The Los Angeles Lakers welcomed the Utah Jazz for a Monday night matchup. Los Angeles entered the game as the No. 5 team in the Western Conference standings with a 31-19 record, riding a five-game win streak.
Their Monday night matchup featured Luka Doncic’s first official game as a Laker, following the team’s acquisition of the All-Star guard before the trade deadline.
Ahead of the game against Utah, Doncic was announced as a starter, with fans at Crypto.com Arena erupting.
One of the many fans in attendance was Doncic’s fiancee Anamaria Goltes. Goltes took to social media before the game, posting a video of Doncic’s introduction with the caption “77” and a red heart emoji.
Anamaria Goltes, Instagram Anamaria Goltes, Instagram Anamaria Goltes, Instagram The Lakers acquired Doncic in a trade that sent Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks.
Utah was also involved in the trade, with Los Angeles sending Jalen Hood-Schifino and draft compensation to the Jazz. Doncic entered the matchup averaging 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game.
The matchup against the Jazz featured Doncic’s first NBA minutes since Dec. 25, 2024. The 25-year-old star was previously nursing a calf injury.
He’s now playing beside LeBron James, attempting to win his first NBA title with a historic franchise.