’s phycial progress has been reinforced by the game film. It’s been great to see him with his native Slovenia these last couple of weeks, where his game has looked razor-sharp, recalling flashes of some of his better years with the Mavs. There’s a crispness to his movements on the court, and his footwork certainly looks better than it did last season, which dropping weight can certainly accomplish. It’d be quite the sight to see an even slimmer and conditioned Luka at training camp in October versus where he is currently at. It would also show the basketball world that he is motivated to come back next year and perform at the highest possible level, possibly vying for legitimate MVP considerations. Luka knows he is a Laker now and that comes with certain responsibilities. Among those is being the face of the franchise on a platform with such a global visibility.

    Like all the Lakers greats before him, he understands the task and wants to shine in that spotlight. If he brings this same attitude into 2025-26, there is no reason why he can’t own that spotlight in a way that will elevate both his brand and the organization’s. So far Luka has made all the right decisions when it comes to being LAs new face of the organization. He’s kept quiet, kept his head down and worked to get better at his craft. He was already a great player last season, but he clearly isn’t satisfied with that. We can only hope that his type of motivation permeates through the season and through the locker room, as it’s the star player’s job to always lead by example. Until then, let’s hope Luka continues showing out on the international stage and continues making progress on his offseason. Go Lakers.

  • Luka Continues to Dominate on the International Stage

    A week after being sidelined by a brief injury scare while playing for team Slovenia, Lakers star Luka Dončić had himself a night during an exhibition tune-up against Great Britain. The Slovenian superstar finished the game with 28 points, 6 boards, 10 assists and 3 steals in an economic 28 minutes of action. Slovenia would go on to earn the victory, 93-81, marking their first triumph in Euro Basket exhibition play so far. The tournament’s matches are set to start on August 28th. Luka was in his bag all game, displaying his all-around brilliance and knack for filling up the scoresheet. This is a great sign for the LA Lakers, seeing as how Luka looks not just dominant on the court, but in outstanding physical shape. If he comes to training camp looking like this, he’s going to be a problem, for the opposition.

    Luka displayed all the elements that make him a great player during Slovenia’s matchup versus Great Britain. The post ups were sharp, the footwork was clean, the finishing crafty and the passing was ingenious. As is customary for Dončić, he got off to a hot start, scoring 21 of his total points in just his first 11 minutes of action. He then took his foot off the gas scoring-wise, and focused more on executing the pick and roll, whipping passes to open teammates. He was still able to control the pace of play when not scoring, as evidenced by his game-high assists total. The three point shot wasn’t quite there, shooting a mere 2-11 from distance. But those things always seem to even out. What’s important is Luka is looking sharp and healthy, which bodes extremely well for LA this upcoming season.

    After Luka’s brief injury scare against Latvia, last Wednesday, it’s great to see the Slovenian star back on the floor and looking like his old self. It’s also good that his team is monitoring his minutes so as to not overwork him throughout these exhibition games. But Luka is still filling up the statsheet in his limited minutes. Seems like the best of both worlds, Luka impresses while not logging a ton of minutes. He definitely seems locked in and focused. If he continues playing like this, he might actually carry Slovenia far in this tournament, despite the tougher competition when it comes to the likes of Germany and Serbia. It should be interesting to see how this tournament progresses, as Slovenia will take on Croatia, who are led by 3-time NBA MVP and NBA Champion Nikola Jokic, for a final tune-up before they kickstart the EuroBasket tournament on August 28th.

    It will be an uphill battle for Slovenia for sure, as they don’t have the depth to match-up with some of the better teams in the tournament. However, with this version of Luka, the playing field could well be levelled. He’s the type of player that can carry a team by running the offense and creating room for his teammates by way of his gravity. Because of the attention he draws with the ball in his hands, he can set up open shooters or hit a hard-rolling big in the paint for a dunk. So as long as Luka has the ball in his hands, Slovenia should have a puncher’s chance, because he’s just that type of player. From a Lakers-centric perspective though, these games aren’t as much about winning or losing as they are about Luka showing out and staying healthy. If those two things continue then things are looking up. In the meantime, let’s hope Luka’s international tenure helps motivate him to arrive sharp for training camp. Go Lakers, and Go Slovenia.

  • Adou Thiero Is Expected to Be Healthy For September Training Camp

    Los Angeles Lakers rookie forward Adou Thiero is said to be healthy for training camp. The Lakers traded for Thiero on draft night after the Brooklyn Nets selected him with the 36th overall pick in the second round of the 2025 NBA draft. Unfortunately, Thiero sustained a knee injury which kept him out of this year’s Summer League games, but he’s poised to return to the court ready for training camp and preseason. At 6″6, Adou Thiero is an intriguing prospect. He’s quite raw from a skillset standpoint, but he does have a ton of upside. It’s still unknown as far as what we should expect from Thiero this season, his rookie season. But he does possess the tools to potentially be a valuable contributor for this team moving forward.

    Thiero is an explosive athlete. His bounce and first step truly jump out of the film when watching him play. His speed and quickness allow him to be constantly active on defense and disrupt passing lanes. He has fairly good defensive instincts as well, which allows him to generate a healthy amount of turnovers. Then on the other side, he’s a tremendous finisher at the rim, with a robust dunking/finishing package to boot. He runs the floor well, and should be a natural fit playing alongside Luka Dončić in transition. He also happens to blessed with a formidable athletic profile, which you can see when he glides across the court with ease, or when he utilizes his wingspan to create turnovers, or when he finishes a vicious dunk after running the floor in transition. One of the main weaknesses this team will have to contend with is their general lack of athleticism, particularly on the wing. Thiero potentially addresses that by being a long, rangy and springy defensive specialist, while still having plenty of room to grow on the offensive side.

    Thiero’s main drawback is of course his shooting. He’s not a floor spacer at this point in his career, having shot just 25% from beyond the arc during his final season at the University of Arkansas. He shot just over 28% for his collegiate career. Thiero is still raw and unpolished as an offensive player, excelling mostly when he can utilize his great athletic gifts, and doesn’t have to deploy a specific skill, such as shooting the ball. He’s also lacking as a ballhandler, however, as an off-ball player, which he’ll mostly be utilized as, this is not his biggest issue. In order for him to reach his full potential, he must work himself into a resectable long range shooter, as well as someone who can knock down an open three. If he can ever be a corner specialist, with that type of defensive ability, he’ll be a pro for a long time.

    Adou Thiero is of course a Klutch Sports client. So it raises the question, did the the Lakers draft him based on merit, or to curry more favors with Rich Paul, LeBron’s long time agent and head of Klutch Sports? Who knows. But if Thiero can play, and fill a gap on this team while being a steady contributor, none of this will matter. He’s certainly a project at this stage, and I would venture to say that his expectations for this upcoming NBA season should be placed on the lower end of the spectrum. But he is a strong athlete, with a great finishing package and a defensive mindset that can make him very valuable to this team. The Lakers need willing defenders, who are above average athletes to build around Luka Dončić. Thiero certainly fits into that profile. The key for him will be evolving into a legitimate half-court threat on offense, so that he can keep the defense honest, and open things up for himself. It’s not a terribly dissimilar spot from the one Jarred Vanderbilt finds himself in. If Thiero can improve his shot-making as well as his finishing at the rim, he’ll work himself into a very sought after role player. For a second round selection, I think he brings great value and potential, while mitigating the risks involved with young prospects. Even though it might take him several years to reach his ceiling as a player, he can potentially fill an empty niche on this Lakers roster in the future, and if he does, the Lakers will have gone a long way to addressing their lack of athleticism and defense on the perimeter. Hopefully he shows us something in preseason. Go Lakers.

  • Update: Luka Avoids Serious Injury While Playing Internationally

    Lakers star Luka Dončić suffered what could be considered a bit of an injury scare while playing internationally for his native country of Slovenia. The incident happened during a play of an exhibition contest against rival Latvia last Wednesday, during a defensive possession. One of his teammates was chasing his man on a ball screen, opting to go over the screen and attempt to stay in front of his man, before eventually losing his footing and colliding with a helping Luka in the paint, eventually knocking both to the ground. The play took Luka out of action for the rest of the game, as he clearly looked to be in some discomfort, after having a player run into his knees, inadvertently. Player collisions involving the lower extremities, specifically the knees is no joke. These plays could result in guys getting hurt. Scary as it was, Luka received some great news from the team’s medical staff, as he appears to have avoided any serious injury. The Slovenian National Team had the following to say in a press release, “After the match in Riga, the team will continue preparations for EuroBasket on Monday – already on Tuesday, a clash with Great Britain awaits us at Arena Stožice. The team will also be joined in training by captain Luka Dončić, who fortunately finished the game against Latvia without injury”. Needless to say, that’s fantastic news for Luka Dončić and the Los Angeles Lakers, who just recently inked the Slovenian superstar to a 3-year/$165M extension.

    Injuries are a part of the game of basketball. But it’s still a source of anxiousness for both the Lakers and the fans to endure to see star players going at full intensity during international exhibition contests. Safe to say the organization and fans will be keeping a close eye on these contests, as they progress. They are still at the exhibition stage, and the actual games will begin shortly. The Lakers have a championship ambition, after re-signing Luka, and obviously that wouldn’t be near a possibility if he sustained a serious injury. So we all just hope for the best.

    In other news, of a positive note, Luka looked GREAT. He scored 26 points against Latvia, before exiting the contest midway through the 3rd quarter. He has looked phenomenal in his first two games with Slovenia thus far, looking to be in his best physical condition in quite some time. His movement and execution on the floor is looking razor sharp, and that’s a great thing for Luka and the Lakers. The 26-year old will look to rejoin the Slovenian roster in practice this Monday, as they look to finish out their round of contests. Hopefully these games are merely a tuneup for Luka, and he can come in to training camp in game shape, ready to help the team win.

    This offseason has been an interesting one for Luka, as he has been criticized for last season’s early playoffs exit. Much has been said, or written about his weight and overall physical condition. Thus it’s encouraging to see Luka take those words to heart, and channel them to his own advantage. He seems motivated to prove the doubters wrong and come on strong after his big contract extension. It’s good to witness that type of commitment from a star player; the type of thing that trickles down through the locker room and affects teammates positively. Hopefully Luka can finish playing these remaining games with his national team and stay hurt-free. In the meantime, let’s hope players follow suit and arrive ready for training camp and preseason in October. Go Lakers.