Following consecutive losses for the Los Angeles Lakers, FS1’s Chris Broussard delivered a pointed critique of Luka Dončić, suggesting that his initial grace period in Los Angeles, intended to allow him to acclimate, is rapidly nearing its end. The scrutiny, expectations, and criticisms inherent in the L.A. media landscape are now intensifying.
Los Angeles Lakers, Luka Doncic Called Ball Hog
“Luka Dončić is a ball hog. A great ball hog. A Hall of Fame ball hog – future Hall of Famer. An all-time elite ball hog. He is a ball hog,” Broussard declared on “First Thing’s First,” signaling a potential shift in media perception. “This was ridiculous. You got all these guys just standing there watching you,” he exclaimed, referencing a screen capture of Dončić dribbling on the perimeter. “He took nine shots in the first quarter. Okay. And actually, he took four or five free throws so he probably took 11 shots in the first quarter.”
This assessment represents a stark contrast to Broussard’s earlier optimism regarding Dončić’s integration into the Lakers’ lineup. Just three weeks prior, Broussard had predicted the Lakers would win the Western Conference. However, after a strong 10-2 run in February that propelled them to the No. 2 seed, the Lakers have experienced a significant downturn, going 6-7 in March.
During his initial month with the Lakers, Dončić adopted a more deferential approach, averaging a relatively modest 22.9 points, a notable decrease from his 28.5 points per game average in Dallas. The prevailing belief was that Dončić would transition into a playmaking role, reminiscent of “Luka Magic” Johnson, distributing the ball rather than dominating it. However, this vision has yet to fully materialize. There is a clear difference between ball dominance that sets up plays and excessive dribbling that isolates teammates.
“When you are going five-out and everyone is standing there watching you operate and LeBron James is a teammate. That ain’t good,” Broussard added. “Look at LeBron. He’s treating LeBron like Chris Bosh and Kevin Love felt.”
Broussard also connected Dončić’s ball dominance to the Lakers’ defensive struggles. The team conceded 146 points in a 31-point loss to the Chicago Bulls and then allowed the Orlando Magic, the NBA’s lowest-scoring team, to score 118 points in a 12-point loss. Dončić scored 32 points in both games. “This is related to the defense. Because when you are just watching one guy operate and you’re standing there watching him do all this and take sometimes– but even he’s making some of ‘em. But they’re bad shots that take away from your morale. Especially when that guy can’t defend.”
While Broussard’s comments may be seen as an overreaction, Dončić’s history of high usage rates, leading the league three times in the past five years, suggests a fundamental aspect of his playing style. Although he has attempted to adapt, the Lakers may have to accept that his inherent ball dominance is a consistent characteristic. They’ll have to take the good with the bad.