A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
In Los Angeles last night, Luka Doncic made his first appearance with the Lakers. Last week, he was traded by the Dallas Mavericks to the Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis. It was a rare move - two superstar players being traded for each other. And Laker fans are now envisioning more championships. Steve Futterman reports.
STEVE FUTTERMAN: Before last night's tip-off, some fans here at the Lakers home arena were still pinching themselves.
What was your reaction when you heard the trade?
J R CARDINO: I thought it was a joke.
FUTTERMAN: J.R. Cardino is a longtime fan of both the Lakers and Luka Doncic. He has gone from disbelieving to now predicting NBA titles for the Lakers.
CARDINO: He's going to bring a chip. I guarantee that.
FUTTERMAN: Everyone attending last night's game was given a T-shirt resembling the new number 77 Laker jersey worn by Doncic. When he was introduced, a huge ovation.
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UNIDENTIFIED SPORTS ANNOUNCER: Luka Doncic.
FUTTERMAN: Once the game began, it took him nearly four minutes, but on his second shot, Doncic made his first Laker basket.
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UNIDENTIFIED SPORTS COMMENTATOR: Luka's got the big on him. Tries the three and hits it.
FUTTERMAN: In last night's game, the Lakers easily beat the Utah Jazz. Doncic, in his first game since a Christmas Day calf injury, played 23 minutes, scored 14 points. LA coach JJ Redick was impressed.
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JJ REDICK: Knowing Luka, whether he will admit this or not, like, there was probably a little bit of nerves, you know, playing for the Lakers for the first time.
FUTTERMAN: In Dallas, where Doncic was the face of the franchise, there has been a great deal of anger aimed at Dallas management. There have even been some reported death threats. Complicating things is the fact that Anthony Davis is now out for several weeks after suffering an injury during his first game with the Mavericks. Doncic did not talk about the threats but did talk about the special relationship he had with Dallas fans.
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LUKA DONCIC: I've been there almost seven years. And it was amazing to experience those fans and the love for me. I will always appreciate that, but now, I think we should focus on the next step. And the way Lakers fans received me here was amazing.
FUTTERMAN: The trade has been the talk of the basketball world. The next step is to see how well Luka Doncic will blend in with a Laker team that already features the game's all-time leading scorer, LeBron James. The Lakers have star power. Still to be determined - will that result in a serious bid for an NBA title?
For NPR News, I'm Steve Futterman in Los Angeles.
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