Luka Doncic is on an absolutely absurd heater to kick off the NBA season, averaging a staggering 38.3 points on nearly 50% from the field and over 42% from three. This dude isn’t just scoring, he’s filling up the stat sheet with eight boards, 8.1 assists, and 1.9 steals per game, somehow looking even better than last season when he still finished fourth in MVP voting. On Monday, he dropped a monster 42 points, 13 assists, seven rebounds, and two steals in a dominant 138-117 win over Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Miami Heat.
Giannis’s Bold Declaration
Even with Giannis putting up a respectable 30 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists of his own, there was no denying Doncic completely outplayed him. Afterward, Antetokounmpo couldn’t hold back his praise. “Obviously, he’s one of the best scorers to play this game, if not the best,” Giannis declared. A reporter quickly jumped in, asking, “Right now?” And that’s when the two-time MVP got even more specific, clearing up any confusion. “Not right now,” Giannis replied. “Not right now. Of all time. I feel like some people are scared to say that, but he’s got to be up there.” Talk about a take! Coming from a player of Giannis’s caliber, that’s not just a compliment, it’s a statement.
Doncic’s Unstoppable Offense
It’s easy to see why Giannis is so high on Doncic. Luka is just scoring with ridiculous ease out there. Seriously, it feels like the only way to even slow him down is to trap him and force the ball out of his hands, or pray he turns it over. He did have 17 combined turnovers in his first two games this season, but he’s really dialed that down since. He’s hitting contested threes like they’re wide-open layups, making it look effortless. And get this: his free throw shooting has taken a massive leap, hitting 88.7% from the line this season, a huge jump from his 78% last season and his career 75.7%. He’s not just a volume scorer, either, he’s leading the entire NBA in free throw attempts and makes, three point attempts and makes, overall field goal attempts and makes, and, of course, scoring average. The dude is basically living at the rim and beyond the arc.
Monday’s victory pushed the Lakers to a 6-2 record, and while they definitely have things to work on, there’s a ton of optimism for their season. And while Doncic is a huge part of that, he’s not the only reason. But at only 27 years old, the scary part is he could have years and years of this kind of play still in his tank. Can he actually keep up this insane pace? Everyone is going to be watching.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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