Lakers happy to have Luka Doncic – and his antics – back with team

Getting tapped, and then smacked, in the back of the head – even lightly – in the closing seconds of a playoff game isn’t an ordinary experience.

It’s the kind of moment most players would remember, even a couple of days after the moment.

But for Rui Hachimura, that wasn’t the case. 

“When? When was that?,” Hachimura first responded when asked about the moment. 

Because it was Luka Doncic who was the one playfully hitting Hachimura on the back of the head while Hachimura was in the corner closest to the Lakers’ bench as the clock wound down to zero, securing the Lakers’ Game 1 win over the Rockets on Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena. 

“Hmm…I don’t remember,” Hachimura said. “He always does that stuff. I probably don’t even think about it. I’m used to it, probably. I don’t remember that.”

Doncic (left hamstring), along with fellow star guard Austin Reaves (left oblique), may continue to be sidelined because of their regular season-ending injuries they suffered on April 2.

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But the group is benefitting from both of them being around as they work their way back to a hopeful return to the court. 

“Obviously, helping out guys on the bench, just watching the game from that view, you can see different things you don’t see when you’re necessarily in the game,” Jaxson Hayes said. “And so they’re able to tell guys that stuff and just help out as much as possible.”

Reaves has remained with the team since suffering his injury.

Doncic returned to Southern California on Friday after spending the previous two weeks in Europe while receiving special treatment on his hamstring with the hopes it could expedite his healing process and help him return to the court sooner. 

He arrived at the Lakers’ home arena on Saturday about 40 minutes before tipoff and was at the Lakers’ practice on Monday. 

Doncic and Reaves haven’t spoken with reporters since their injuries. 

“It’s been really nice,” coach JJ Redick said on Monday. “[Doncic] definitely rebounded and passed in some shooting drills. Having the group together two out of the last three days has been really nice.”

Doncic was back at it again on Monday afternoon during the Lakers’ practice ahead of Tuesday’s Game 2 in Los Angeles, this time playing “rock, paper, scissors” with Reaves after Reaves shot free throws with Jarred Vanderbilt and Jake LaRavia.

Reaves won. 

Hayes shared that Doncic has been calling him his Slovenian brother after Hayes received his Slovenian passport, which makes him eligible to play on national team with Doncic.

“I think people don’t know how much impact Luka has, not only on the court, but off the court,” Hachimura said. “He’s a guy that always wants to be around. We love him just being around, just hanging out, talking. We’re happy that he’s back finally. He’s [always] doing funny things. We missed him for sure.”

The juxtaposition of Doncic’s light-hearted nature with his fiery on-court persona (which can also turn jovial in certain moments) is a characteristic the Lakers have seen more of this season.  

“Just messing around with the coaches and the players and just the normal things you guys see on the camera, probably,” Hachimura said of Doncic’s antics. “It’s just a normal thing for him.”

What’ll feel more normal is if/when Doncic is able to get back on the court for the Lakers.

Redick has stated multiple times that their goal is to extend the season long enough for Doncic and Reaves to play at some point during the playoffs.

“We’re gonna try to make this season as long as possible so that we can get those guys back at some point,” Redick said last week. “We don’t know what that is, and that’s just our job. And their job is to do everything they can to be in a position to come back at some point. It may not work, but that’s what we’re trying to do.”

But until that happens, the Lakers are just happy to have Doncic and shenanigans back around the group.

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