LOS ANGELES — With every word out of Rick Carlisle’s mouth it was as if the Indiana Pacers coach gazed toward the peak of a mountain that extended higher and higher with every one of his soundbites of praise.
Carlisle, who coached Luka Doncic as a rookie in 2018 through 2021 with the Dallas Mavericks, didn’t dwell on his embattled relationship with the Slovenian star – well-documented during their final season together in Texas.
On Friday night, coaching the last-in-the-East Pacers, Carlisle quickly told it like it is about being the coach on the opposite side of the MVP candidate when a Slovenian journalist asked “how special Doncic was” from the back of the visitors’ press room at Crypto.com Arena.
“It’s hell, really, because he’s impossible to game plan for,” Carlisle said. “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a player that controls an NBA game the way he does.”
True to Carlisle’s words, Doncic played as if he was impossible to plan for a few hours later, scored 44 points before getting to sit out the fourth quarter as the Lakers (38-25) took down the Pacers, 128-117, returning to the win column in dominant fashion despite LeBron James sitting out with a left elbow contusion.
“And listen, I got to be careful,” Carlisle said. “I coached Dirk Nowitzki, who’s in the Hall of Fame, who’s seventh on this all-time scoring list, who … we won a championship together. But Luka is just … he’s the extra special of the most extra special.”
In the first quarter alone, Doncic scored 22 points on 7-of-9 shooting, extending his league-leading mark of five first quarters of at least 20 points. According to ESPN research, Doncic is the only player since the 1996-97 season to do that. The 27-year-old guard made his first five 3-point shots and turned up his defensive intensity – the part of his game that draws the most criticism – to intercept a throw down the court from Pacers forward Pascal Siakam before weaving to the rim for a one-handed finish past center Jay Huff to knot the score at 13-all.
Carlisle called Doncic the greatest player he’s ever coached and predicted Doncic will win a league MVP award.
The 2011 NBA championship-winning coach even fired back at the frequent critiques of Doncic’s on-the-court antics, such as chirping back and forth with officials, which have led to 15 technical fouls so far this season, one away from a one-game suspension.
“You show me a great player who isn’t stubborn and doesn’t get pissed off at things,” Carlisle said of Doncic. “I’ll show you somebody who isn’t a great player.”
Doncic, however, is one of few NBA players who can back up the talk with his walk; or in this case, his play on the court. By halftime, Doncic helped stake his team to a 64-51 lead with 29 points – becoming the only player in the league this season with at least 29 points, six made 3-pointers, six rebounds and three assists in a single half.
Rui Hachimura, who started alongside Jaxson Hayes in place of James and Deandre Ayton (left knee soreness), shot 5 for 8 for 13 points, second-best on the Lakers, while Austin Reaves scored 11 of his 19 points in the second half, helping the Lakers extend their lead to 24 points. Luke Kennard also had 15 points off the bench.
“M-V-P” chants echoed down on Doncic when he turned in a nifty maneuver to the hoop for a 92-74 lead and when he made a pair of free throws to eclipse 40 points for the 10th time this season.
Right before the buzzer sounded to end the third quarter, Doncic made his seventh 3-pointer of the night – capping his night and giving the Lakers a 99-80 lead, their largest of the night to that point. Carlisle, stoic as he watched Doncic’s fadeaway 3 from in front of his bench, had another reminder of what life was like on the other side of the aisle.
Doncic became only the fourth player in Lakers history to score 40 points in at least 10 games in a season, joining Kobe Bryant, Elgin Baylor and Jerry West. He also has the most 40-point games in the NBA this season, passing Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards.
Pascal Siakam scored 26 points and Andrew Nembhard had 17 for the Pacers (15-48), who have lost eight straight since the All-Star break, including five consecutive blowouts. Indiana shot 2 for 19 from 3-point range in the first half.
More to come on this story.
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