Luka Doncic has yet to play this postseason, but that doesn’t seem to be a problem, as his Los Angeles Lakers have gone 2–0 against the Houston Rockets, with LeBron James turning back the clock and Luke Kennard blossoming under JJ Redick’s system.
The team can only get better once Doncic, along with Austin Reaves, suits up again. That’s the popular thought among Lakers fans—but not for his longtime detractor.
Skip Bayless appeared on the Gil’s Arena show and discussed how the Lakers have been more effective without the Slovenian star. Dončić has been out since the start of April after suffering a hamstring strain, and reports say he will not be back in time for Round 1 of the playoffs.
The Lakers have looked solid against the Rockets. They won the first two games, limiting Houston to fewer than 100 points in both instances. Some players have looked rejuvenated, especially Kennard, who is averaging 25 points across those two games.
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Bayless is using these performances as a “gotcha” moment against Doncic. The analyst believes the Lakers play better without him, citing his defensive struggles and even labeling him the “most inefficient player in the league.”
"I just think they're a little better basketball team on both ends of the floor without Luka," he said.
"LeBron has far less ego than Luka does. Luka has to be the whole show."
Bayless then emphasized how the Lakers were better on defense, as seen in their Game 2 win against Houston. He argued that Redick’s squad is finally playing team basketball.
The Lakers have now won four straight against the Rockets, including their last two regular-season matchups, in which Doncic played and scored 36 and 40 points.
Dončić finished as the league’s top scorer, averaging 33.5 points per game. He had a strong run in March and helped the Lakers secure the No. 3 spot for an extended period before they began losing games after he went down April 2.
