Luka Doncic helped the Los Angeles Lakers secure a home victory over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday night, scoring 25 points and recording seven assists. This win marked the team’s last home game before beginning an eight-game road trip, which starts on January 20 in Denver against the Nuggets.
The upcoming stretch, known as the annual Grammy road trip, will keep the Lakers away from their home court until they return to face the Philadelphia 76ers on February 5. The road schedule also includes games against teams such as the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks, and features Doncic’s first return to Dallas this season.
Despite recent struggles and ongoing injury issues within the roster, Doncic emphasized that he does not see these challenges as valid reasons for underperformance. “Same way. I mean, we’re getting paid to do this,” Doncic said. “Shouldn’t be any excuses. So I know it’s going to be a lot of traveling, but we get paid to do this. And I love it.”
Doncic’s attitude sets an example for his teammates as they prepare for a difficult stretch of games with key players like Austin Reaves still sidelined by injuries. Team leaders are focusing on maintaining accountability rather than attributing setbacks to health concerns.
LeBron James echoed similar sentiments regarding overcoming adversity during this period: he stated that while injuries have impacted their play recently, it is essential for the Lakers to find solutions instead of seeking sympathy from others.
The Lakers have historically used long road trips like this one to regroup ahead of crucial phases in previous seasons.
