Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green said on The Draymond Green Show that Luka Dončić is playing at an MVP level for the Los Angeles Lakers. Dončić scored 32 points in a 124-114 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Monday, the Lakers’ sixth straight victory, according to Field Level Media.
Dončić returned in Atlanta after missing Sunday’s game at the Detroit Pistons with lower-back tightness. He entered that weekend averaging 40.1 points per game, according to Field Level Media. The Hawks came into Monday on a winning streak of their own, and the game was a homecoming for Walker Kessler, who grew up in the Atlanta suburbs and was Mr. Georgia Basketball in 2020, according to Field Level Media. Over the four games before Detroit, he averaged 45 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists, per NBC Los Angeles.
“Luka Dončić is playing at an MVP level right now, with the Lakers number one in the West,” Green said. “I said this from the very beginning. I think these Lakers teams are gonna win a lot of regular season games. When you got guy like Luka Dončić who can control the possession of every game, you gonna win a lot.”
Lakers Depth Without Luka Dončić
Austin Reaves scored a season-high 43 points in the 121-116 win at Detroit, and Kessler added 12 points and 16 rebounds, per Field Level Media. The Lakers made half of their 84 shots in that game. The win lifted them to 9-2 and was their fifth straight. Los Angeles had lost four straight games to Detroit before Sunday, according to The Associated Press.
“They got guys playing their role. Walker Kessler’s been really good lob threat. He has great hands, defensive anchor, the presence at the rim,” Green said. “This team has been really good. To see Austin go off versus the Pistons like that with Luka sitting, Luka then come back the next night versus the Hawks, they got a good thing going.”
Draymond Green’s Playoff Caveat For The Lakers
Green said the Lakers will need to sort out their defense before the postseason. Kessler, whom Green called a defensive anchor, joined the Lakers this offseason. He scored 26 points on 12-of-12 shooting in his Lakers debut against Golden State on Oct. 21, according to Field Level Media.
“Once they get to the playoffs, they’ll have to figure some things out, especially on the defensive end, in order to keep that going,” Green said. “But they are off to a great start.”
“Are you buying into the hype of the Lakers? You better, at least for this regular season,” Green said. “Again, the playoffs pose a different challenge. I’m not saying they can’t win in the playoffs, but the playoffs pose a different challenge, and we’ll have to wait and see. But they’re going to be good all year, barring they stay healthy.”
The Lakers and Warriors have split two meetings this season. Los Angeles won the Oct. 21 opener 127-105, and Golden State won 112-95 in an NBA Cup game on Oct. 30. Dončić had 37 points in the loss at Chase Center, 21 of them in the first quarter.
Join the conversation