Slovenian Luka Doncic suffered his first defeat with the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, as they fell 131-119 to the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City in a rematch of Monday's game, which had been dominated by the Lakers.

He contributed 16 points, four rebounds, and four assists, shooting six of 13 from the field and three of eight from beyond the arc. However, he committed five turnovers and five fouls in three quarters before heading to the bench early in the fourth quarter with the Jazz already in control of the game.

A tough start for Doncic in his new chapter

The Slovenian suffered an injury during the Christmas Day game with his former team, the Dallas Mavericks, against the Minnesota Timberwolves. A calf issue will also prevent him from participating in this weekend’s All-Star in San Francisco.

His life took a drastic turn in the last ten days when the Mavericks traded him to the Lakers on the night of February 1-2 in exchange for Anthony Davis.

The blockbuster trade shook the NBA and remained a secret until the last moment. After seven years in Dallas, where he led the franchise to the Finals last season, Doncic now wears number 77 for the league’s second-winningest team, which is determined to fight for its 18th championship ring.

Jazz dominate from start to finish

Against the Jazz, Doncic had moments of brilliance, including a spectacular behind-the-back assist for an Austin Reaves three-pointer in the third quarter, but he also struggled with errors and unnecessary fouls.

He finished with five turnovers and left the court with nine minutes remaining in the final quarter as the Jazz maintained their grip on the game.

Rui Hachimura was the Lakers' top scorer with 19 points, while LeBron James posted 18 points, six rebounds, and seven assists. Austin Reaves also had a strong performance with 15 points and 11 assists.

For the Jazz, Finnish star Lauri Markkanen led the way with 32 points, Jordan Clarkson added 21, and Walker Kessler stood out with 16 points (a perfect 8-of-8 shooting) and eight rebounds. Keyonte George contributed 20 points, seven rebounds, and 10 assists.

The Lakers trailed for almost the entire game, except for brief leads in the first and early second quarters, with their largest advantage being just five points.

When they managed to cut the deficit to 74-69, the Jazz responded with a crushing 9-0 run in just over a minute, extending it to 17-2 to take a commanding 91-71 lead.

Despite the loss, LeBron James, at 40 years old, became the 10th all-time leading scorer in Lakers history, surpassing 10,000 points with the franchise.

All-Star break will be key for Doncic’s adjustment

JJ Redick opted to play it safe and benched Doncic at the start of the fourth quarter to avoid any risk of aggravating his injury.

This allowed minutes for Bronny James, LeBron’s son, who made the most of his opportunity by scoring nine points in seven minutes, shooting three of four from the field, including two three-pointers.

Now, Doncic will have time to regain his rhythm during the All-Star break, as the Lakers won’t play again until February 19, when they host the Charlotte Hornets.

They will then face the Portland Trail Blazers and the Denver Nuggets before Doncic's much-anticipated reunion with the Mavericks, a game that is sure to draw plenty of attention.