Can Luka Doncic do once again what he did last year: carry a team on his back and lead it to the Finals? If the Los Angeles Lakers’ latest performance is any indication, fans have every reason to believe it’s possible. In what can only be described as their most impressive game since acquiring Doncic from the Mavericks in early February, the Lakers dominated the Denver Nuggets with a 123-100 victory. And watching proudly from afar? None other than Lakers legend Magic Johnson.

Magic didn’t hold back when sharing his excitement after the game. Shouting out key players, he made it clear that he believes Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves are starting to click under JJ Redick’s offensive system. “… Rui helped out a lot tonight too. It was a great performance on both ends of the court. If the Lakers keep this up, they have a real shot at playing in the Western Conference Finals,” Johnson posted on X.

If you caught the game, you know Luka wasted no time making his presence felt. The 5x All-NBA guard went off in the first quarter, racking up 16 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block—all in just 12 minutes. His shooting was sharp, going 5-of-11 from the field and 2-of-4 from deep.

And let’s not forget the moment that set the tone for the night. Less than two minutes in, Doncic threw a perfect full-court pass to LeBron for an easy breakaway dunk. That play alone told fans that tonight’s going to be different. Doncic finished with 32 points—his best scoring performance since joining the Lakers. And let’s be honest, after averaging just 14.7 points on 35.6 percent shooting in his first three games, fans were ready to see this version of Luka.

But perhaps no one needed this win more than JJ Redick. According to Senior NBA reporter Jovan Buha, the rookie head coach admitted he hadn’t been sleeping well since last Thursday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Redick has now praised his team’s “conviction” in executing the game plan against Denver. And after a night like this, maybe he can finally catch some well-deserved sleep. Especially now that Luka Doncic has rediscovered his form after taking a break from this year’s All-Star event.

Luka Doncic opened up on how he spent his All-Star break

Ever wonder what NBA stars do during the All-Star break? For Luka Doncic, it wasn’t about extra practice or studying game film. After being traded from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers at the deadline, Doncic used the break to step back and clear his mind.

“Honestly, I was getting my mind off basketball,” he shared. The outcome? No immediate transformation as such because, in his return to the court, the Lakers fell to the rebuilding Charlotte Hornets. A game many expected them to win. Doncic didn’t look like himself, struggling with his shot after nearly a week off. To make matters worse, he sat out the following game against the Portland Trail Blazers. All because of a left calf injury.

But this recent game against the Nuggets seems to be a sign that the All-Star break and Doncic gathering himself back has worked its magic. When Luka Doncic returned against the Denver Nuggets, he looked more like the superstar fans know and love. No wonder that not just JJ Redick but Magic Johnson seems to be relaxed about the Lakers’ future for now.