Luka Dončić went absolutely off for 52 points as the Los Angeles Lakers clawed their way to a 132-123 win over the Utah Jazz on Sunday, pushing their record to a pristine 3-0 to kick off the season. It wasn’t just the sheer volume of points, but how the Lakers had to fight to keep their perfect start alive.
Luka Drops a Historic Fifty-Bomb
Let’s talk about Luka Dončić, because, wow. This wasn’t just a big scoring night, it was a historic one. He racked up 52 points, nearly hitting a triple-double with 8 rebounds and 10 assists. This marks his 10th career game reaching the 50-point mark, which is just insane for any player. He was efficient, too, hitting 17-of-30 from the field, including 8-of-18 from downtown, and knocking down 10 of his 11 free throws.
What makes this even crazier? In his third season with the Lakers, Dončić became only the third player in franchise history to drop 50 or more points and dish out 10 assists in a single game. Think about that legacy! The Athletic’s Law Murray pointed out that the last Laker to do it was Elgin Baylor way back on February 13, 1963, against the Boston Celtics. Baylor also managed it on December 13, 1961, versus the St. Louis Hawks, with Jerry West joining that exclusive club on January 21, 1962, against the Cincinnati Royals. Dončić is now in truly legendary company.
Unbeaten Against All Odds
While Dončić’s numbers are eye-popping, the real story here might be the Lakers’ ability to win these games, especially after how this one started. Utah came out absolutely scorching, dropping an unbelievable 47 points on the Lakers in the first quarter, leaving Los Angeles trailing 47-29 after just 12 minutes. Seriously, who gives up 47 points in a quarter and still wins? The Lakers did.
They dug deep in the second quarter, outscoring the Jazz by 21 points to turn that massive deficit into a 74-71 halftime lead. Dončić had 25 points by the break, with 8 of those coming in the second quarter, and Austin Reaves chipped in with 10 crucial points to spark the comeback. Luka kept his foot on the gas, adding another 14 points in the third quarter. His clutch 3-pointer with just 2.1 seconds left in the frame put the Lakers up 103-100 going into the fourth.
The Jazz tried to snatch it back, even taking a 111-110 lead midway through the final quarter after a 13-1 run. But Dončić wasn’t having it. After two free throws from Lauri Markkanen put Utah up by three, Dončić immediately swished a 3-pointer to tie it up. Then he drew a charge on Keyonte George, followed by two more free throws after a foul on Darryn Peterson, giving the Lakers the lead for good. That’s superstar stuff, right there.
More Than Just Luka: Reaves Steps Up
While Dončić was the engine, this wasn’t a one-man show. Austin Reaves put the dagger in with a clutch 3-pointer with 33.8 seconds left, effectively sealing the win. Dončić added two more free throws with 12.3 seconds remaining just for good measure. Reaves ended the night with a huge 29 points, shooting an incredible 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. Collin Sexton contributed 13 points off the bench, while Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams each added 11 points.
The Jazz certainly put up a fight, with Markkanen leading them with 28 points. Keyonte George nearly had a triple-double himself with 24 points, 9 rebounds, and 10 assists. Jaren Jackson Jr. added 20, and Ace Bailey put up 17 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 assists, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Lakers, dropping Utah to 1-2.
Next up, the Lakers are back home on Tuesday to face the Portland Trail Blazers, who are also sitting pretty at 2-0. This early-season showdown is gonna be electric, and you know the Lakers will be looking to keep that perfect record rolling.
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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