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Luka Doncic Believes Lakers Can Be “Very Dangerous” in Second-Half Playoff Push

Somin Bhattacharjee
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Feb 12, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) looks on from the bench as he chews on a dental flosser in the second half against the Dallas Mavericks at Crypto.com Arena.

The Los Angeles Lakers’ performances may have been inconsistent, but their ambitions for the 2025/26 season remain big. They want to make a deep run in the playoffs and go for the title, and it’s something Luka Doncic feels opposing teams need to watch out for.

Heading into the All-Star break, the Lakers are 5th in the West with a 33-21 record and are looking like they’ll make it to the playoffs automatically without having to deal with the stress of a play-in date. Anything can happen, though. Sudden dips in form are common, and the Lakers have a difficult stretch coming up.

Doncic, on Sports Center, reiterated the importance of sticking together and making sure that the whole team remains healthy.

“We have three main ball handlers,” the Slovenian began. “Me, AR, and Bron. I think we can be a very, very, dangerous team. We haven’t had much time to play together since everyone has been injured a little bit but I am excited after All-Star, we all get to play together.” 

The 25/26 season began with LeBron James out with sciatica. Then, once he returned, it was Austin Reaves who hurt himself right after Christmas, and before heading into the one-week break for All-Star, Luka Doncic had to sit out. So, the Lakers big three have not clocked minutes together consistently.

Still, they’re fifth and continue to battle for positions higher up in the table. It’s understandable that Doncic is excited at the prospect of the three of them suiting up together.

It’ll be up to head coach JJ Redick to bring the consistency and chemistry on the court though. Having three “main ball handlers”, as Doncic referred to themselves as, in one team isn’t easy. Defense continues to be an issue for the purple and gold outfit on top of that.

If the right formula is found, there’s absolutely no reason why the Lakers can’t go deep into the playoffs. Ring number one for Doncic and five for LeBron? The Lakers faithful can only dream.

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

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Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

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