Lakers vs. Jazz Preview and Game Thread: Luka Dončić makes his debut

Luka Dončić and the Lakers look to begin a new era in Los Angeles against the Jazz.

A new era officially begins in Los Angeles on Monday as Luka Dončić is expected to make his Lakers debut against the Utah Jazz. Dončić and the purple and gold are aiming for their sixth straight win.

They will face a Jazz team that’s currently on a two-game losing streak twice this week before heading into the All-Star break.

Start time and TV schedule

Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Utah Jazz

When: 7:30 PST, Feb 10.

Where: Crypto.com Arena

Watch: ESPN, Spectrum Sportsnet

Since the Lakers traded for Dončić on Feb. 1, the whole thing has felt extremely surprising and unbelievable. Ten days may have passed and I think I can speak in behalf of Lakers fans in saying that this trade still doesn’t feel real. But that’s about to change on Monday.

The 25-year-old superstar joins a red-hot team that’s won nine out of their last 10 games. A rejuvenated Laker team that’s playing focused and, dare I say, championship-like basketball right now, perhaps inspired by the addition of the Slovenian native to the roster.

Monday’s game against the Jazz should be exciting and interesting for more reasons than one. Here are three storylines to look out for ahead of what’s most likely going to go down as one of the most memorable games in Lakers franchise history:

How is Luka going to perform?

I know we’re all excited about Dončić donning the purple and gold for the first time but I think it would be best to tamper expectations regarding his production. We absolutely have no idea whether or not this is going to be a seamless process and a lot needs to be figured out in order to fully integrate him into the system. Plus, he’s coming off a serious calf injury, so it won’t be a surprise to see the former Dallas Maverick ease himself into action.

That said, what’s certain is that the Lakers crowd will embrace and celebrate Doncic right away. It’ll be nice to see how the newest Laker responds to the crowd and, more importantly, performs in this one. Will he impress with a triple-double right away? Or play a more passive role as he figures things out?

What is his first shot going to be as Laker? Who is going to benefit from his first assist? Exciting times are definitely ahead.

The Lakers’ awkward center situation

In case you missed it, the Lakers trade for Mark Williams was rescinded because the center failed his physical test. While it’s good news for L.A. that they’re not wasting their assets on a player with multiple physical issues, it leaves the Lakers in a tough spot because they didn’t upgrade the center position. So the fate of the center position in lies in....Jaxson Hayes’ hands.

In fairness to Hayes though, he’s actually played decent since Anthony Davis’ absence. Monday will be a tough test for him with Walker Kessler and Lauri Markkanen occupying Utah’s frontcourt. I’m curious to see how Dončić’s presence will impact the center position and whether or not it’s indeed a big problem that needs to be addressed.

Hopefully, Hayes and co. show encouraging signs that they can hold their ground against some matchups.

Don’t sleep on the tanking Jazz

The Jazz team coming into Monday’s match is the same one that almost beat the Lakers on their home floor in December if it weren’t for Will Hardy calling a timeout during crunch time. Yes, they’re tanking and have the league’s 22nd-best offense and 30th defense, but the thing with this Utah team is that they can surprise anybody at any given night. They always have that one game where they suddenly play so well and shock everybody with a win.

That’s the last thing we want to happen in Dončić’s debut, so it would be best if the Lakers locked in for this one. They’ve been starting games well as of late but falter in third quarters, which they should improve. Hopefully, the Lakers will carry over their superb play of late and balance that while integrating their new superstar into the mix on Monday.

If the Lakers’ offense is stable where Dončić, LeBron James and the role players are making shots, then they should be more than fine. Defense should actually be the calling card of this game because offense is the only good thing that Utah has right now. If Kessler, Markkanen, George and the rest don’t get too hot, then this should be an easy victory for the purple and gold.

Let’s see if that will indeed be the case and if the Dončić era in Los Angeles starts on a magical note on Monday.

Notes and Updates

• For the Lakers’ injury report, Austin Reaves (left elbow contusion) is probable.
• Luka Dončić (left calf strain), LeBron James (left ankle soreness) and Dalton Knecht (personal) are questionable.
• Bronny James (left forearm muscle strain) is doubteful while Maxi Kleber (right foot francture), Cam Reddish (personal) and Christian Wood (left knee surgery recovery) are out.
• As for the Jazz, Taylor Hendricks (right fibula fracture), KJ Martin (reconditioning) and Colin Sexton (left ankle sprain) are out.
• We will be live on Playback for this game, so be sure to join us!

You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.