Luka Dončić explains his 'step forward' on defense after five-steal performance vs. Raptors

The Lakers superstar leads the league in scoring, but, on Sunday, his increased defensive effort stood out

Nov 2, 2026 at 11:55 am ET • 4 min read

Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Dončić currently leads the NBA in scoring by an astounding 8.1 points per game, as his 37.7 ppg average dwarfs Tyrese Maxey's 29.6 ppg in second place. 

On Sunday night, Dončić increased that average with 45 points (along with 15 rebounds and six assists) in a 131-125 win over the Toronto Raptors, but after the game, much of the focus was on what Dončić did on the defensive end of the floor. Since he entered the league, no one has confused Dončić with an elite defender, but through six games this season, a leaner Luka has looked more engaged and improved on the defensive end for the Lakers. 

Sunday night was his best statistical performance yet, as he produced five steals and drew three charges against the Raptors to give the Lakers eight extra possessions that became critical in a six-point win. That effort offered a proof point for Dončić of what he views as a genuine step forward he's taken on defense in his ninth season in the NBA.

"Obviously, I'm not the best defender in the NBA, but I think this year, I really took a step forward," Dončić said (via ESPN). "Obviously, people are going to talk what they want to talk [about] me. ... But I know, and my team knows, that I'm better this year."

Those three charges drawn now tie him for the most in the league this season, alongside Aaron Nesmith, Davion Mitchell, Draymond Green, Jalen Brunson and Keyonte George. He's averaging 1.8 steals per game, which is tied for 15th in the league, and while many will be quick to point out that charges and steals aren't necessarily a sign of great defense, they do point to Dončić's effort level being raised on that end of the floor. 

For years, Dončić has been viewed as a one-way player. He is one of the elite offensive engines in the NBA, up in the tier with Nikola Jokić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the title of best in the world. Defense has never been his calling card, and much of the frustration with Dončić's conditioning is due to a lack of effort on that end of the floor. 

This year, Dončić seems to have bought into the importance of showing stronger effort on defense as he takes the reins as the Lakers' leader with the departure of LeBron James. Lakers coach J.J. Redick sees Dončić taking charges as him proving he's taking a step forward as a leader as much as anything. 

"I think taking a charge in general is just a form of leadership, right? You're putting your body on the line for the team," Redick said. "... He's trying to win. You see the competitiveness come out so many times on the offensive end, but he's competitive on the defensive end, too."

Between Dončić and Austin Reaves, the Lakers have the potential to be one of the league's elite offensive units. The question coming into the season was whether they could do enough defensively to hold up with a roster that doesn't feature many high-end defenders outside of Walker Kessler. 

Through seven games, the Lakers rank 20th in the NBA in defensive rating (113.9). While that's just a bit below league average, for a team with the second-best offensive rating in the league (119.9), it's enough to get the job done. The concern for the Lakers is whether Dončić and the rest will be able to maintain that effort level on defense as the season wears on. 

It's easy to commit on the defensive end for a couple weeks coming out of camp, but it's much harder to be locked in 50 games into the season. The Lakers being 20th in the league in defense while touting Dončić's improvement on that end and an increased effort level suggests that if that commitment wanes from Dončić and others, their defense could crash closer to the league's worst units. That would negate the advantage they gain with an elite offense and bring them down a tier in terms of being a contender. 

That will be worth monitoring as the season progresses, but for now Dončić and the Lakers are getting a proof point of what they can do when they're locked in defensively. Perhaps most importantly, Dončić is seeing that he can still be an elite offensive player while putting a bit more into his defense, which may make it easier for him to stay committed on the defensive side all year. 

For the Lakers to be a threat in the West, the offense has to be elite but the defense needs to simply be serviceable. For now, they've figured out that formula, thanks in part to their star buying in and trying to lead by example with an increased focus on doing the right things defensively.