Kennard reveals how playing alongside Dončić elevates his game.
The Los Angeles Lakers picked up a 128-117 win over the Indiana Pacers on Friday night at Crypto.com Arena, bouncing back from a loss to the Denver Nuggets the night before.
Luka Doncic put on a show with 44 points in just three quarters, but it was what happened after the game that stood out from one of his teammates.
Luke Kennard, who finished with 15 points and seven rebounds off the bench, spoke about how much playing alongside Doncic has meant to him since he arrived in Los Angeles.
"Yeah, it's been great... especially coming from a guy like that... one of the best scorers ever played the game... it just builds confidence in you as a player," Kennard said. "He's going to make the right play... his IQ is very high level... no, it's definitely a confidence builder."
Kennard Finding His Groove in Los Angeles
Since the Lakers traded for Kennard at the deadline in early February, the veteran guard has looked right at home in the rotation and has given the bench a much-needed boost from beyond the arc.
On the season, Kennard is averaging 8.3 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game while shooting 50.0 percent from three-point range, which is the best mark of his career.
Friday night's performance against the Pacers was another good example of what he brings, as he knocked down shots and grabbed boards in 27 minutes of action while helping the Lakers pull away in the second half.
A big reason for his comfort level has been playing alongside Doncic, who is averaging 32.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.6 assists per game this season and creating open looks for everyone around him.
When your best player is also your best passer, it makes life easier for a shooter like Kennard, and his words after the game showed just how much that trust means to him.
What the Upcoming Stretch Can Change for Los Angeles
The Lakers sit at 38-25 on the season and are sixth in the Western Conference, while the Pacers dropped to 15-48 with the loss and have now lost eight straight since the All-Star break.
Los Angeles is in the middle of a five-game homestand that includes matchups against the New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Chicago Bulls, and Denver Nuggets, and a strong run through this stretch could push them up in the standings before a tough road trip later in March.
The Lakers have been a team that plays up and down all season, as Rui Hachimura pointed out recently when he said the team looks like a championship squad at their best but just a playoff team at their worst.
Having a consistent bench weapon like Kennard, who can step in and knock down shots on any given night, is the kind of thing that can tip the balance during a playoff push.
If Kennard continues to play at this level and keeps building on the chemistry he has with Doncic and the rest of the group, the Lakers could look like a very different team by the time April rolls around.
For now, Friday night was another sign that the deadline deal is paying off and that Kennard has found the right fit in Los Angeles.