The NBA season is kicking off with a bang. Basketball fans will be treated to a double-header on Tuesday: The Houston Rockets vs. the OKC Thunder, and the Golden State Warriors vs. the LA Lakers. While both the season-opening fixtures have their intrigue factors, the Warriors-Lakers matchup has another major selling point: ‘Skinny Luka’.
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This summer, the Lakers filled their hole at center by signing Deandre Ayton. But their most transformative move wasn’t adding the former No. 1 overall pick; it’s the way Luka Doncic dropped 30 pounds. Yes, ‘Skinny Luka’ is a thing, and he looked terrifying while playing for Slovenia in the EuroBasket tournament over a month ago.
Much had been made about Luka’s supposed fitness issues after the Mavericks shockingly traded him away in February. Luka apparently took the criticisms to heart and used them to power his transformation. But ahead of the season-opener, Warriors coach Steve Kerr has acknowledged that no matter what kind of shape he’s in, Doncic is still one of the best players in the NBA.
“He looks like he’s in good shape, but he’s the same player. He’s been the same player since the moment he stepped on the court years ago,” said Kerr. “Unstoppable force with his pace, his strength, the way he shoots the ball behind his head, the step-backs. You can’t get there to challenge that shot.”
Kerr was in no mood to end his effusive praise. “The way he’s a constant lob threat with his centers, a pick-and-roll threat. He’s gotten better and better as a shooter. He’s a brilliant player,” he added.
Some coaches use mental warfare to get into a player’s head. But Kerr has been around the block enough times, and it’s way too early in the season for all that. Luka really is that good, and nothing he said is inaccurate.
Offensively, Luka has always been close to unstoppable. And the Lakers are hoping that his physical transformation will yield benefits on the defensive end, an area that JJ Redick needs all the help he can get.
Outside of Jarred Vanderbilt and the newly acquired Marcus Smart, the Lakers don’t really have any plus defenders. So they’ll mostly need to outscore teams. They will need that firepower against the Warriors.
Golden State was silent for most of the summer, but then sprang into action by bringing Jonathan Kuminga back and signing Al Horford and Seth Curry. With Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green already in place, they’re hoping that’s enough to make a serious run, opening the campaign with a victory against the Lakers.
With LeBron James out of the lineup, Redick and Kerr, and everybody else know that Luka is the one to watch. Many fans are expecting an MVP kind of season for him, and there’s no better way to announce himself than by dropping a 40-bomb on Opening Night. Tune in to NBC or Peacock at 10 p.m. ET, because this will be one game worth staying up for.
