Hours before the Los Angeles Lakers crushed the Denver Nuggets, 123-100, in a big Western Conference showdown on Saturday night, Lakers head coach JJ Redick issued a challenge to Luka Dončić: "I want him to have a 'blackout episode' tonight where he screams at no one in particular.

When the Los Angeles Lakers traded for Luka Dončić, the news sent the NBA into a frenzy. However, many fans wondered how the dynamic between two ball-dominant players would work alongside LeBron James.

After a few slow games, Los Angeles got its first performance befitting all the hype that came with the former Dallas Mavericks star in a 123-100 win over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday. Dončić finished with 32 points on 10-of-22 shooting, 10 rebounds, seven assists and four steals.