Luka Dončić had a hilarious response when asked about the playoffs after the Los Angeles Lakers made the postseason after their 123-117 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday.
The superstar guard starred in the win with a 42-point masterclass, coupled with five rebounds and 12 assists. When asked if he wanted the playoffs to begin early, his response left the reporters in stitches.
Luka Dončić’s Candid Drops Light-Hearted Answer About the Playoffs
When speaking to the media after the win, the mercurial playmaker was asked if he wanted the playoffs to begin early. To which the All-Star guard replied, “No. We need some rest after the season, so I don’t want them to start now.”
Q: Do you want the playoffs to start like sooner rather than later instead of like in another 3 weeks?
Luka: “No. We need some rest after the season so I don’t want them to start now” 😂 pic.twitter.com/oN7OcL1GdN
— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) April 1, 2026
The 2026 NBA playoffs will start on April 18, with the play-in tournament scheduled for April 14-17. The conclusion of the play-in determines the complete seeding of both conferences. If the playoffs were today, the third-seeded Lakers would play their first round of the Western Conference playoffs against Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets.
On the season front, it has been a scintillating run for Dončić and the Lakers. The prolific scorer averages 33.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.3 assists in his 63 games, making him eligible for the regular-season awards.
His offensive prowess has seen LA hit the 50-win mark and is on pace for more, bettering their last season’s 50-32 record. The last time they made 50+ wins, they won the NBA championship.
Given Dončić’s form and the arsenal he has in Austin Reaves and LeBron James, the Lakers are seen as a serious threat and expected to make a deep playoff run. While fans and analysts have predicted the second round as their ceiling, the Lakers certainly feel they can make a case to win the NBA Finals. With this in mind, it makes sense that the guard wanted the rest to stay fresh for the postseason.
In the same presser, Lakers head coach JJ Redick believed the Lakers had a higher ceiling than they had pegged.
“I said this at the beginning of the year to my staff, and I probably said it publicly, ‘I feel like our ceiling is higher with this team [compared to last year]’,” Redick said, per the New York Post.
“Where our group has been really good, starting post-first-Indiana game [on March 6], was just really putting emphasis on building our playoff mentality,” he added. “Understanding the importance of every game, every possession. Trying to find more consistency within the game and building those habits at a really high level. It’s more about just us continuing to build that mentality.”
Up next, Dončić and the Lakers hit the road for a two-game away trip against the OKC Thunder and the Dallas Mavericks. They return home to play the Thunder again.
