Luka Doncic is rewriting the Lakers record books. In a 128-110 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, the 26-year-old superstar dropped 49 points (after scored 43 on Tuesday), becoming the first player in franchise history to open a season with back-to-back 40-point games.
“I was attacking the paint in the first half. But when the second half started, we got the ball rolling around and the ball had energy,” said Doncic in the postgame interview.
Doncic also joined elite company in the process, becoming just the fourth player in NBA history to start a season with consecutive 40-point performances, alongside Anthony Davis, Michael Jordan, and Wilt Chamberlain.
“It’s a little bit easier for me, just moving around,” said Doncic after the win. “Feeling better overall. More steadiness and just feeling better.”
It was another masterclass from Luka, who carried the Lakers on both ends of the floor and set the tone for what could be a career-defining season in Los Angeles. His final stat line, after 34 minutes, was 49 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists on 60.9% shooting. More importantly, the Lakers won the game by 18 points (128-110), securing a come-from-behind victory against the same team that beat them in the playoffs.
“I think we have great chemistry,” Doncic added on this Lakers group. “In the second game, we showed we can do it against Minnesota, which is an amazing team. That shows we can do it.”
Austin Reaves was second for the Lakers in scoring with 26 points, seven rebounds, and 11 assists on 60% shooting. Rui Hachimura contributed 23 points and two rebounds on 76.9% shooting.
For the Timberwolves, Anthony Edwards dropped 31 points, four rebounds, and five assists on 57.9% shooting. Julius Randle tallied 26 points, nine rebounds, and five assists on 56.3% shooting. It was a solid effort from Minnesota, but they had no answers for Luka, who was scoring with ease all night long.
For Doncic, these games are the culmination of months of hard work. Since being traded by the Mavericks in February, he’s been on a mission to get in shape and get revenge on his former club. He showed signs of greatness at EuroBasket this summer, and it’s carried over to the regular season with two explosive games out of the gate.
If the Lakers get this version of Doncic for the rest of the season, it’s easy to picture a world where they are competing for a top-four spot in the Western Conference. When LeBron James returns to action later this season, it will only give the Lakers a boost to their title odds.
For now, Luka Doncic will have to keep carrying the Lakers on his own, but he’s proving more than capable so far. With a historic start for their superstar and a revamped roster, the sky’s the limit for the Lakers (if they can stay healthy long enough to see it through).
Either way, Luka Doncic is proving that the Lakers made the right move betting their future on him. With back-to-back 40-point performances to open the year, he’s sending a message to the rest of the league that Los Angeles is still a force to be reckoned with. The chemistry is building, the confidence is growing, and if this version of Luka keeps showing up, the Lakers might have found their next great era of dominance.
