The Los Angeles Lakers had Jaxson Hayes back in the lineup on Sunday against the Phoenix Suns. With his return, All-Star guard Luka Doncic now has a lob partner back. Doncic and Hayes played important roles in the Lakers’ 107-96 win over the Suns. The Slovenian star dominated the game with his 33 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists on 36.4% shooting from deep.
The big man finished the game with 19 points, six rebounds and three assists on 80% shooting from the field. Guard Austin Reaves helped the Lakers with his 28 points, four rebounds and six assists. With exceptional play from the three players, Los Angeles improved to a 41-25 record for the 2024-25 NBA season.
With Hayes’ return, there’s a big difference in how the team performed. After the game, Doncic spoke highly about the starting center and his impact on the floor.
“You can see the difference for me. It helps me a lot, but he helps the whole team. Getting blocked shots, rebounds… he can do a lot of things. We missed him for sure,” Doncic said about Hayes.
Luka Doncic on how nice it was to get Jaxson Hayes back:
"You can see the difference for me. It helps me a lot, but he helps the whole team… We missed him, for sure."
— Lakers Nation (@LakersNation) March 16, 2025
Since Anthony Davis suffered a left adductor strain, Hayes has been the starting center for the Lakers. The big man has averaged 8.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks over the past 16 games. Even while his numbers aren’t very impressive, it’s clear that the former center for the New Orleans Pelicans has improved. He had an average of 5.2 points and 3.8 rebounds before being named the team’s official starting five-man.
Luka Doncic talked about having an ‘alter ego’ when playing
Fans are aware of how Luka Doncic presents himself on the floor. During games, Doncic is loud and often talks trash to his opponents. Against the Suns, he was mic’d up and had a few words to say about the opposing team’s defensive efforts.
“I’ve never been open so much in my life,” said Doncic about the Suns’ defense.
But when the five-time All-Star isn’t playing hoops, he’s someone else. Doncic typically keeps to himself and only speaks to those who are close to him. He was questioned about whether he had an alter ego on the floor following the Suns game.
“Basketball is what I do. It gets me hyped, it makes me happy,” Doncic said (2:10). “There’s an obvious difference between me on the court and me off it.”
The way Doncic gets vocal against his opponents is one of the best characteristics fans love about him whenever he’s playing. His supporters love how animated and expressive he becomes when he’s on the court.
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Reign also writes NBA and WNBA news updates on Sportskeeda. He started as a feature writer for AirAlamo, an NBA website that covers the San Antonio Spurs. Some of his work can also be seen on Valley of the Suns, a Phoenix Suns-centric website, where he served as a contributing writer.
