Luka Doncic didn’t get off to a great start on Wednesday.

Lakers' Luka Doncic with fans booing him

Wednesday night’s tilt between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Charlotte Hornets was billed as the first game that NBA fans got to see Luka Doncic suit up in the purple and gold as a full go. Before the game, the Lakers lifted Doncic’s minutes restriction as he gets back closer to full strength after a lengthy absence due to a calf strain.

However, Wednesday’s game didn’t start off as Doncic would have hoped. He scored just two baskets from the field in the first half while turning the ball over five times as the Lakers battled with a team that they were supposed to handle pretty comfortably.

After the dreadful start to the half, fans on social media went in on Doncic and clowned him for the poor performance early in the game.

Doncic’s struggles continued into the second half, as the former Dallas Mavericks star hasn’t been able to find the shooting touch from the field. He has turned the ball over just once so far in the second  half, but he is shooting just 4-for-16 from the field win his way to 12 points.

Meanwhile, the Hornets have stormed back into the game thanks to the excellence of Miles Bridges and LaMelo Ball and a stunning ejection of Austin Reaves. The Hornets went on an 18-1 run immediately after Reaves was tossed from the game before the Lakers eventually found their footing.

Lakers' Austin Reaves issues blunt Luka Doncic demand after loss to Hornets

All of these games are very important for the Lakers as they try to keep pace in the Western Conference playoff picture. JJ Redick and company are currently in fifth place in the West, just three games above the play-in barrier, so every game is important as they look to stay in that top six.

On the Hornets side, Charlotte is trying to get off to a good start after the All-Star break before what is a brutal stretch. This game in Los Angeles is the first of six in the next nine nights for the Hornets, all on the road against Western Conference teams. An upset of the Lakers could go a long way towards boosting their confidence for the long trip.