After a statement win over the Houston Rockets, Luka Dončić made it clear — the Lakers aren’t just hoping to compete. They’re aiming to conquer.
Los Angeles locked up the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference with a 117–103 victory in Houston on April 11, ensuring home-court advantage for the opening round of the playoffs. While several stars sat out the following game in Portland, the job was already done.
“Very important,” Luka said postgame. “It’s gonna be my first time having home-court advantage, so I’m really excited about it. That was our goal.”
The win capped a 50–32 regular season, a major milestone in JJ Redick’s first year as head coach.
🏆 “We Have the Team to Do It”
With nine days to rest and prepare before their playoff opener, Dončić isn’t just recharging — he’s locking in.
“The good part of the season is coming, so I gotta stay ready, stay locked in. But for sure, a little bit of rest is gonna be great for me.”
The Lakers will face the No. 6 seed Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round — a team they split the regular season series with, 2–2. Game 1 is set for April 19 at Crypto.com Arena.
Asked about Austin Reaves’ championship comments, Luka doubled down.
“Yes, that’s gotta be our only goal — and that’s our only goal. We have the team to do it. When everybody is locked in, we’re a hard team to beat.”
🔒 Not Just Luka and LeBron
The Luka-LeBron duo has been electric, but Dončić isn’t making it about just the stars.
“It’s gonna be hard to stop us. But it’s not just me and LeBron. We have a great team around us. Everybody helps us in so many ways. So if we wanna win the championship, it’s gonna take all of us.”
The message is clear: This Lakers team believes it’s built for a deep run.
