Mar 8, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) dribbles the ball against Boston Celtics center Al Horford (42) during the first quarter at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
Less than 12 months ago, Luka Doncic become withinside the NBA Finals with the Dallas Mavericks in opposition to the Boston Celtics. His first time again in Boston after the Finals become beneathneath absolutely different — and unexpected circumstances — as he’s now a member of the Los Angeles Lakers because of the midseason blockbuster cope with Dallas.
Doncic’s Mavericks did now no longer placed up the high-quality of fights in opposition to the Celtics, and being again at their domestic area become positive to carry up a few recollections from that series.
Luka nonetheless had a outstanding recreation for the Lakers — 34 factors and 8 rebounds — however he become not able to assist raise the Lakers to victory, specifically after the groin harm to LeBron James withinside the fourth quarter.
After the recreation, Doncic contemplated on being again in Boston for the primary time and going through the Celtics, thru Spectrum SportsNet:
“Yeah, they’ve an first rate team, first rate players, mainly right here it’s very hard to play and really hard to conquer them. But yeah, it glaringly involves thoughts. My first Finals, you don’t need to lose it. But that’s what happens, it glaringly involves thoughts sometimes.”
This changed into additionally Doncic’s first study the Lakers-Celtics contention from up close. It’s certainly considered one among sports’ very excellent rivalries, and Luka virtually loved being part of it:
“It changed into a first rate atmosphere. Love gambling in the ones atmospheres, it receives you going, receives you hyped. But we recognize Boston may be very loud all of the time. Like I said, it’s continually hard to play right here. But it’s a laugh for me, it’s very a laugh.”
The Celtics are an exceedingly ambitious opponent, having gained the NBA Finals in 2024 and being proper returned on the pinnacle of the Eastern Conference standings — at No. 2 — this season. The Celtics are truly a group the Lakers should see withinside the Finals if they’re capable of get thru the Western Conference.
And now that Doncic has his first sport in and now that Doncic has his first sport in Boston out of the way, it need to simplest get less difficult to cognizance at the project to hand while withinside the building.
Luka Doncic nice after hurting returned
In both the Lakers’ win over the L.A. Clippers or the New Orleans Pelicans, Luka Doncic took a tough fall that harm his returned. It became clean at some stage in the Celtics sport that he became now no longer 100%, however stated that he’s nice.
Although, he did admit that his returned is bothering him after the fall, which offers the Lakers some thing to maintain a watch on withinside the coming weeks.
