4 Critical Rotation Mistakes Costing Lakers the Series
Dive into the 2025 NBA Playoffs with expert Mark Medina on Sports Night! We break down the Lakers' struggles against the Timberwolves, JJ Redick's coaching challenges, and their looming offseason needs. Plus, we analyze the tied-up Clippers-Nuggets series, the Warriors-Rockets battle, and why the OKC Thunder are unstoppable in the West. Don't miss the hottest playoff takes! #NBA #NBAPlayoffs #Lakers #Thunder #Clippers #Warriors #Nuggets #Basketball - Subscribe for more NBA insights! - Follow Mark Medina on X: @MarkG_Medina - Hit the bell for weekly sports interviews! Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro 0:30 - Lakers vs. Timberwolves: What's Going Wrong? 4:00 - Clippers vs. Nuggets: Can Denver Turn It Around? 9:00 - Warriors vs. Rockets: Steph Curry Shines 12:00 - OKC Thunder: Unbeatable in the West? 17:00 - Outro & Follow Mark! Note: This video contains analysis based on games as of April 29, 2025.
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22 minutes ago
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Luka Doncic Stuns Fans At Slovenian Gas Station With Ripped New Look And Humble Gesture
Luka Doncic Stuns Fans At Slovenian Gas Station With Ripped New Look And Humble Gesture originally appeared on Fadeaway World. Luka Doncic stunned fans this week in Slovenia after being spotted at a gas station with a noticeably slimmer, ripped physique and a refreshingly humble gesture. A fan who ran into Doncic at the service station described the surreal encounter on X, noting that the Los Angeles Lakers superstar looked unrecognizable after shedding 33 pounds. "This morning. Slovenian service station. My friends and I go in to refill our Lasko beer. At the bar, there's a very tall guy in slippers. He's drinking coffee. He's with another man. I look closer. It's Doncic." "I almost didn't recognize him with 33 pounds less: he's so ripped. I say, 'Luka!' and he smiles. He waves me out. In the parking lot, he says hello to me and my friends. He takes pictures with everyone." "He says his injury in the friendly isn't serious and that he's super pumped for the European Championship. He greets us in Italian, 'Ciao!', and leaves. Life really is strange." "One day you're training with the Lakers in Los Angeles and then going home to your mansion in Beverly Hills, and another day you're in slippers at the service station chatting with Italian strangers." It was a rare sight of an NBA megastar blending into everyday life, only to leave fans buzzing not just about his humility but also his incredible body transformation. That physical change is not just cosmetic, it's the latest proof of Doncic's offseason dedication. For years, Doncic has been criticized for his conditioning, often carrying extra weight into the season, which fueled jokes about him being 'out of shape' or 'a traffic cone' defensively. Those labels might soon become outdated. His Slovenian teammates revealed that Doncic is fitter, faster, and more vocal than ever. Klemen Prepelic praised him not only for his conditioning but also for his evolution as a leader, saying Doncic has embraced a more positive and commanding presence with the national team. The transformation was already on display in a friendly against Latvia, where Doncic dropped 26 points in the first half. But more telling than the scoring was his defensive effort. He rotated, contested shots, stayed active in passing lanes, and even registered a block that sparked transition offense. While nobody expects Doncic to become a lockdown defender, simply offering consistent effort on that end could be game-changing for both Slovenia and the Lakers. For Los Angeles, the timing of this transformation could not be better. The franchise recently invested heavily in Doncic, handing him a three-year, $165 million extension and reshaping the roster to maximize his prime. With LeBron James entering the twilight of his career, the Lakers are betting their future on Doncic being the face of the franchise. And based on these glimpses from Slovenia, it appears he is embracing that responsibility. A leaner, more conditioned Doncic doesn't just mean sharper scoring, it means longevity, accountability, and leadership, three traits Lakers Nation has been waiting to see him fully embrace. It's also notable how this moment resonated with fans. Seeing Doncic, one of basketball's biggest global stars, sipping coffee in slippers at a small Slovenian gas station, chatting and taking pictures without hesitation, reflects his grounded nature despite superstardom. That humility, paired with his revamped work ethic, is exactly what fans want in a leader. He's proving he can dominate on the court and remain approachable off it, which only deepens his connection with supporters. As EuroBasket approaches and Doncic recovers from a minor knee contusion, fans will be eager to see whether this new version of Luka translates consistently in high-level play. If his Slovenian teammates are correct, the Lakers may be welcoming back not just a superstar scorer but a fitter, quicker, and more vocal leader, one who looks ready to lead them into the post-LeBron era. For Lakers fans, the message is simple: their franchise cornerstone looks hungrier, sharper, and more committed than ever. And if Luka Doncic's ripped new look and humble gas station encounter are any indication, this season could mark the start of something unforgettable in Los story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Aug 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
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Will Luka Dončić's new look help him on the floor?
Yahoo Sports senior NBA analyst Kevin O'Connor is joined by Wosny Lambre to discuss the Lakers superstar's weight loss, his play at Eurobasket and what it could mean for his play on the court in Los Angeles this coming season. Hear the full conversation on 'The Kevin O'Connor Show' and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen. View more Video Transcript Luca's weight loss journey was, what kind of grade would you give this? A, B, C, D, F? What's the grade so far for Luca's weight loss journey? I mean, I'm gonna give it a solid B+. Um, it's not just the weight, like, cause losing weight is one thing, but it has to be functional, right? Like, what it actually means for his performance, and I think he does look, you know, quicker than he was, um, albeit, I don't know that he's back to being sort of the 2021 version, you know, it, you can't say that it's anything but good. It's just for me, you know, he's not the guy that was constantly beating guys off the dribble and kind of getting them on his, on his hip and then using his strength. It's been more of a not dribbling by guys and settling for the stepback. And so I, I was hoping that the weight loss would bring more quicker on the ball juice that we saw previously in Luka Doni's career, and I think some of that is back. You know, when you think about, remember the first time he played against Kawhi and Paul George in the playoffs, and those guys couldn't do anything with him. And it's not because he was doing a bunch of stepbacks. It's because literally he was just breaking these guys down in their primes, damn near as defenders off the dribble, and I'd like to see a little bit of that come back to Luca's game. Yeah, I think with Luca, I mean the defense as well, of course, I mean, that's been talked about over and over again with with, with the flaws on that end of the floor, but it is interesting like when you look at the shooting frequency numbers for Luca early in his career, the first two years of his career, 29% and 33% of his shots came at the rim. Last season, that was down to 15%. The year before that was 18%. And so taking more mid-range, taking a bit more three-pointers as well to your point about settling for some of the jumpers. And to me, like I also, I think a B+ is a perfectly fair grade for what we've seen so far this offseason. It doesn't seem like the knee contusion he had is any issue. He practiced on Monday. He's supposed to play on Tuesday for Slovenia. He had 26, 5, and 5 in the first half before he got knocked out. He did look nimble. He looks quick. That's what we want. That's what we want. And to me, it's about how do you sustain it over the course of the long season. That's to be the big question. Close
Yahoo
an hour ago
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Austin Reaves Wants to be 'Laker for Life'
Austin Reaves Wants to be 'Laker for Life' originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves has been sending signals all summer about wanting a massive contract. The deal won't be negotiated until next summer, but there is an expectation of what it could look like. Trusted Lakers insider, Jovan Buha, is reporting that executives around the league are preparing for Reaves to receive at least $30 million annually. That may seem like a hefty price tag, but that is simply the going rate for players of his caliber today. Reaves is arguably better than players like Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley and Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green, who both are right around the $30 million range. After going undrafted in 2021, Reaves has blossomed into one of the brightest young players in the league. He has improved his scoring and rebounding in each of his four NBA seasons, a feat that has some fans convinced he can develop into more than just an elite role player. According to Buha, Reaves had interest from teams in the 2021 draft, but he declined those offers to guarantee a chance to sign with the Lakers. So, it is not surprising that Buha is also reporting that the undrafted star wants to be a 'Laker for life.' There haven't been very many players in the history of sports who have spent their entire careers with just one team, so in an era of fluid player movement, it would be especially unusual. But, there seems to be a love affair between Reaves and the fanbase, so it makes sense why he would want to spend his entire career in LA. Reaves averaged 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game last season on incredible efficiency as he played third fiddle to LeBron James and Luka Doncic. His stock among fans took a hit with a disappointing playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, but clearly league executives feel differently. Luckily for Reaves, he likely won't negotiate a new deal until next summer to maximize his profits, so he has plenty of time to rewrite his narrative. Another strong season could grant him his wish of being a Laker for story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
