Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic called on his team to raise its physical intensity following a 109-106 preseason defeat to the short-handed Sacramento Kings on Oct. 17, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena.
Doncic delivered 31 points, five rebounds, nine assists, one block and one steal in 32 minutes, shooting 8-for-16 from the field. Despite using every healthy rotation player, the Lakers were unable to pull away and surrendered a late lead.
“I think we started a little bit slow, not being physical,” Doncic said postgame. “When we start games being physical is when we’re at our best, so we need to be more physical for sure, especially getting the ball in pick-and-rolls.”
The Lakers open the regular season Tuesday night against the Golden State Warriors and will hold two practices beforehand. Doncic wants those sessions to focus on toughness. “Practice is different — in practice we are more physical — but we still have things to clean up,” he noted.
One area that pleased the All-Star guard was the team’s ball movement. Los Angeles registered 28 assists, a figure Doncic believes can grow. “There were a lot of possessions where everybody touched the ball. I think that’s very important for the regular season,” he said.
The Lakers played without LeBron James, who is sidelined, leaving the roster short on natural physicality. Doncic emphasized that increased aggression can compensate for that absence as Opening Night approaches.
Source: LakersNation.com
