Some nights a superstar simply does everything, and Sunday in Los Angeles was one of them. Luka Doncic scored 45 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and handed out 6 assists as the Lakers beat the Toronto Raptors 131-125.
He also made 5 steals and knocked down 8 three-pointers, going 8 of 12 from deep. According to the NBA, no player had ever combined at least 15 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals and 5 threes in a single game. That makes it a Luka Doncic Lakers night for the record books, with a rare mix of scoring, rebounding, playmaking and defence.
He started fast, hitting several early threes to set the tone at Crypto.com Arena. Several outlets are already calling his start to the season historic, and this game only strengthened that case.
A two-way masterclass at Crypto.com Arena
The scoring was spectacular, but the defence turned heads just as much. Five steals showed how much activity he brought off the ball. His 15 rebounds were a season high.
Lakers coach JJ Redick praised that end of the floor. He singled out Doncic’s on-ball containment and the way he talks teammates through coverages. Doncic said his effort in areas like drawing charges fires up the whole group, even when it barely shows in the box score.
What it means for the Lakers
The performance came after an offseason of Lakers ownership chaos and fresh pressure on the franchise star. Doncic answered with the kind of all-around game that quiets a lot of noise.
Toronto made it a six-point game at the final buzzer, but Los Angeles controlled the result at home. Doncic was the biggest reason why.
Another night like this would raise the bar even higher. Fans can follow the full Lakers schedule on the team’s official site as the Luka Doncic Lakers story keeps growing through November.
