The new Lakers teammates say that Luka Doncic is ready to face Mavericks

The second, California – just over three weeks later The trade that surprised the world of sportLuka Doncic and his Los Angeles Lakers He will be the host of the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night.

All the new teammates and coaches of Doncic believe that he will be ready and anxious for this rapid confrontation with the team that abruptly sent him out of the city where he obtained five NBA teams, where he led the team last season to the finals of The NBA after winning the score title, and where he hoped to spend the rest of his career.

“I think it will be fine,” said Lakers coach JJ Redick. “Every day he has been with us, he is becoming a little more normal. I’ve been there. The first time you play your former team, particularly this close duration in time, it will be strange. But he can handle it. “

The main events of life have reached Doncic terribly rapidly in February, so the speed at this monumental confrontation during the Lakers hours is just another challenge for the Slovenian superstar. In addition to the trade disorder, Doncic is also returning to the best way after 6 1/2 weeks with a calf.

Doncic refused to talk to journalists on Monday after the practice of the Lakers, which ended Making a half court shot After a 3-point shooting exercise with Dorian Finney-Smith, his former teammate in Dallas. Both veterans ended with the Lakers this season in separate trades.

“I think it’s going to be excited, but everyone is excited in the locker room,” said Finney-Smith. “We have his back. It will be a hard game. I know that (the coach of the Mavs Jason) Kidd will have them ready to come here and compete, so we have to match their intensity. “

Unfortunately, this confrontation will not present both players headed in the box office success.

Anthony Davis, the great man who associated with LeBron James to take the Lakers to the 2020 championship, is out at least two more weeks With an injury to the groin suffered in its first game with the MAVs.

Davis, who is on the way with his new team, is loved in Los Angeles, since Doncic is in Dallas. It is likely to feel that the passion of the multitude sold of the Lakers, and also Max Christie, the former second round of the Lakers that became a headline this season before the exchange with the MAVs.

A complete meeting on the court will have to wait until at least April 9, when the Lakers visit Dallas.

Doncic, who turns 26 on Friday, has played in just four games for the Lakers since he became healthy enough to return to the court. But he took an important step towards full force with A star performance in Denver Last Saturday night.

He put 32 points with four triples, 10 rebounds, seven assists and four robberies in the victory of the Lakers 123-100 over the Nuggets, which had been a brutal confrontation for Los Angeles in recent seasons.

“When he did the first 3, I thought, ‘Ok, it’s about that tonight,'” said Lakers striker Rui Hachimura with a smile. “I don’t know how much is 100% healthy, but it has begun to return to its rhythm, so I’m happy for it.”

After the first two maiden games were played with the Lakers in a restriction of minutes, he fought in his third appearance, going 5 by 18 and hitting only a triple in nine attempts in The shameful defeat of the Lakers against Charlotte. The NBA heat consumption factories placed in the production of concerns about the Doncic game.

The Lakers said they were not worried in the least, and after Doncic took off a game in Portland to manage his injury recovery, he gave in Denver.

“I knew I was going to arrive,” said Finney-Smith. “Luka, shot him all the time, so he knew there was nothing wrong with his shot. I had simply not played for a while. It is not played from Christmas, and the boys want me to return and have 30, 10 and 10, but it takes time. I am happy that he is finding his rhythm. “

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