Luka Dončić set for Lakers debut against Jazz – NBA odds & tips

The wait is over for Lakers fans eager to see NBA star Luka Dončić in purple and gold.

The Slovenian is expected to make his debut for Los Angeles on Tuesday (AEDT) against the Utah Jazz after being upgraded to probable on the team’s latest injury report.

Dončić, who hasn’t played since Christmas due to a strained left calf, was acquired in a blockbuster trade that sent Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks.

His return was initially targeted for Sunday’s matchup against Indiana, but the Lakers opted for a more cautious approach, pushing his debut to February 11.

The matchup will be nationally televised on ESPN at 2:30pm AEDT, with coverage also available on ESPN+, Disney+, and the ESPN app.

While top online bookmakers have the Lakers priced at $1.13 to win, there is still value to be found.

With Dončić’s new role at the Lakers, we can expect him to be the main pointscorer — very similar to the role he had previously at Dallas.

In his first game back from injury and playing in front of his new crowd, he will be looking to put on a show.

The game is also expected to mark the return of LeBron James, who has been dealing with an ankle injury.

Both he and Dončić are listed as probable, meaning fans could see the much-anticipated pairing of two of the game’s premier playmakers on the same court.

With Davis being traded to Dallas as part of the Dončić trade, this will free James to stretch under the basket for those rebounds.

Coming off recent numbers of 11, 8, and 17, all with Davis still in the lineup, we can expect James to put up similar numbers.

Now, with Dončić poised to finally take the floor, excitement is at an all-time high as the Lakers look to make a statement in the NBA Western Conference.

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