Skip Bayless Criticizes Luka’s Impact Without LeBron: ‘Most of His Points Felt Like Empty Calories’
Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic put up impressive numbers on Thursday against the Milwaukee Bucks, but his efforts came in a losing cause. Sports analyst Skip Bayless argued that many of Doncic’s points were “empty calories.”
Using the performance as an example, Bayless explained why the Dallas Mavericks traded Doncic and why he supported the move. He insisted that the 26-year-old is struggling without LeBron James.
“Tonight’s Laker game at Milwaukee on national TV was exactly why Nico Harrison and the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic and why I was good with it,” Bayless said. “Now, obviously, in Dallas, as soon as Anthony Davis got there, he got hurt, and everybody including Kyrie [Irving] got hurt, so we gotta wait until next year to grade the trade.
“But tonight at Milwaukee was yet another testament to just how great LeBron James is playing at age 40 in year 22. Never seen anything like it. League’s never seen anything like it. We’ll never see anything like it again, at least as long as I live, maybe as long as you live.
“Tonight at Milwaukee, Luka Doncic scored 45 points. He had 29 by halftime. He had a hot streak from 3 in the first half in which he scored 10 straight points, and he wound up making five out of nine 3s in the first half, and then he went cold for a stretch, and most of his points felt like empty calories.
“Most of his points had little to no impact on the scoreboard, and tonight at Milwaukee on national TV, we saw how much Luka Doncic is missing LeBron bleeping James.
“… It has become the ultimate basketball joy for me to watch these two combine their genius on the basketball floor. … I got hooked on it because it was like watching two Magic Johnsons on the floor. Now, without LeBron, Luka’s like half a Magic.”
Doncic ended the game with 45 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, two steals, and one block while shooting 14-for-27 from the field and 7-for-13 from three-point range. His 45 points matched his season-high, which he had previously set with the Mavericks.
Meanwhile, James has been sidelined since leaving the Lakers’ game against the Boston Celtics on Saturday with a groin injury. The Lakers lost that game and have since dropped two more, extending their losing streak to three.
Although Bayless has been critical of Doncic, he also appears to enjoy watching him play alongside James. The hope is that both stars will return to action soon, though they will miss Friday’s game against the Denver Nuggets.
Once holding the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, the Lakers have now fallen to fourth due to their recent slump. They remain a formidable playoff contender, but to secure a favorable seed, they’ll need to turn things around quickly.
While Bayless’ comments might spark debate, Doncic likely isn’t too concerned with media criticism at the moment.
