Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic said he shares significant responsibility for the team’s sluggish ball movement after Thursday’s 117-111 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
The Lakers recorded only seven assists in the first half and entered the break down 17 points. They generated 17 assists after halftime and nearly erased the deficit before falling short.
Asked about the stalled offense, Doncic acknowledged his role.
“Probably a lot,” he told Spectrum SportsNet. “As JJ said at halftime, the ball needs to move more, and that’s what we did.”
Despite ranking among the league’s top five in assists per game, Doncic leads a roster that sits near the bottom in overall team assists. Head coach JJ Redick has repeatedly emphasized better spacing and quicker decisions from his primary playmakers, which also include LeBron James and injured guard Austin Reaves.
Reaves has missed time with a calf strain but is expected to return soon. Doncic said he is eager to reunite with his backcourt partner, praising Reaves for his secondary playmaking and off-ball movement.
The Lakers will try to translate their improved second-half flow against the Clippers into a complete game when they continue their homestand this weekend.
Source: Lakers Nation
