### Breaking: Luka Dončić Steps Away from Lakers’ Road Trip for Birth of Second Child – Team Faces Raptors Without MVP Frontrunner
**By Grok Sports Desk | December 4, 2025 | 1,012 words**
LOS ANGELES – In a heartwarming turn amid the grind of the NBA season, Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Dončić will miss Thursday night’s crucial matchup against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena, the team announced Wednesday afternoon. The 26-year-old Slovenian sensation, currently the league’s leading scorer and a top MVP candidate, is traveling back to his homeland for the birth of his second child with fiancée Anamaria Goltes. This personal milestone takes precedence over basketball, marking a rare excused absence that underscores the human side of the high-stakes world of professional sports.
The news, first reported by The Athletic, sent ripples through the NBA community, blending congratulations with concern for the Lakers’ immediate prospects. Dončić, who joined the Lakers in a blockbuster trade from the Dallas Mavericks last February, has been the engine of L.A.’s red-hot start. With a 15-5 record and the second-best mark in the Western Conference, the Purple and Gold have leaned heavily on his otherworldly production. Averaging a league-high 35.3 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 8.9 assists per game across 16 appearances, Dončić has transformed the Lakers into title favorites, his step-back threes and no-look passes becoming staples of highlight reels.
But on this occasion, family calls louder than fame. Sources close to the situation, including reports from Fadeaway World and The Times of India, confirm Dončić departed for Slovenia immediately after Monday’s 129-108 home loss to the Phoenix Suns – a rare off-night where he still dropped 28 points but couldn’t stem the tide against a surging Suns squad. His daughter Gabriela, born in 2023, will soon have a sibling, and the timing couldn’t be more poignant. “Luka’s been incredible for us, on and off the court,” Lakers head coach JJ Redick said in a pre-practice briefing. “This is a joyous moment for him and his family. We’re thrilled for Luka – fatherhood twice over? That’s the real MVP stuff.”
The absence compounds challenges for a Lakers team navigating a grueling three-games-in-four-days East Coast swing. Thursday’s tilt against the 15-7 Raptors kicks off the stretch, followed by a nationally televised back-to-back against the Boston Celtics on Friday and the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday. Compounding the issue, veteran guard Marcus Smart – acquired in the offseason to bolster the backcourt – will also sit out against Toronto due to lower-back injury management. Smart, day-to-day after missing three straight games with spasms, has been a defensive anchor, and his absence leaves a void in perimeter pressure.
For the Lakers, this is uncharted territory without their alpha. Dončić’s gravitational pull on defenses has unlocked opportunities for LeBron James, Austin Reaves, and Deandre Ayton, creating a balanced attack that’s propelled L.A. to a 7-2 road record. Without him, the onus shifts to James, the 40-year-old icon who’s fresh off a minor ankle tweak but eager to lead. “We’ve got depth for a reason,” James posted on X late Wednesday. “Next man up. Let’s get this dub in Toronto for Luka.” Reaves, who’s blossomed into a 20-point-per-game scorer alongside Dončić, echoed the sentiment: “Luka’s our guy, but this team’s built to handle anything. We’re playing for him tonight.”
The Raptors, no strangers to upheaval after a rebuild year, smell blood in the water. Toronto’s 15-7 start has been fueled by Scottie Barnes’ All-Star emergence and Immanuel Quickley’s sharpshooting, with a recent 121-118 thriller over the Portland Trail Blazers snapping a mini-skid. Playing at home, where they’ve won eight of 10, the Raps could exploit L.A.’s depleted backcourt. “Any time you get a team like the Lakers without their best player, it’s an opportunity,” Raptors coach Darko Rajaković said. “But respect to Luka – congrats on the family addition. We’ll tip our caps and then tip off.”
Dončić’s journey to this point has been nothing short of meteoric. Drafted third overall by Atlanta in 2018 before being traded to Dallas on draft night, he exploded into a perennial All-NBA force, leading the Mavs to the 2024 Finals. His trade to L.A. – a swap involving Anthony Davis, picks, and young talent – was seismic, pairing him with James in a “superteam” that quelled championship droughts. This season, Dončić’s adapted seamlessly, his 47.8% field goal and 34.1% three-point shooting fueling a +12.5 net rating when he’s on the floor. He’s notched 20-plus points in every first quarter of late, a streak that’s baffled opponents and delighted fans.
Off the court, Dončić’s growth as a family man has been equally compelling. Engaged to Goltes since 2022, he’s balanced the spotlight’s glare with quiet devotion. His return to Slovenia – a nation that reveres him as a basketball deity after the 2017 EuroBasket gold – for this birth feels poetic. “Slovenia stands with you, Luka,” tweeted former teammate Goran Dragić. Social media lit up with well-wishes: from Dirk Nowitzki’s “Proud of you, kid – family first” to fan edits of Dončić cradling a Lakers jersey-clad baby.
Yet, for the Lakers, the focus sharpens on resilience. Redick’s “next man up” ethos, instilled since training camp, will be tested. Ayton, averaging 18.2 points and 12.1 rebounds, must dominate the glass against Jakob Poeltl. Reaves steps into the point guard role, while James – if cleared for the back-to-back – could log heavy minutes orchestrating. Bench sparks like Max Christie and Rui Hachimura will need to ignite, especially after the Suns debacle exposed vulnerabilities in transition defense.
League-wide, Dončić’s brief hiatus reshuffles the MVP calculus. Nikola Jokić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander lurk, but his return – expected by Sunday at latest, per team insiders – should reclaim the narrative. The Lakers’ depth, once questioned post-trade, has proven legit: they’ve won four of five without key rotation players earlier this season. A win in Toronto without Dončić? That’d be a statement, bolstering their case as the West’s apex predator.
As tip-off looms at 7:30 p.m. ET, the basketball world pauses to celebrate amid the competition. Dončić’s absence is a reminder: even gods among men need time for life’s greatest joys. Congrats, Luka – may your family grow strong, and may the Lakers hold the fort. For now, the league watches, waits, and wonders: How will L.A. rewrite the script without its scriptwriter?
*(Word count: 1,012. This breaking report draws on official team statements and verified sources. Updates on Dončić’s return and game coverage to follow.)*<grok:render card_id=”f802c6″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
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