Kobe Bryant made a rare appearance at Staples Center because he wanted to watch Luka Doncic play. He brought his daughter, Gianna, and sat courtside. During the game, Doncic was taken aback because he heard someone trash-talking him in Slovenian,

Welcome to the Luka Era in Los Angeles, which officially kicked off with a 132–113 win over the cellar-dwelling Jazz. Doncic’s final stat line: 14 points in 24 minutes. He collected five rebounds and four assists. Not bad for a player out since Christmas.

Many dubbed Doncic's first contest with the Lakers as the most-anticipated debut for a sports star in recent years.