SACRAMENTO — That is what Luka Doncic has missed.
Not post-practice taking pictures. Not transition drills where gamers have to efficiently fill their lanes on a fastbreak.
But the alternative to play basketball against an opponent after going several months with out doing so.
Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) returned to the flooring in Monday’s preseason-opening win over the Kings after a prolonged time with out an official basketball sport. AP Photo/Sara Nevis
And after six months away from aggressive video games, Doncic lastly got to expertise that feeling again, scoring 21 factors on 5-of-12 taking pictures in 16 first-half minutes during the Lakers’ 127-103 preseason-opening win over the Kings on Monday night time at Golden 1 Center.
“Luka, he’s many things, many good things – he’s not really a drill guy in practice,” coach JJ Redick said. “Whenever apply begins, he’s just ‘Are we playing live today?’ Like ‘When is live? When is live?’ He needs to play. He likes the competitors, he likes the means dwell motion seems and feels to him. He just has a actual pleasure for taking part in the precise sport of basketball.
He actually works on his sport. The man works every single day on his sport. But that’s his pleasure – taking part in dwell basketball.”
And for the longest stretch of time since he entered the NBA in 2018, Doncic wasn’t ready to expertise that pleasure for most of 2026.
Before the Lakers’ preseason-opening win over the Kings tonight, the last time Luka Doncic performed in an official basketball sport was April 2 – the longest stretch he’s gone with out taking part in since he entered the NBA.
Luka: “I missed it a lot. Basketball is one of the best things… pic.twitter.com/N2Nq2cViuN
— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) October 6, 2026
A extreme left hamstring damage he suffered during the Lakers’ loss to the Thunder on April 2 in Oklahoma City ended his 2025-26 season early. Doncic missed the closing 5 common season video games and the Lakers’ 10 playoff video games before being swept by the Thunder in the second spherical.
And unlike most summers, Doncic didn’t play for the Slovenian nationwide team during the offseason so he could focus on spending time with his two daughters amid an ongoing custody battle with his ex-fianceé, Anamaria Goltes.
Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) didn’t miss a beat during his first sport in six months. AP Photo/Sara Nevis
Which led to Doncic going just over six months – 184 days to be precise – with out taking part in in an official basketball sport.
“I missed it a lot,” Doncic said. “Basketball is one of the best things in my life, and I missed it a lot. Being back for the games, being competitive, it’s just a lot of fun for me, and I’m really happy to be back.”
Despite not taking part in in an formally basketball for most of the 12 months, Doncic was ready to channel his competitiveness in other methods.
JJ Redick on Luka Doncic: “He’s great physically. I mean, the guy worked his butt off all summer. Staying in shape and actually ran this summer. Like he actually did like sprints and stuff, and came into camp in fantastic shape.” pic.twitter.com/KqbRZQpJl9
— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) October 6, 2026
“Golf is one of the things, honestly,” he said. “I’m always competitive on the golf course. You gotta have competition every day. But then also, I practice basketball, so it was competitive there. Play some other games, being competitive there. Playing cards is competitive there. It’s just being competitive every day.”
Doncic said he didn’t change much about his offseason coaching routine, outside of most likely feeling a little more rested since he didn’t play with his nationwide team.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick said Luka Doncic (77) entered coaching camp in “fantastic shape”. NBAE via Getty Images
But he seemed notably slimmer coming out of this offseason, even after his slimmed-down physique was a important speaking level during the 2025 to the level of being on the cowl of Men’s Health journal.
“He’s great physically,” Redick said of Doncic. “I mean, the guy worked his butt off all summer. [Stayed] in shape and actually ran this summer, like he actually did like sprints and stuff. And came into camp in fantastic shape. For someone who normally plays a ton of basketball, live basketball, he didn’t do as much of that this summer by design. And I think we’ve seen him literally every day in camp incrementally just [getting] more and more in rhythm.”
The Lakers team Doncic returned to was much completely different than the one he beforehand performed on.
Gone are LeBron James, Marcus Smart, Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton and most of the gamers who had a important position in the Lakers profitable a first-round playoff collection against the Rockets despite Doncic’s absence.
Nine new gamers are on the roster, showcasing against the Kings why the Lakers added them to the team.
The Lakers’ newcomers, including Sandro Mamukelashvili (54) and Matisse Thybulle (26), impressed in the first sport of the preseason. NBAE via Getty Images
From the defensive havoc Ziaire Williams and Matisse Thybulle were creating with their fullcourt strain, to the offensive firepower Quentin Grimes and Sandro Mamukelashvili were showcasing.
The Lakers pressured 15 turnovers in the first half, scoring 22 factors off these takeaways, to assist construct a 73-47 lead after the opening two quarters before Doncic sat out for the the rest of the sport.
“We all had fun out there, especially with Matisse and Ziaire, just that beginning of the game, the start, that’s contagious for everybody, and how they start the game, it was inspirational,” Doncic said. “So, and then the other guys came from the bench, and it was amazing just to watch them. They were having fun, they were sharing the ball, so I think the whole team had a lot of fun.”
The team’s marquee addition, middle Walker Kessler, didn’t play because of a minor finger damage.
Star guard Austin Reaves (ankle), veteran guard Collin Sexton (calf) and two-way ahead Arthur Kaluma also didn’t play against the Kings with their minor accidents.
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