Luka Doncic leads, connects, and clips Wembanyama’s wings with the Lakers

On a high-octane night at Crypto.com Arena, Luka Doncic led the Lakers to a nail-biting victory over the Spurs. But beyond the scoreboard, the Slovenian star made it clear that the Lakers locker room now has a new emotional core. With LeBron James and Austin Reaves sidelined, Doncic took full command. He dropped 35 points, dished out 13 assists, grabbed 9 boards, and added 5 steals and 2 blocks in 42 minutes. It was the kind of performance that already feels like part of Lakers lore.

The matchup had an extra layer of intrigue. standing across from Luka Doncic was Victor Wembanyama, the 7’4″ French phenom with a wingspan over 8 feet. But neither his height nor his hype were enough. Wemby finished with 19 points and fouled out with under two minutes left, just as the score sat at 113-112. Doncic, meanwhile, didn’t just control the game—he owned the narrative. “I’m really enjoying playing with these guys, it feels like a family,” he said postgame, as quoted by Marca.

 

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A comeback to remember

The comeback was one for the books. Luka Doncic and the Lakers trailed by nine in the third quarter, but their defense in the final stretch flipped the script. Head coach JJ Redick broke it down clearly: “The main reason we won was our defense in the fourth quarter… and the connection between the players.” That chemistry, according to Redick, has been a priority since day one of the season—and it’s showing both on and off the court.

Luka Doncic didn’t do it alone. Rui Hachimura chipped in 15 crucial points, and Marcus Smart added 17 with the kind of energy that Doncic himself praised: “He brings a kind of energy I hadn’t seen before.” Deandre Ayton also held it down in the paint with 22 points and 10 rebounds, anchoring the interior against a Wembanyama who couldn’t quite impose his size.

 

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Winning streak

With this win, the Lakers have now strung together five straight victories and sit at 7-2. But beyond the record, what’s emerging is a sense of unity. Luka Doncic summed it up simply: “Everyone’s involved and playing great, so it’s a lot of fun.”

In the end, Luka Doncic isn’t just shining as a player—he’s building something deeper. It’s about identity, about culture. And if the Lakers keep playing like a family, their ceiling might just be higher than Wembanyama himself.