Luka Doncic missed the Lakers’ game in Toronto for the best reason a player can give, and NBA Fans reacted with jokes, praise, and a whole lot of running memes. The Lakers star is in Slovenia celebrating the birth of his second child with Anamaria Goltes.
@LADEig broke the news and wrote, “JUST IN: Luka Doncic is currently in Slovenia welcoming his second child! He will not play tomorrow in Toronto.” That update spread fast, pulling NBA Fans into full celebration mode.
JUST IN: Luka Doncic is currently in Slovenia welcoming his second child! He will not play tomorrow in Toronto. pic.twitter.com/ZiQF85LR85
— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) December 3, 2025
The jokes arrived in seconds. @CamBlack07 dropped the line that turned into the headline of the night: “Father of his Kids, the Suns, and the Mavs, crazy.”
Even after months in the purple and gold, NBA Fans still love bringing up the teams Luka has dominated across his career. The line traveled across timelines the way only a good fan joke can.
@ladidaix added a calmer reaction with, “Luka got his priorities straight,” which gave NBA Fans the reminder that family comes first, no matter the schedule.
Luka’s presence has lifted the Lakers this season, and NBA Fans know how hard it is to replace his control and timing. But there are moments where even basketball pauses. This is one of them. The celebration isn’t just a personal milestone for Luka and his family. It also shows how NBA Fans turn any major update into a full discussion thread of humor, praise, and quick-fire comments.
The Lakers will wait for their star to return, but this is the rare moment where everyone agrees on the priority. NBA Fans enjoyed the jokes, enjoyed the congratulatory messages, and enjoyed the break from the usual debates. Luka will be back soon, and the story continues, but for now the spotlight belongs to his growing family.
NBA Fans React As Lakers Pull Off Toronto Win Without Luka Doncic
The Lakers had to face the Raptors without Luka Doncic, and NBA Fans followed every minute of the matchup he missed while in Slovenia. Games like this test a team’s balance, and the Lakers found a way to get through it with late-game control and key plays from the supporting cast.
The official @Lakers account summed up the result with, “Double-double & the dub ✔️,” a clean summary of a gritty road win.
NBA Fans immediately broke down the closing stretch. LeBron James delivered the game-winning assist, and @DemonBronn praised the decision by writing, “Bron made the pass instead of trying to keep the streak alive. That’s my GOAT.” His timing and reads created the shot that sealed the night.
Austin Reaves exploded for a huge scoring game, and Rui Hachimura knocked down the winner, but the reactions still carried a strange tone. @theroyalkop captured it with, “The lakers won. LeBron had the game winning assist. Reaves had 44. Rui game winner shot. But I feel empty heart emoji.”
NBA Fans understood the feeling. A win is a win, but it hits different when one of the league’s biggest stars is halfway across the world.
NBA Fans paid close attention because this was the same game Luka Doncic had to skip for the birth of his child. The Lakers handled the night with patience and kept control even without their main creator. It was the type of road win that builds confidence and keeps NBA Fans talking afterward.
Once Luka is back in uniform, the Lakers return to full strength, but for one night NBA Fans watched them grind one out without him and still walk out of Toronto with the result they needed.
For more basketball content, click on Hardwood Heroics. Sabel Reyes can be reached through sabelreyes22@gmail.com. Other websites under the Sports Heroics umbrella are Gridiron Heroics and Wisconsin Heroics.
Sabel has been working as a field reporter for People’s Television Network (PTV), mainly about the Philippine Basketball Association since 2016 and has been elevated to Executive Producer for sports in 2022. Aside from being on top of the Philippine sports scene, she is also a running enthusiast. You can also follow her on X at @SabelReyes2 and Instagram at @msabelreyes.
