The Lakers are plus-37 when Luka Doncic has been on the floor in six games thus far. The Slovenian has found multiple ways to contribute to his team’s 4-2 winning record by crashing the glass, throwing dimes, playing solid team defense and making timely buckets.
Yet, the one glaring blemish in Doncic’s young Lakers career has been his inefficient shooting. In Thursday’s 111-102 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, he shot 6-of-20 a few nights after going 6-of-17 against the Mavericks. Overall, Doncic holds a 36.5/22.4/72.5 shooting split as a Laker.
For Doncic, the vexing part about his slump is he’s able to make impossible shots like a one-legged three, as he did on Thursday, but can’t convert on easier looks.
“I have no idea,” Doncic said of his shooting slump, via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “The shots I make, the shots I miss — I have no idea what’s going on. When it left my hand, I knew it was good … You’ve got to go through a lot of downs to get to the highest point. It’s a big challenge for me, getting back into my rhythm, and making those easier shots for. It’s a big challenge for me. I look forward to it.”
As Doncic alluded, there were several instances Thursday when the ball didn’t hit the rim when he launched from deep.
Meanwhile, Lakers head coach JJ Redick voiced his confidence that Doncic will eventually snap out of the slump.
“We trust Luka as a shooter and a decision-maker,” he said, via Lakers Nation. “…I think we’ve all had stretches like that.”
It’s a testament to Redick’s coaching and the Lakers’ roster depth that they’ve been able to withstand Doncic’s subpar shooting. The All-Star guard also deserves kudos for remaining a net positive on the floor by making his teammates better.
It’s likely a matter of time before he finds his stroke again. After all, Doncic is the NBA’s reigning scoring champion.
