Luka Doncic posted the NBA's first 50-point game of the season, hitting eight 3-pointers in a 132-123 win over the Jazz.
Luka Doncic scored 52 points, adding 10 assists and eight rebounds, as the Lakers beat the Jazz 132-123 on Sunday to move to 3-0. He hit eight 3-pointers along the way, and it marked the first 50-point outing by anyone in the league this season.
It was also Doncic's highest total since he dropped 60 in Miami back in March, notable given he'd started this season slower than usual by his own standards. Fans at the arena broke into MVP chants as he took over the game.
Lakers coach JJ Redick pointed to more than just the scoring, describing Doncic as operating in a "flow state" where he shifts into what Redick called showman mode. Teammate Austin Reaves, who added 29 points of his own, said Doncic is always locked in and ready to deliver that kind of performance. Beyond the scoring binge, Doncic's defense was also credited as a key factor in the Lakers' comeback over Utah.
The Lakers now sit at 3-0 to open the season, with Doncic setting the tone as the engine behind the hot start.