Luka Dončić put up big numbers once again on Monday night, but he placed the blame on himself following the Los Angeles Lakers’ 125-108 home loss to the Phoenix Suns.
Speaking to reporters following only the Lakers’ fifth loss of the season, Dončić said, “That was my fault. No way I can have nine turnovers in a game.”
While Dončić racked up a game-high 38 points to go along with 11 rebounds and five assists, he also tied his career high with nine turnovers. On top of that, all nine of his turnovers went for Phoenix steals, marking the most live-ball turnovers by a player in an NBA game this season, per ESPN Research (h/t ESPN’s Dave McMenamin).
Dončić admitted that the Suns’ defensive gameplan made things difficult for him, but he ultimately pointed the finger at himself, saying, “I feel like it definitely was a different defense than other teams [play]. Kind of trying to let me go score instead of creating for others. So, it was kind of confusing, but like I said, just can’t have it.”
Entering Monday’s game, the Lakers had won seven in a row, and they boasted a 15-4 record.
Dončić has been the biggest reason for their success, putting up MVP-caliber numbers with a league-leading 35.3 points per game, plus 8.9 assists and 8.9 rebounds.
Austin Reaves is also playing at an All-Star level, and LeBron James has provided a boost since returning from sciatica, which cost him the first 14 games of the season.
Even with Monday’s loss, the Lakers are still off to a spectacular start, as their 15-5 mark is the second-best record in the Western Conference and the third-best in the entire league.
Only the reigning NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder, who are 20-1, are ahead of the Lakers in the Western Conference standings.
While the Lakers have made three consecutive playoff appearances, they feel like a legitimate championship contender this season, perhaps for the first time since James and Anthony Davis last led them to a title in 2020.
Dončić has shown the ability to put a team on his back and take them to the NBA Finals before, as he did it just two seasons ago with the Dallas Mavericks.
However, with Reaves and James, Dončić has more help in L.A. this season, and what happened on Monday could be a reminder to the Slovenian star that he doesn’t have to do everything himself.