LA highlights the LeBron James-Luka Doncic matchup with a 3-point attempt
LeBron James made his long-awaited season debut for Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night at home against the Utah Jazz. Early on, things were tough for the Lakers as the Jazz, especially Keyonte George, were seemingly unable to miss from beyond the arc. But the Lakers righted the ship, and Luka Doncic basically took over the game in the third quarter, leading LA to a 140-125 victory over Utah and its 11th win of the season in 15 contests.
One play in the third quarter perfectly captures the rhythm the Lakers got into during the third quarter which they won by 15 points, 37-22. The game started with Doncic breaking the Jazz defense on a dribble penetration. He popped the ball to an open Jake LaRavia, who then hit an aggressive shot by Brice Sensabo. LaRavia then chipped the ball to an open Marcus Smart, who then decided to be unselfish and throw the ball to Doncic who was moving into the right corner.
The Lakers star then hit a 3-pointer, giving LA a four-point lead that they would continue to build on en route to a dominant win over a plucky Jazz team.
Luka Dončić closes a difficult pass for the Lakers with a 3-ball from the corner 🎯pic.twitter.com/Oe2Fkn1jUk
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 19, 2025
James may not have been on the court for that play, but he could have been. What makes James such an easy player to fit into the Lakers’ roster is that he’s one of the most unselfish players in the league and can keep the ball moving like he did in that wonderful play that encapsulated the Lakers’ excellent performance on Tuesday night.
LeBron James is back on offense
James is clearly not back to full strength yet, as he needs more time to get back up to game speed. But the Lakers star is a transformative presence whenever he’s on the court, even at 40 years old. After Doncic attacked the Jazz defense in the third quarter, he did Impressive playmaking by James (he finished with 12 dimes on the night) that put the game out of Utah’s reach to start the fourth.
The Lakers are still one of the best teams in the association, and everything will get better as James gets into shape.
2025-11-19 06:37:00
