Luka Doncic‘s 60-point performance against the Miami Heat on Thursday night has been one of the main topics of discussion around the NBA. While his effort to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 134-126 victory was praiseworthy, Doncic’s outing was special for other reasons, too.
With his 60th point against the Heat, Luka Doncic became the first Lakers player to record a 60-point game since Kobe Bryant, who managed to do the same almost 10 years ago at his farewell game.
Kobe Bryant’s farewell game is considered by many as one of the most heroic performances in Lakers history, though Gordon Hayward claims otherwise. With Bryant taking over in the second half, he led a heroic comeback charge to secure a win over the Utah Jazz on the last day of the regular season.
Luka Doncic’s feat, while impressive, also shares some eerie similarities with Bryant’s.
Kobe Bryant shot two free throws to bring his tally up to 60 points. Doncic did the same, though he missed his first free-throw attempt. Coincidentally, however, both players scored their 60th points with exactly 14.8 seconds left on the clock in the final frame.
Kobe and Luka both hit their 60th point with 14.8 left in the 4th 🤯 https://t.co/EiUVwJuF2a pic.twitter.com/kP1lMmSfD7
— NBA (@NBA) March 20, 2026
Aside from the parallels with Bryant’s farewell game, Luka Doncic’s performance on Thursday night made for some more iconic achievements.
With his 30th point, Doncic brought his total tally of games with 30+ points for the season up to 39, making it the most by a Lakers player in 20 years. Having scored 100 points in the last 24 hours, Doncic also singlehandedly outscored four NBA franchises in the same period, namely, the Golden State Warriors (99), the Los Angeles Clippers (99), the Washington Wizards (95), and the Brooklyn Nets (92).
It goes without saying that Doncic is a special player. With averages of 33.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 8.4 assists per game in 58 appearances this season, he is having a stellar year.
But when factoring in his performances over the last eight games, with averages of 40.9 points, 8.9 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 2.4 steals per game, this run has been truly one of a kind.
Luka Doncic Speaks About The Support From The Lakers
The last few weeks have been particularly harrowing for Luka Doncic, who faces immense strife in his personal life. Still, the superstar has found a way to remain focused and contribute to winning.
In light of this, Doncic expressed gratitude to the team and the support they showed after his 60-point night.
“You see everybody celebrating on the bench. It shows that we care a lot about each other, and that’s what great teams do,” Doncic shared. “It just makes my heart happy seeing them celebrate my 60-point game.”
Doncic’s performance drew praise from LeBron James, Magic Johnson, and James Worthy. Even Lakers head coach JJ Redick couldn’t help but compliment the superstar for his incredible display.
“It was a superhero performance,” Redick stated. “I thought him keeping us afloat early was really important… He made big shots, he made tough shots, and he made a lot of right reads. When he gets it going like that, you just kind of let him go.”
Luka Doncic started the game off slow, notching 21 points on 7/14 shooting from the field in the first half. In the second half, the Slovenian caught fire.
With 19 points in the third quarter and 20 points in the fourth, the Lakers’ superstar decimated Miami’s defense. Having shot 60% from the floor and 52.9% from beyond the arc for the game, it is safe to say that Doncic was in the zone.
Doncic’s season-high night helped the Lakers notch a crucial win on the road, bringing their record to 45-25 for the season. With an eight-game winning streak, Los Angeles appears to be rounding into playoff form.
