Need to be more physical": Doncic criticizes Lakers after weak preseason.

 

The Los Angeles Lakers suffered another defeat at the end of the preseason. It was their fifth in six preseason games. Star player Luka Doncic criticized his team afterward.

The Slovenian was already in top form against the Sacramento Kings. He scored 31 points and provided nine assists in just under 32 minutes of play, nearly helping his Lakers secure their second win of the preseason. However, a strong performance from Schröder and a late foul thwarted his plans.

The Los Angeles team has just one win after six preseason games. The absence of LeBron James, who will likely be out for a few weeks due to sciatica , has caused early unrest in the preseason.

The poor performances reinforced this effect. The Californians' offensive game seemed particularly reliant on Doncic's production; when the Slovenian wasn't on the court, the team seemed devoid of ideas. Their offensive rating of 103.7 is the third-worst of all NBA teams this preseason.

Luka Doncic himself made another observation: "I think we're more physical in practice. We definitely need to work on being more physical," he clarified, refusing to accept the excuse that the team is smaller without James in the starting lineup. "Sometimes we have a smaller group, sometimes a larger one. There's a lot of cleanup to do. Obviously, it's about being more physical."

Coach JJ Redick also wants to start the season with a smaller lineup. As he revealed on the sidelines of the game against the Kings, the team plans to tackle the opening game against the Warriors with Luka Doncic, Gabe Vincent, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, and Deandre Ayton.

Published by: Yotomi Media Telifisan.