After a hectic start to the season, the newest Lakers star, Luka Dončić, is looking forward to a weekend off.
This season has been unlike any other for Luka Dončić. Due to a left calf strain, he has already missed more games than at any other time in his career.
Then there’s the fact that he was traded to the Lakers and his previous team, the Dallas Mavericks, have repeatedly taken shots at him, questioning his ability to be the main guy as part of a championship franchise.
He’s since played a pair of games as a Laker and has seen the duality of this team, beating Utah easily at home and then getting destroyed on the road against the Jazz in the following game.
With those games over, we’ve reached the All-Star break. Since Luka was not named an All-Star, he has no basketball obligations this weekend.
After the loss in Utah, he discussed what he’s looking forward to during this momentary pause in NBA action.
“Approaching this break, so we got to rest,” Dončić said. “For me I think it’s more mental rest than anything else, but I still got to work. So, I’m excited about this break and I can’t wait to go back to play.”
The mental aspect often gets ignored in sports, but Dončić acknowledges its importance here. He’s been through a lot regarding this trade and while he’s a superstar athlete, he’s also a human like the rest of us.
It must have been a whirlwind of emotions to find out he was moved, answer questions about why Dallas didn’t want him and continue rehab on his calf. Add in a couple of highly anticipated games that were being watched by millions of people and it’s understandable he’s looking forward to a quiet weekend before the mad dash to the end of the regular season begins.
Even in his comments here, Luka is aware he has to keep working. Calf injuries can be easily agitated and he’s still on a minutes restriction, so he has some work to do so he can be fully available for this team.
If Luka is healthy, up to speed with the playbook and builds chemistry with his teammates, the Lakers are primed for a successful playoff run.
With Luka in charge, the Lakers’ offense can reach new heights. However, he has to be healthy to do that, so let’s hope he finds the mental and physical rest he needs so that Luka Magic will still exist come June.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.