The Los Angeles Lakers played their first game in the Luka Dončić era, and it couldn’t have gone any better, dominating the Utah Jazz in a 132-113 victory at Crypto.com Arena. Dončić finished with 14 points, five rebounds, and four assists in limited minutes, while LeBron James delivered his usual all-around performance with 24 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists.
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Before the game, James reassured Dončić in the team huddle that he didn’t want him to fit in—he wanted Luka to be Luka. The chemistry and ball movement were fluid, an encouraging sign for Lakers fans.
One of the biggest LeBron supporters in the media, Shannon Sharpe, was ready to overreact this morning. On First Take, to the surprise of ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Stephen A. Smith, Sharpe boldly claimed that the Lakers could beat the league-leading Oklahoma City Thunder in a seven-game series right now.
“If the Lakers get the OKC Thunder in the Western Conference, we are going to the NBA Finals!” Sharpe declared.
Stephen A. Smith was flabbergasted and immediately called for Sharpe to be drug-tested.
“Something is absolutely wrong with you right now,” Smith responded. “Let me tell you something, first of all, you better hope you don’t run into Denver beforehand.”
Meanwhile, the nixed trade between the Lakers and the Charlotte Hornets left Mark Williams in Charlotte, meaning the Lakers still lack a true game-changing big man or an extra roster spot. While overreactions after one game are common, Sharpe’s take might have been the most outrageous yet.
