MEMPHIS, Tenn. — After Austin Reaves carried the Lakers as their solo star all week, Luka Doncic returned Friday to take the baton again with one other 40-point efficiency in Los Angeles’ 117-112 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
Doncic, who missed the earlier three video games with a sprained finger on his left hand and a decrease left leg contusion that he thought would possibly maintain him out till at the very least Sunday, flew to Memphis individually to affix the crew Thursday and went on to pour in a game-high 44 factors.
It was Doncic’s third straight 40-point recreation after scoring 43 on opening night time in opposition to Golden State adopted by 49 in opposition to Minnesota, changing into the one participant in NBA historical past apart from Wilt Chamberlain to prime the 40-point plateau in three straight video games to start his season. (Chamberlain did it twice — seven straight video games in 1962-63 and 5 straight in 1961-62).
“I imply, I really feel nice,” Doncic mentioned when requested about being included in such uncommon firm with the basketball legend. “However clearly, if we get a win, I really feel even higher. In order that’s the entire level, attempting to assist the crew to win. And typically it is going to be scoring, typically different issues.”
He did different issues, too, main L.A. with 12 rebounds and 6 assists because the Lakers fought again from a 15-point second-half deficit to win their first NBA Cup group play recreation, but it surely was the scoring that was most spectacular — particularly due to the opposite luminaries he joined.
Solely Chamberlain, Doncic and Michael Jordan in 1986-87 scored 125 factors or extra of their first three video games to begin a season; Doncic has 136.
And, by averaging 45.3 factors in his first three video games, Doncic grew to become the primary Lakers participant since Kobe Bryant in 2007 to common 45 or extra in any three-game span.
Doncic was requested if he may grow to be the one participant apart from Chamberlain to common 40 for a season.
“That is going to be powerful,” Doncic mentioned. “Generally they will double me extra. Generally I will not be capable to rating that a lot. I had I feel three or 4 pictures that have been loopy pictures that I felt like doing, however they have been horrible pictures. So … I’ve set to work on that. However that is powerful. I do not know.”
When instructed that Reaves did not assume it was loopy, saying after the Lakers’ house win over Minnesota that he thought 40 was inside Doncic’s attain, Doncic mentioned with a smile, “Austin’s silly.”
Reaves averaged 40 factors on 50% capturing (41.4% from 3) with 10 assists, 5.3 rebounds and a couple of.3 steals within the three video games that Doncic missed, with LeBron James (sciatica) additionally sidelined. After Friday’s win, he had extra reward for Doncic, and a critique of himself.
“His capacity to get us off to sizzling begins is large for us as a result of, if you happen to come out and he has 15 within the first, we’ll rating, I might assume, 30 [points],” Reaves mentioned of Doncic, who leads the league in first-quarter scoring, averaging 13 factors. “Except everyone else is capturing bricks like I used to be tonight.”
Reaves began the sport 2-for-9 however completed because the Lakers’ second-leading scorer with 21 factors.
L.A. additionally acquired large contributions from Marcus Sensible, who was within the beginning lineup after a two-game absence due to a proper quad harm and put up 12 factors, 4 assists and two steals; and Jake LaRavia, who had 13 factors, 5 rebounds and three steals in opposition to his former crew.
Deandre Ayton had 9 factors on 4-for-6 capturing within the first half however did not play after halftime due to what coach JJ Redick known as “center again spasms.” Ayton spent the third quarter within the locker room attempting to get unfastened and mentioned he would have returned to the sport within the fourth quarter if known as upon, however L.A. was capable of maintain on with out him.
Ayton mentioned he expects to be obtainable when the Lakers host the Miami Warmth on Sunday.
That will likely be one other alternative for Doncic to attain 40 and one other probability for his teammates to seek out methods to explain what they’re seeing from their teammate.
“Fantasticness,” Sensible mentioned, making up his personal phrase for what Doncic is doing this season. “It has been nice to look at.”