The Los Angeles Lakers are just under ten games into the season, yet their star player, Luka Dončić, is already performing at a midseason caliber. In a game against the Sacramento Kings on November 4th at Golden 1 Center, Dončić scored 40 points for the third game in a row—his fifth such game this season—helping the Lakers secure a 116-103 victory. He contributed across the board with nine rebounds, seven assists, a block, and a steal.
Dončić is currently the NBA’s leading scorer, averaging 38.5 points per game. His recent performance pushed him past a scoring milestone that hadn’t been surpassed since Michael Jordan’s 1988-89 season: through eight games, Dončić accumulated 308 points, outpacing Jordan’s 303. Clearly, he is in an extraordinary scoring stretch, and the Lakers have ridden this momentum to a 7-2 record with three wins in a row.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick compared Dončić’s current hot streak to last year’s March stretch when Dončić scored 60 points against Miami just after a grueling travel schedule, highlighting how special his play has been. Teammate Austin Reaves noted that Dončić was a bit slow at the start of Wednesday’s game and suggested Luca could have scored 60 points if he had been more aggressive from the outset, reminding everyone that Dončić has previously put up a 70-point game.
The star’s current form signals a return to health and peak performance after last season’s grind. Dončić averaged 37.5 points during March of last year but then suffered a season-ending Grade 2 hamstring injury in early April. He dedicated the offseason to recovering, even skipping international duty for Slovenia, and although he’s cautious about declaring this his best physical shape yet, he credits a whole summer of rest as the source of his renewed energy this season.
Coach Redick has also adjusted Dončić’s role, allowing him to play more off the ball to reduce fatigue by lessening the burden of constant ball-handling under pressure. These strategic tweaks seem to be effective early in the season. The Sacramento Kings, meanwhile, experimented with various defensive strategies, including a 2-2-1 full-court press dropping into a zone defense, to disrupt Dončić. Kings coach Doug Christie acknowledged Dončić’s versatility, saying it’s impossible to completely stop him but emphasizing the importance of forcing contested shots and preventing easy trips to the free-throw line.
Defensively, Dončić has shown notable improvement as well, averaging 0.7 blocks and 1.9 steals per game. He has become more effective closing out shooters, defending drives, and contesting shots in the paint. Impressively, he is currently the league leader in defending two-point field goals inside the arc, holding opponents to just 21.9 percent shooting—better than top defenders like LeBron James and Victor Wembanyama.
The 2026-27 NBA season appears to be shaping up as Dončić’s comeback and potential MVP campaign, with his dominance on both offense and defense signaling a new peak in his career.
Fan Take: Luka Dončić’s electrifying start to the season is thrilling for basketball fans everywhere, as it hints at a future where he could redefine greatness in the league. His all-around game improvement not only makes the Lakers more formidable but also raises the bar for what it means to be a superstar in today’s NBA.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
