Luka Doncic missed time this past week after suffering multiple injuries, including knocks to his leg and finger. However, he returned to action on Friday night against the Memphis Grizzlies and did not miss a beat. His strong play continued on Sunday as the Lakers took care of business at home against the Miami Heat, winning 130-120. Doncic finished the night with 29 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists, marking his first triple-double of the new campaign.
Doncic is clearly on a tear, and it looks like all of his hard work earlier in the offseason has been paying off in a huge way. Interestingly, 29 points, which is an impressive number on its own, actually represents a step down from the scoring level he started the season at.
Still, with 165 total points through the first four games, Doncic has become the highest-scoring Lakers player over that span, surpassing legends Kobe Bryant (146) and Jerry West (154), according to NBA.com/Stats on X (formerly Twitter). This equates to a staggering average of 41.3 points per game.
It’s very unlikely that Doncic will maintain this extraordinary scoring pace all year long—after all, only Wilt Chamberlain has ever averaged over 37 points per game for a full season. Nonetheless, these numbers are a huge indicator that Doncic is poised for a big season, especially as he has now become the Lakers’ undisputed best player amid LeBron James’ ongoing battle with sciatica.
The decision by the Dallas Mavericks to part ways with a player of Doncic’s caliber remains perplexing. They apparently did so to avoid potential hypothetical issues down the line. But clearly, the Mavericks’ loss is the Lakers’ gain, and Los Angeles is laughing all the way to the top of the Western Conference standings.
### Luka Doncic Can’t Buy a Three, Still Leads Lakers to Victory
From the outset on Sunday night against the Miami Heat, something was off with Doncic’s shot. He struggled to connect on his trademark stepback jumpers, finishing the night hitting just one of his 11 attempts from beyond the arc.
Despite the cold three-point shooting, Doncic was highly efficient inside the arc, shooting 8-of-11 from two-point range. He also converted 10 of 12 free throws. His team-high 29 points were critical as the Lakers overcame subpar shooting nights from both Doncic and Austin Reaves—who combined to shoot 9-of-22 from the field—to extend their winning streak.
With his well-rounded performance and leadership, Doncic continues to prove why he is a central figure in the Lakers’ championship aspirations this season.
https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-passes-kobe-bryant-jerry-west-la-history-monster-game
