Lakers' Game Plan: The Luka-LeBron Synergy

SO MUCH went awry for the Los Angeles Lakers in their playoff-opener, a 117-95 drubbing by the Minnesota Timberwolves, that pinpointing a singular issue felt impossible to fix.

The Wolves dominated from the perimeter, setting a franchise postseason record with 21 successful 3-pointers. They also outpaced L.A. on fast breaks, scoring 25 points to the Lakers’ 6. Meanwhile, L.A.’s offense, which had impressively ranked 11th during the regular season, stumbled at a crucial moment, only managing 17 points in the fourth quarter. Luka Doncic contributed just one assist, over six less than his typical average, and LeBron James put up 19 points, noticeably below his usual work rate.

It didn’t take long into Game 2 on Tuesday for the Lakers to pivot their strategy, prominently featuring a signature play between their two main stars.

This crucial sequence began with Minnesota forward Jaden McDaniels missing a corner three-pointer, as Austin Reaves hustled to challenge him. Lakers forward Rui Hachimura snagged the rebound and briskly advanced it to Doncic on the right wing. Before Doncic even received the pass just over the three-point line, James was already charging towards the basket with only Wolves’ point guard Mike Conley standing in his way.

Doncic, recognizing the moment, took a single dribble upcourt before delivering a 50-foot outlet pass over Conley, that James caught in stride and seamlessly converted into a lay-in.

“It’s easy,” Doncic explained to ESPN post-game. “I know what he’s going to do. He’ll beat his man, and I just throw it up. It’s that simple.”

This play boosted the Lakers to a 7-4 lead with 8:45 left in the first quarter, showcasing the adjustments L.A. was set to implement. Doncic wrapped up the game with nine assists, flipped the fast-break stats to a 13-6 advantage, and the Lakers took the win 94-85, leveling the series 1-1.

As the series now heads to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN), with the Wolves’ 6th-ranked home defense posing fresh obstacles, the Luka-LeBron synergy will be a pivotal feature of the Lakers’ offense and a testament to the formidable partnership these two have cultivated for a prospective championship run.

“With Luka,” James told ESPN, “You need to be in the right spot or make the connection, or the ball won’t find you like that. I think he trusts me.”

DONCIC AND JAMES demonstrated their on-court intuition from their first game together, during the Lakers’ 132-113 win over the Utah Jazz on Feb. 10.

Leading by 20 in the second quarter, James sprinted to contest a Lauri Markkanen three-pointer and then raced towards the opposite basket. After the miss, Doncic secured the rebound, took one dribble, and launched a 65-foot pass perfectly into James’s path for a layup.

Post-shot, James acknowledged the skillful pass with a raised hand, pointing to his new teammate as he returned to defense.

Lakers coach JJ Redick noted, “Almost immediately, you could see the synergy in transition, especially with Luka as an outstanding outlet passer, and LeBron creating opportunities in transition. We saw that right away.”

Throughout his 22-year career, James has thrived with teammates who excel at long passes, like Kevin Love and Dwyane Wade.

Lakers forward Dorian Finney-Smith emphasized to ESPN, “Bron reads those passes well. It’s certainly a big advantage, giving us easy points which are hard to come by in this league.”

Gabe Vincent, a Lakers guard, concurred: “It’s crucial for great players to get easy baskets too. Sometimes that’s as easy as it gets.”

During the regular season stretching into the playoffs, Doncic connected with James for five assists involving passes over 60-feet, the most among any duo in the league for such lengthy assists in the final two regular-season months.

James has defied conventional expectations for aging NBA players, though he no longer approaches games as he once did in his 20s. His initial explosive step and vertical leap aren’t quite as lethal. Throughout the first two games against Minnesota, Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert have effectively curbed him in half-court settings.

However, James’s strategic depth remains unmatched. Back in 2018, he talked about “saving energy” for crucial stretches by deliberately pacing himself, ensuring he can sustain his defensive prowess.

Positioned now to play a receiver role with Doncic as the quarterback is another adaptation in his evolving gameplay.

Prior to the playoffs, when asked about his dynamic with Doncic, James attributed their chemistry to his younger counterpart.

“On offense? Hand Luka the ball. As long as we stay prepared,” James commented, “there’s no need to scramble later.”

WHEN THE WOLVES prepared to face the Lakers on Feb. 27, post-Doncic’s acquisition, Minnesota coach Chris Finch pondered the expanded threat LeBron posed off-the-ball.

“Over-helping defensively opens up opportunities for LeBron to go downhill, and that’s hardly beneficial for any defense,” Finch explained pre-game. “Our coaching discussions centered around LeBron’s off-ball threat, which adds a whole new level of danger.”