Luka Doncic welcomed every extra defender the New Orleans Pelicans sent his way and still steered the Los Angeles Lakers to victory on Friday night.
The contest at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans on Nov. 14, 2025, ended with the Lakers back in the win column after a rough loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Doncic finished with 24 points on 6-of-16 shooting, seven rebounds, 12 assists, two steals and a block in 40 minutes as Los Angeles downed New Orleans, which repeatedly trapped the All-NBA guard in an effort to force the ball out of his hands.
“I accept the double; I like the double,” Doncic told Spectrum SportsNet. “It makes you play four-on-three, a lot of space. I think today we could have had 150 points, honestly. If you’re open, we’ve got to take the shot no matter what. At the end of the day, we won the game, so that’s what matters.”
Even with the win, outside shooting remains a concern. The Lakers rank 25th in the league at 33.3 percent from three-point range but still own a 9-4 record. “That’s big for us to be 9-4 despite those percentages,” Doncic said. “We’re getting great looks and that’s motivational. We’ve got to work on our catch-and-shoot, obviously.”
The 26-year-old also emphasized the need for greater physicality, praising the team’s response in New Orleans after calling for a tougher approach following the Thunder defeat.
Source: Lakers Nation
