Luka Dončić is putting together a scoring stretch that usually exists only in discussions about Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant and the greatest offensive players in basketball history.
On Friday night, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar erupted for a season-high 53 points, five rebounds and five assists, leading his team to a 124-118 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers at Crypto.com Arena.
It was Dončić’s fourth consecutive game with at least 40 points, making him just the fourth player in Lakers history to accomplish that feat, joining Elgin Baylor, George Mikan and Kobe Bryant.
But the most extraordinary record was one that nobody had ever managed before.
With another dominant performance, Dončić extended his unprecedented streak to seven consecutive games with at least 35 points, five rebounds, five assists and five made three-pointers.
No other player in NBA history had ever produced six such games in a row. Dončić has now done it seven times.
And he shows no signs of slowing down. The Slovenian superstar shot 17-of-33 from the field, recording his 11th career 50-point game and moving into a tie for 10th on the NBA’s all-time list.
Incredibly, Dončić has now scored at least 40 points in six of his last seven appearances. The only exception? A 37-point performance against Golden State.
In Friday’s game, Portland built a 16-point lead while Los Angeles missed its first 15 three-point attempts. But just before halftime, Dončić produced one of the most spectacular shots of the young season, banking in a three-pointer from approximately 61 feet to cut the deficit to seven.
The shot provided a glimpse of what was coming.
Dončić exploded for 20 points in the third quarter, personally outscoring Portland 20-15 during the period. The Lakers put together a 17-0 run and turned a double-digit deficit into a commanding advantage.
Portland wasn’t finished, however. Behind Deni Avdija and Damian Lillard, who each scored 22 points, the Trail Blazers fought back and reduced the deficit to four in the closing minute.
But Dončić delivered the decisive basket, converting a floater with 27.7 seconds remaining to effectively seal the victory.
Austin Reaves contributed 25 points, while Walker Kessler added 16 points and 12 rebounds as Los Angeles secured its fourth consecutive win and improved to 1-1 in NBA Cup group play.
For Dončić, the numbers are becoming almost difficult to comprehend. Through nine games, he is averaging 40.1 points per contest, with six 40-point performances already to his name.
His combination of scoring volume, three-point shooting and playmaking has created a statistical profile that is virtually unprecedented. And perhaps most importantly for the Lakers, his historic production is translating into victories.
Los Angeles has won four straight games, and Dončić has scored at least 40 points in every one of them.
