Luka Doncic reacts to Nico Harrison firing after heavy Lakers loss in Oklahoma City

After 1 of the heaviest defeats of his career, Luka Doncic recovered himself answering questions that went acold beyond the Los Angeles Lakers’ 121-92 nonaccomplishment successful Oklahoma City. The absorption turned to Dallas, the franchise that drafted him, and to Nico Harrison, the Mavericks enforcement who engineered the blockbuster commercialized that sent him to the Lakers and was fired connected Tuesday.

Doncic did not fell what the metropolis inactive means to him. "The metropolis of Dallas, the fans, the players, they'll ever person a peculiar spot successful my heart," helium said. "I thought I was going to enactment determination forever, but I didn't. So that volition ever beryllium a peculiar spot for me. I volition ever telephone it home. But close now, I'm focused connected the Lakers and trying to determination on. But obviously, ever determination volition beryllium a portion of maine there.

"But conscionable trying to determination connected and absorption connected what I'm doing here."

When asked whether Harrison’s departure mightiness unfastened the doorway to a instrumentality to the Mavericks 1 day, helium unopen the speech down. "Right now, I'm conscionable focused connected the Lakers. No further comments."

Teammate Maxi Kleber, who was besides portion of the commercialized package, summed up the concern broadside bluntly. "It's a accelerated business, man," Kleber said. "Players, GMs, coaches, everybody. So ever got to beryllium acceptable for the adjacent move."

Rough nighttime against the champions becomes motivation

On the court, it was a uncommon disconnected nighttime successful what has different been an explosive commencement to Doncic’s Lakers tenure. After averaging 37.1 points, 9.4 rebounds and 9.1 assists done his archetypal 7 games, helium finished with 19 points connected 7-for-20 shooting, 7 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 turnovers against the defending champion Thunder. The Lakers were outscored by 31 points during his 33 minutes, and their 32-point halftime shortage was the largest helium has faced astatine the interruption successful his 8 NBA seasons.

"Definitely wasn't our champion game," Doncic said. "Probably 1 of the worst this season, but they did a large job. I deliberation they each did a large occupation connected me. They're champions for a reason, truthful they showed that today. I deliberation we request to beryllium much ready. Obviously, it starts with me. I request to beryllium mode amended than that and conscionable got to fig [it] out."

Oklahoma City moved to a league-best 12-1 with the win, portion the Lakers fell to 8-4, sitting 5th successful the Western Conference and 1-2 connected a demanding five-game roadworthy plaything that volition decorativeness successful New Orleans and Milwaukee.

Despite the spread connected the scoreboard, Doncic insisted helium sees an accidental alternatively than a informing sign. "It's not concerning," Doncic said erstwhile asked astir the important spread betwixt the 2 teams to commencement the season. "I deliberation it's much of a large motivation. ... They were the champions for a reason, and it's a large motivation. They started the twelvemonth adjacent amended [than past season], I deliberation so. It's a large information to spot however they play and effort to halt them."