Stephen A. Smith has often been critical of the Lakers, so when he changes his tune, it’s difficult not to pay attention. Just a few days ago, he praised LeBron James for taking on a secondary role. And just yesterday, he propped up Luka Doncic as his primary MVP candidate, practically apologizing for not having him included earlier. Today, he’s gone a step further.
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Just weeks ago, the Lakers’ defense was in shambles, and nobody gave them a snowflake’s chance in hell of being championship contenders. Articles were written about how Doncic, LeBron, and Austin Reaves didn’t gel well together and how Redick wasn’t getting the best out of his men.
That has all changed over the course of the last 12 games, 11 of which LA has won. Led by Doncic’s genius in particular, they are currently sitting pretty on an 8-game winning streak. Doncic, who had been widely vilified for shirking his defensive duties, has miraculously improved, and the Lakers look like they will be a nightmare come the playoffs. In light of this, Smith is happy to hold Doncic in a higher regard than some other prominent Lakers legends.
“Did you know that Luka Doncic is averaging 40.9 points and 7.4 assists (last 8 games)? Did you know that what he has done over this eight-game span that no Laker has ever done in history? Not Shaquille O’Neal, not Kobe Bryant, not Magic Johnson, nobody,” Smith said on his podcast.
“Luka got 100 points over the last two games. In each game of this eight-game winning streak, he has scored a minimum of 30. It ain’t like he scored 50 one day and 20 the other. No, he’s consistently scoring over 30 every single damn game,” the NBA analyst asserted.
Stephen A. Smith on how Luka Doncic has been playing during this 8-game winning streak:
“Did you know that Luka Doncic averaging 40.9 points and 7.4 assist? Did you know that what he has done over this eight game span that no Laker has ever done in history? Not Shaquille O’Neal,… pic.twitter.com/iqwcZfGVdq
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) March 21, 2026
Despite the criticism he has received over the course of the season, Doncic has been leading the scoring in the NBA all season. And this is not one-dimensional scoring either. He’s shot 9-17 from 3-point range, 9-13 from inside the arc, and 15-19 from the free throw line. We might be watching something really special from the Slovenian; even head coach JJ Redick thinks so.
“It’s a special run that he’s on. We’ve seen all-time greats like him go on these runs, and you just kinda gotta embrace it and enjoy the moment … To the MVP point, we would not be anywhere near the position we’re in without him having the season he’s having. Particularly of late, he’s dominating right now,” he had said, praising the Slovenian.
Courtesy of Doncic hitting the stride at the right time, this year’s championship no longer appears to be a two-horse race. It would be difficult to keep winning till the end of the season, but the Lakers look primed to push for it as their life depends on it.
They certainly did it against the Pelicans, coming back from a 15-point deficit, in what Brian Windhorst called “a preposterous back-to-back, because not only is it West to East so you lose an hour, but because it was the second game on national television, it started at 8:30.”
