Luka Dončić scored 53 points on Friday to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 124-118 comeback victory over the Portland Trail Blazers at Crypto.com Arena, according to ESPN. The performance marks the Slovenian star’s second 50-point game of the season and his fourth consecutive game with at least 40 points, putting him in rare historical company.
A Historic Scoring Pace
Only Wilt Chamberlain has scored more points than Dončić at this stage of a season. The 27-year-old is currently averaging a career-high 40.1 points per game. No NBA player has averaged at least 40 points in a season since Chamberlain did so in 1962-63, though legends like Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, and James Harden have previously come close to that mark. Bryant’s 35.4 points per game remains the most by a Lakers player since the NBA/ABA merger in 1976.
Dončić’s current streak of four games with at least 40 points ties him with Kobe Bryant, Elgin Baylor, and George Mikan as the only players in Lakers franchise history to achieve the feat. With this 53-point outburst, Dončić has now recorded six 40-point games this season, the most in the NBA. He is currently leading the league in scoring, shot attempts, 3-point attempts, free throw attempts, usage rate, player efficiency rating, and win shares.
The Half-Time Buzzer-Beater
The Lakers initially struggled, starting 0-for-15 from 3-point range and trailing by as many as 16 points. The game shifted in the closing seconds of the first half when Dončić launched a 62-footer from the top of the opposite key. The ball banked into the net, serving as the Lakers’ fourth successful 3-pointer in 23 attempts and cutting the Portland lead to seven points heading into the locker room.
🚨 LUKA DONČIĆ GOES SUPERNOVA AS LAKERS ESCAPE PORTLAND! 🤯💜💛 The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 124–118 in a game that had everything. Portland had built a 16-point lead, and the Lakers looked in trouble. Then Luka Dončić took over, dropping 53 points…
The team’s chemistry was evident, as they recorded 17 total assists on the night. Alongside Dončić’s 53 points, five rebounds, and five assists, teammates Austin Reaves contributed 25 points and Walker Kessler recorded a 16-point, 12-rebound double-double.
Early MVP Conversations
Dončić is currently dominating the early MVP conversation and holds the top spot in Lorenzo Reyes’ NBA MVP rankings. Lakers head coach JJ Redick stated pregame that he does not typically engage in MVP discussions until at least 50 games into an 82-game season, but he acknowledged the star’s performance.
Portland Trail Blazers head coach Micah Nori spoke with reporters at Crypto.com Arena on Friday afternoon, offering high praise for the Slovenian superstar. Nori stated that Dončić can do anything in the world
and described his talent as “hands downthe best. Jake LaRavia, another observer of the performance, noted that while the high-difficulty plays Dončić makes are challenging for most players, they appear
pretty easy for him.”
Cleveland Snaps Philadelphia Winning Streak as Stars Struggle
Elsewhere in the league, the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 119-95, snapping Philadelphia’s five-game winning streak. In that contest, Joel Embiid struggled, scoring 6 points on 0-of-9 shooting, while LeBron James managed 8 points on 3-of-12 shooting. Despite the early season success, Dončić remains focused on the long term, noting: It's obviously a long season. We're 10 games in. We've got 72 left. As long as we're winning, I'm good.
Earlier coverage: Luka Doncic and Lakers look to avenge loss against Trail Blazers
Luka Dončić continues his unreal hot streak and leads the Lakers to a big win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Is it time to talk MVP already? https://t.co/QRtxQC5P25
More on Luka Dončić
🎥: https://t.co/wd0x7l16wf Luka Doncic spoke to the media after his dominant 53-point performance in the Lakers’ comeback win over the Trail Blazers.
