The Lakers star added 15 rebounds, six assists, five steals and a block as Los Angeles held off a late Toronto rally, 131-125.
Luka Doncic has never lacked for volume, but Sunday he did the unusual thing and backed up the scoring with defense. The Lakers star put up 45 points, 15 rebounds, six assists, five steals and a block in a 131-125 home win over the Raptors, a stat line that got as much attention for the five steals as for the point total.
The win got Los Angeles back on track after a 112-95 road loss to the Golden State Warriors that opened the Emirates NBA Cup group play stage. The Raptors made a late push, but it wasn't enough, and the Lakers improved to 5-2 on the season.
Doncic was happy to talk about the defensive side of his game afterward. "Obviously, I'm not the best defender in the NBA. But I think this year I've really taken a step forward," he said, pointing to the increased effort as a sign of where his game is heading this season.
For a player already leading the league in scoring, turning in a highlight defensive performance on top of the usual offensive output is the kind of thing that tends to get a franchise's attention, especially from its unquestioned leader.