"Nico Harrison gonna be smiling" - Lakers become butt of jokes online after Luka Doncic's LA playoff debut ends in 22-pt blowout

Luka Doncic had a fantastic playoff debut for the LA Lakers, but they were no match against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1. The Lakers became the butt of jokes online after their disappointing and lackluster 117-95 loss at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday.

Doncic had 37 points, eight rebounds and two steals for the Lakers while shooting 12-for-22 from the field, including 5-for-10 from beyond the arc, and 8-for-9 from the free-throw line. He was the lone bright spot for the purple and gold, with the rest of the team having subpar performances.

LeBron James had 19 points, five rebounds and three assists, while Austin Reaves contributed 16 points, three rebounds and three assists. They were the only three players to reach double figures in scoring as the rest of the team struggled against Minnesota's defense.

NBA fans online rejoiced on behalf of the LA Lakers' misery in losing Game 1 and homecourt advantage. Some even brought up Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison, who is likely hoping that the Lakers get eliminated so they can justify the Luka Doncic trade even more.

"Nico Harrison gonna be smiling if they lose this series," a fan tweeted.

"Embarrassing loss for the Lakers," one fan claimed.

"They said Iowould see the value of the Luka Trade in the playoffs," another fan remarked.

"Lakers in 5, but it was grief stages, not games," a fan wrote.

"Nico Harrison was right," one fan quipped.

"Have a nice two day break! I’d start looking at tickets to Cancun now," another fan commented.

The Lakers were in control early, with Luka Doncic dominating the Timberwolves in the first quarter. However, the visitors caught fire from beyond the arc and began to take over in the second quarter. They pulled away at the start of the second half and never looked back.

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Luka Doncic wants to remain with the Lakers for years to come

One of the biggest news stories before the playoffs was Luka Doncic revealing that he threw his phone after finding out that the Dallas Mavericks traded him to the LA Lakers. Doncic clearly loved the city of Dallas and wanted to stay there, but the Mavericks had other plans.

Now with the Lakers, Doncic is hoping to be loyal to the city and play for the purple and gold for years to come. He was asked by ESPN's Kendra Andrews if he wanted to stay in Hollywood, and his answer was a resounding yes.

Doncic and the Lakers can look forward to having a long-term partnership, but they have to focus on the playoffs. They are now down 0-1 heading into Game 2 against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday before the series shifts to the Target Center.