Every fanbase in the NBA, and perhaps all of sports, thinks it has a target on its back. Part of what drives the passion of this entire enterprise is the notion that it’s perpetually us against them, a whole league and ecosystem working against your favorites, because when they succeed, the obstacles along the way make it that much more satisfying. This is especially prevalent among bigger fanbases, and no team inspires more passion in the NBA than the Los Angeles Lakers. When a team has won 16 championships, it tends to develop some enemies along the way. That has made the fan base somewhat conspiracy-minded.
A notable theory that has sprung up amongst that fanbase in recent years is that opponents are so determined to beat them that injured players intentionally target Laker games for their returns. Just yesterday, for instance, Norman Powell returned from a five-game absence to face the Lakers. Two games earlier, it was Donte DiVincenzo, who had missed the previous 19 games. Before that, Dwight Powell, who had missed 16. LaMelo Ball played 10 total minutes in his last three games before the All-Star Game, but played 33 against the Lakers immediately afterward.
Obviously, injured players try to return to action as quickly as they can. Some fans just have a habit of noting how frequently those timelines tend to match up with Laker games. Luka Doncic, it seems, has joined them. The newest Laker noted after Sunday’s win against the Clippers that even he has a spotted the trend.
“I didn’t believe it before, but they say if somebody is out a long time, then they play against the Lakers,” Dončić said with a chuckle. “So I didn’t believe it at the time, but obviously it’s the Lakers, so I think that’s normal.”
Ironically, Dončić himself has contributed to this trend in a small way. Last season, he sprained an ankle in a Jan. 9 game against the Memphis Grizzlies. He proceeded to miss three games and then return on the road against the Lakers, dropping a 33-point triple-double in a losing effort.
Whether or not the trend is real over a significant sample would be all but impossible to track, but there’s a common sense element to its existence. Laker games are showcase opportunities for players. Those who enjoy nightlife want to travel to Los Angeles. If it at all makes sense for someone to play in a Laker game, they’re probably going to do it. The same is true for, say, the Timberwolves or Hornets, but those games don’t come with quite as much fanfare. True or not, Dončić did manage to earn some easy points with his new fans by echoing their grievance.
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