Peyton Watson Admits Lakers' Luka Doncic Gave Nuggets Fits

The Denver Nuggets fell short of a win at home against the Los Angeles Lakers, losing 107-115 in a night that turned out to be a memorable one for the one and only Luka Doncic.

In 35 minutes against the Nuggets, Doncic put together a dominant stat line of 38 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists, and two steals, making for his 17th game of the regular season scoring at least 35 points or more, and only his fourth with a 30-point triple-double.

Any time an opposing team is tasked with the challenge of defending Doncic, it's bound to be a tough task––especially for a Denver team that's down several key rotational pieces that simply left them outmatched against the size and scoring the Lakers brought to the table.

For Nuggets' forward Peyton Watson––who was the primary defender on Doncic throughout the game––the offensive talent that the Lakers' guard has is one-of-one, especially when it comes to his ability to draw contact that makes it hard for even the best defenders in the league to keep him from putting up numbers on a nightly basis.

"I mean 6'7", super strong, big body, great touch, and just obviously one of the crazier offensive players that we've seen in a long time," Watson said of Doncic. "And then also his ability to get a whistle. I feel like every time he's coming at me, I'm trying not to foul him."

"That was more so my mindset rather than playing defense or trying to lock someone up or guard. I'm always being mindful that he can draw a foul at any time as well and shoots the most free throws in the league. It's tough, it's really really tough.... I just tried to do my best when I was on him, but he also called screens off of me all game as well. I think that he's just smart. He picks apart the game. He's surgical with the game and he attacks matchups he likes."

Peyton Watson Credits Luka Doncic's Surgical Game

When Doncic is not only shooting effectively from the floor, connecting on 12 of 21 shots from the field, but also getting to the line at a high rate (11-12 FT), a 38-point triple-double can end up as the end result. That ultimately left the Nuggets falling behind against an up-and-down Lakers team, combined with a dreary 19-29 fourth quarter in favor of LA, for a loss on their home floor.