Lakers Notes: Doncic’s Historic Start and Team Updates
Luka Doncic made NBA history by scoring over 40 points in each of his first three games this season, joining only Wilt Chamberlain in this achievement. In his return to action on Friday, Doncic powered the Lakers to a win against Memphis with 44 points, marking a rare feat.
“I mean, I feel great,” Doncic said upon learning about joining Chamberlain in this category, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “But obviously, if we get a win, I feel even better. So that’s the whole point, trying to help the team to win. And sometimes it’s going to be scoring, sometimes other things.”
Doncic had missed the previous three games due to a sprained finger on his left hand and a contusion on his lower left leg. By averaging 45.3 points in these initial games, he became the first Lakers player since Kobe Bryant in 2007 to average 45 or more points over any three-game stretch.
However, Doncic tempered expectations about maintaining this pace throughout the season:
“That’s going to be tough,” he said. “Sometimes they’re going to double me more. Sometimes I won’t be able to score that much. I had, I think, three or four shots that were crazy shots that I felt like doing, but they were terrible shots. I don’t know.”
Meanwhile, the Lakers’ direction without LeBron James is clearer:
The decision to move on from LeBron seems increasingly justified, as the team appears stronger and more capable of winning without him.
Author’s summary: Luka Doncic’s exceptional scoring streak places him alongside legends, signaling a new era for the Lakers as they adapt and thrive without LeBron James.