Luka Doncic scores 44 in return as Lakers rally past Grizzlies

Back from a sprained digit and a bruised near leg, Luka Doncic rejoined the Lakers successful Memphis and dropped 44 successful a 117-112 triumph implicit the Grizzlies. He had missed 3 games and thought helium would beryllium retired until Sunday, yet helium flew successful separately connected Thursday and seized power again. It was his 3rd consecutive 40-point outing aft 43 connected opening nighttime and 49 against Minnesota, placing him alongside Wilt Chamberlain arsenic the lone players to unfastened a play with 3 consecutive 40-point games. “I mean, I consciousness great,” Doncic said. “However, if we get a win, I consciousness adjacent better… sometimes it’s going to beryllium scoring, sometimes different things.”

Only Chamberlain, Michael Jordan (1986–87), and present Doncic person scored astatine slightest 125 points successful their archetypal 3 games; Doncic sits astatine 136. With a 45.3 mean implicit that stretch, helium is the archetypal Laker since Kobe Bryant successful 2007 to mean 45 oregon much crossed immoderate three-game span.

More than points, and plentifulness of help

Doncic added 12 rebounds and six assists arsenic Los Angeles erased a 15-point second-half shortage to unfastened NBA Cup radical play with a win. He brushed speech speech of averaging 40 for the season. “That’s going to beryllium tough… sometimes they’re going to treble maine more… I had 3 oregon 4 shots that were crazy… I’ve got to enactment connected that.”

Austin Reaves, who carried the discourtesy portion Doncic and LeBron James were out, averaged 40 connected 50% shooting crossed the past 3 games. He laughed astatine the 40-per-game question and drew a playful jab from Doncic — “Austin’s stupid” — earlier praising his teammate’s accelerated starts: “If you travel retired and helium has 15 successful the first, we’re going to score, I would assume, 30… unless everybody other is shooting bricks similar I was tonight.” Reaves finished with 21 aft a dilatory 2-for-9 opening.

Marcus Smart returned from a close quad contented to station 12 points, 4 assists, and 2 steals. Jake LaRavia chipped successful 13, five, and 3 steals against his erstwhile team. Deandre Ayton scored 9 successful the archetypal fractional earlier exiting with what manager JJ Redick called “middle backmost spasms.” He said helium expects to beryllium disposable erstwhile Miami visits connected Sunday.

“Fantasticness,” Smart said with a grin, coining a connection for Doncic’s aboriginal surge. It fits the temper successful L.A.: relieved, entertained, and 1-0 successful radical play.