The Lakers’ last two outings following the All-Star break raised a lot of concerns about the team’s potential. Although they won one of the two games, Luka Doncic looked like a shell of himself, still struggling to adjust to the new environment. However, it seemed like the LA franchise finally got their groove back tonight as they faced the Nuggets, with Luka catching fire early. LeBron James and the rest of the squad also followed suit. But things took an unfortunate turn when Rui Hachimura was forced to leave the game midway due to a scary injury.
Well, the incident occurred in the opening minutes of the final quarter. During a post move by Aaron Gordon, Rui tried his best to guard the high-flying forward. However, the Nuggets star bullied his way to the basket and made the tough bucket. But concerns grew when Hachimura immediately grabbed his left side after the play and headed straight to the locker room in visible agony. Sure enough, JJ Redick had no option but to call a timeout to sub in a replacement for an injured Hachimura.
Of course, his departure was a massive blow to the team because Rui was having an incredible night before the incident. He left the game with 21 points on four of nine shooting from deep range, twelve of those points coming in the third quarter.
While Laker Nation feared the worst, they got a huge sigh of relief when Hachimura checked back into the game a few minutes later. Although he did not score any more points, it was great to see that he was not seriously hurt on the Gordon play. More importantly, the Lakers ended up blowing out the Denver team, thanks to a solid team effort.
Luka Doncic leads the Lakers to victory against the Nuggets amid Rui Hachimura’s injury scare
While Rui’s departure gave the Laker Nation a momentary scare, the rest of the game was a treat to watch for them. Obviously, the biggest reason was Doncic finally showing some Luka Magic wearing the Purple and Gold. Yes, the hoop community had begun doubting his ability after he struggled in his first three appearances for the Lakers. But he cleared all doubts tonight by going off for a game-high 32 points and ten rebounds.
Meanwhile, the rest of the squad also played their part, with the starters combining for 105 points and leading the Lakers to a 23-point victory. Surely, tonight’s win will be a massive confidence booster for the LA franchise because they have struggled to beat Nikola Jokic and Co. in the past. But tonight, they did it convincingly.
Moreover, Rui avoiding a serious injury is an added advantage because he has been a key part of their success, averaging 13.3 points and over five rebounds. And the Lakers need his size and defensive prowess to boost their chances of winning the title. So overall, it was a great night for the Lakers from start to finish. What are your thoughts?
