The Los Angeles Lakers remain second in the Western Conference with a 12-4 record after a nail-biting 108-106 win over the Utah Jazz.

On a night when Austin Reaves struggled from beyond the arc and LeBron James is still not back to full strength, it was once again Luka Doncic who stole the show: 33 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists, reaffirming himself as the true engine of this team.

The game came after an unusual four-day break, an interruption that, paradoxically, threw the Lakers off rhythm. As the Slovenian star admitted:

I thought four days of rest would help, but it actually made things even harder.

Luka Doncic

Now the Lakers return to Crypto.com Arena for a four-game homestand, a prospect that Doncic is genuinely excited about.

Going back home is great. I can hit the beach and relax a little.

Luka Doncic

Meanwhile, in the NBA Cup, the Lakers are 2-0 in Group B. Tomorrow they face the Clippers in a decisive matchup for securing qualification to Las Vegas, a game that could give Doncic an extra boost of motivation: dominating the tournament in addition to the regular season.