Luka Dončić showcased an extraordinary performance by scoring 53 points, leading the Lakers to a 124-118 win over the Trail Blazers on Friday. In the third quarter alone, he outpaced Portland’s entire team 20-15 and capped the first half with a long-range buzzer-beater. Alongside his scoring, Dončić contributed five rebounds and five assists, propelling the Lakers to the top of the Western Conference with an 8-2 record.
If the season concluded today, Dončić would be the clear MVP favorite, potentially becoming only the second unanimous MVP in NBA history, following Stephen Curry in 2015-16. Despite the challenges of interpreting his box scores due to his high usage rate, his statistics remain remarkably impressive.
Digging deeper into his historic start:
- He’s the third player in Lakers history to record at least 35 points in seven consecutive games, a group that includes Kobe Bryant and Elgin Baylor.
- Dončić is just the fourth Lakers player to have four straight 40-point games, joining the ranks of Bryant, Baylor, and George Mikan.
- He has made at least five three-pointers in seven consecutive games; maintaining this streak for five more games would break James Harden’s NBA record of 12 straight.
- Averaging six made three-pointers per game across nine of ten games played, he’s on pace to surpass Curry’s single-season record of 402 made threes with 426.
- Dončić holds the non-Wilt Chamberlain record for six 40-point games in his team’s first ten games.
- He has matched Oscar Robertson for the longest streak of seven straight games with 35+ points, five assists, and five rebounds.
- Attempting 13.7 three-pointers per game, he could break Harden’s NBA record of 13.2 attempts, and unlike Harden’s 36.8% conversion in 2018-19, Dončić’s triple accuracy is significantly higher.
- With two 50-point games early in the season, Dončić is projected to hit 16 such games, shattering Kobe Bryant’s post-Chamberlain record of 10 in one season.
- He’s averaging 40.1 points per game, a milestone only Wilt Chamberlain has matched in NBA history.
- Shooting 41.9% from beyond the arc to start the season, Dončić’s step-back jumper is especially effective, converting at about a Curry-like 43%.
On defense, despite some criticism, Dončić has been better than expected with the Lakers, contributing 15 steals (tying for sixth league-wide) and leading in charges taken with four so far. Opponents have shot just 32.3% when he’s the closest defender, the best mark in the league for players defending at least 12 shots per game—surpassing even Victor Wembanyama. While individual defensive metrics can be misleading, this indicates Dončić isn’t a defensive liability and is positively impacting the Lakers’ defense.
The Lakers’ defensive rating with Dončić on the floor is a strong 110.2, ranking in the top 10, while their offensive rating soars to an NBA record of 130.9. When Dončić is off the court, the offense plummets to a 99.1 rating, the worst in the league. Overall, the Lakers have outperformed opponents by 140 points during Dončić’s playtime, but have been outscored by 63 points when he sits, illustrating a substantial 203-point net impact that signals his unparalleled value.
Fan Take: Luka Dončić’s phenomenal early-season performances signal that a new NBA superstar era is underway, blending elite scoring with playmaking and improving defense. For basketball enthusiasts, this means witnessing history in the making and a major shift in the league’s competitive landscape, with Dončić poised to redefine what it means to dominate on the court.
Source: www.cbssports.com
