Luka Doncic’s Herculean Opening Night: When 43 Points Just Isn’t Enough

Let’s start with what Dončić actually accomplished, because it was genuinely impressive. The guy was everywhere, doing everything, and looking noticeably slimmer after his offseason transformation. He attacked the rim with purpose, going 13-for-14 in the paint and 15-for-17 on two-pointers overall. When you’re shooting that efficiently inside, you’d think your team would cruise to victory.

You’d be wrong.

Dončić joined some elite company in Lakers history—only the second player ever to post 35 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in a season opener. The only other Laker to do it? Shaquille O’Neal back in 2000. Not bad for someone who spent the summer working on his physique while everyone debated whether he could handle the workload in LeBron’s absence.

“I think I’m getting better on the defensive end, I’m just trying to get more involved, more communication,” Dončić said after logging 41 minutes. “But overall, 41 minutes, so I like that.”

The Supporting Cast Disappears When It Matters Most

Austin Reaves showed up with 26 points and nine assists, which is exactly what the Lakers need from him. But here’s the problem: asking two guys to combine for 69 points every night is like asking someone to run a marathon while carrying a refrigerator. Sure, it’s technically possible, but you probably shouldn’t bank on it happening 82 times.

Deandre Ayton, the big offseason addition who Lakers fans convinced themselves would somehow rediscover his 2021 playoff form, managed just 10 points in his debut. The rest of the roster might as well have been invisible during crunch time.

The Warriors, meanwhile, ran the Lakers ragged all evening. Golden State outscored LA 35-25 in the third quarter alone, turning what was a competitive game into a comfortable double-digit victory. “The trend I see is that we continue to be a terrible third-quarter team,” Lakers Head Coach JJ Redick said with the kind of brutal honesty that makes you wince. “That was last year. That was the preseason. Gotta rethink some things.”

The LeBron-Sized Problem

Here’s where things get uncomfortable for Lakers fans. James is dealing with sciatica and could miss up to a month. Even when he returns, he’s nearly 41 years old. Banking on him to play 65-70 games and deliver MVP-caliber performances is wishful thinking at this stage of his career.

Dončić finishing as a -8 despite his monster stat line tells you everything you need about the Lakers’ depth issues. When your best player puts up 43 points and your team still gets boat-raced, you’ve got problems that run deeper than one injury.

The Lakers also committed 20 turnovers, leading to 22 Warriors points, and shot a miserable 8-for-32 from three-point range. Dončić himself went just 2-for-10 from deep. Those numbers have to improve, or this team will struggle to reach .500 before Thanksgiving.

Can Dončić Sustain This Workload?

The most concerning part of Tuesday’s game wasn’t the loss—it was the 41 minutes Dončić had to play just to keep the Lakers competitive. That’s not sustainable over an 82-game season, especially for a player with a history of wearing down late in the year.

“Every game is different,” Redick said when asked about Dončić’s minutes. “I’m not concerned about that.” Maybe he should be. Because if this is what opening night looks like with a fresh, motivated Dončić, what happens in January when the grind sets in? What happens when teams start keying in on him even harder, knowing the Lakers have no other legitimate offensive threats?

Dončić also dealt with some groin discomfort during the game, though he downplayed it afterward. “It’s probably nothing,” he said after spending considerable time in the training room post-game. “Just felt it a little bit because my hip went the opposite way.”

What This Means For the Lakers’ Season

If Tuesday night taught us anything, it’s that the Lakers are in serious trouble if they can’t find reliable secondary scoring options. Dončić can’t be expected to drop 40-plus every night, and Reaves shouldn’t have to be the second-leading scorer on a team with championship aspirations.

The Lakers have two days to regroup before facing the Timberwolves on Friday. They desperately need guys like Rui Hachimura and Gabe Vincent to step up. They need Ayton to remember he was once a number-one overall pick. Most importantly, they need to figure out how to protect leads and not hemorrhage points in the third quarter like they’re allergic to defense.

Until LeBron returns—and that’s a big “until” given his age and injury—Dončić will be asked to carry a burden that would break most players. He handled it admirably on opening night, but this can’t be the blueprint for the next month.

The Lakers are discovering what many teams already know: having one superhuman talent isn’t enough. Basketball is still a team sport, and right now, the Lakers look like Dončić and a bunch of guys hoping not to mess things up too badly.