Doncic praised Deandre Ayton for his significant impact on both offense and defense.

Thanks to contributions from Luka Doncic, Deandre Ayton, and LeBron James, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Toronto Raptors 110-93 at home in their latest NBA regular season game of the 2025/26 season. In an interview, Luka Doncic stated that Deandre Ayton's performance on both offense and defense had a significant impact on the team.

Luka Doncic scored 25 points and had 7 assists for the Los Angeles Lakers in this game, Deandre Ayton added 25 points and one assist, while LeBron James contributed 24 points and 7 assists.

When discussing Deandre Ayton's performance, Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic said, "It's been really great for him. He's been great in a lot of crucial possessions, and he played exceptionally well in the last game. We put him on the court to do some things, and he did them all. It's incredible."

"I think this was one of the best defensive games we've ever played. They only scored 93 points, which is great. We played very tough and at a fast pace. I think we did a fantastic job on defense. When Deandre Ayton can play like that and stay focused on both ends of the court, it helps us a lot and helps us win, and that's exactly what we need him to do."

Luka Doncic also emphasized, "Like I said, it's very important to pass the ball to Deandre Ayton. He's a very crucial member of our team, both on offense and defense. We need to find his position more often, and if he can play like that, our chances of winning will be much greater."

Regarding his previous injury, Luka Doncic said, "It's okay, not serious. Maybe there's still a little discomfort, but obviously I was playing through the pain. My shooting has improved recently, but it's not close to the level I know I can reach. Sometimes it's hard to say when you feel best, but the key is the condition of your leg and whether you can make a shot smoothly."

"This record isn't bad, of course it could be better. But sometimes, if we can perform like we did in this game, or play like we did against the Atlanta Hawks, our chances of winning are much greater, and we must learn from those two games."