Portland was bullying the Lakers. Los Angeles missed its first 12 three-point attempts, dropped the opening quarter by nine, and still trailed by 16 in the second when Luka Doncic drifted toward the opposite free-throw line as the halftime clock bled out.
The ball went in from 61 feet. Lakers coach JJ Redick, speaking afterward, made little attempt to explain the shot.
“Luka can do some things that maybe a handful, if not no one, can do in basketball. When he shoots it from three-quarter court, you’re surprised when it doesn’t at least go in and out, hit the rim,” Redick told reporters.
Doncic offered an even shorter explanation.
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“I think it changes the whole energy in the team and in the gym. I thought it was an important shot to make, so that’s why I decided to make it,” he said.
From down seven to up 12 in a quarter
Portland still led by seven at the break despite the heave. The third quarter flipped the game. Doncic scored 20 points in the frame, the Lakers outscored the Trail Blazers 26-7, and Los Angeles went ahead by 12 before Portland closed back within four down the stretch. Doncic finally put the game away with a jumper in the lane with 28 seconds to go.
He finished with 53 points on 17-of-33 shooting, 14-of-18 from the line, five made threes, five rebounds and five assists. Austin Reaves added 25 points and Walker Kessler had 16 points and 12 rebounds on a night when the Lakers forced 24 Portland turnovers.
For Portland, Damian Lillard and Deni Avdija scored 22 points apiece, Avdija adding 11 assists and nine rebounds. Donovan Clingan posted 17 points and 11 rebounds.
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Seventh straight 35-point-plus game
The scoring line was the headline. The streak behind it is what has turned Doncic’s November into a historical conversation.
NBC Sports reported that Doncic has now recorded at least 35 points, five rebounds and five assists in seven consecutive games, tying Oscar Robertson’s NBA record from December 1964-January 1965. He is also the first Laker to score 35 or more in seven straight since Kobe Bryant in 2002-03.
Narrow the filter further and there is no comparison at all. Opencourt-Basketball reported that no player in NBA history had previously produced even six games in a row with at least 35 points, five rebounds, five assists and five made three-pointers. Doncic has now done it seven.
Friday’s 53-point game was also his fourth consecutive 40-point performance, joining Elgin Baylor, George Mikan and Kobe Bryant as the only Lakers ever to do it. It was his 11th career 50-point game, moving him past Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Allen Iverson into a tie for 10th on the all-time list.
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Through his first nine games of the season, Doncic is averaging 40.1 points per game. Only Wilt Chamberlain has ever averaged 40 or more over the opening nine games of a campaign.
Walker Kessler, asked about the half-court shot, kept it brief.
“When you’ve got a guy that can make shots like that, it’s fun basketball. He’s incredible to watch,” he told reporters.
The Lakers, now 8-2, visit the Detroit Pistons on Sunday.
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