Luka Doncic delivered a spectacular 53-point performance to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 124-118 NBA Cup group-stage victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday.
Despite a sluggish start that left them trailing by as many as 16 points during the second quarter, the Lakers rallied behind their star guard. Doncic ignited the comeback by sinking an incredible shot from well beyond the half-court line to end the first half, narrowing the deficit to seven points. He sealed the win with a crucial floater in the final minute, securing the team’s fourth consecutive victory.
Reflecting on his dominant form, which includes scoring 40 or more points in six of his last seven outings, Doncic said, “I’m having a lot of fun. Obviously playing basketball, it’s a lot of fun for me. It’s more fun when you play like this and when you win games.” His latest milestone marked his 11th career 50-point game and his fourth in a Lakers uniform, tying George Mikan for the fourth-most in franchise history. Doncic has scored at least 40 points in six of his last seven games and joined Elgin Baylor, Kobe Bryant and George Mikan as the only Lakers players to score 40 or more in four straight regular-season contests. Playing his 24th NBA season at the age of 41, was cheered again when he exited the game late in the fourth quarter, the four-time NBA champion.
Elsewhere in NBA Cup action, LeBron James made his return to Cleveland as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers, but the Cavaliers spoiled the evening with a 119-95 win. The loss snapped Philadelphia’s five-game winning streak. James, who joined the 76ers in June, was met with a mix of cheers and boos upon his introduction. The 41-year-old struggled throughout the contest, finishing with just eight points on three-of-12 shooting alongside six turnovers. James, expected by many to opt for a third stint in Cleveland before he chose Philadelphia, was greeted by warm cheers – and scattered boos – when he was introduced. In between, it was a rough night for James and his teammates.
“I did not feel in a good rhythm offensively,” James admitted after the game. “We didn’t look like much offensively. We had a couple of spurts… But too many turnovers on my behalf.” His teammate Joel Embiid also had a difficult outing, missing all nine of his field goal attempts and recording only six points from the free-throw line. Cleveland’s offense was led by Donovan Mitchell’s 23 points and Evan Mobley’s 22, while the Cavs dominated the boards with 56 rebounds to Philadelphia’s 42. Jaylen Brown, like James an off-season import, led the Sixers with 20 points, but the Cavaliers seized control early and repelled every Philadelphia surge. Donovan Mitchell scored 10 of his 23 points in the first quarter. And Cleveland out-rebounded Philadelphia 56-42 despite the injury absence of centre Jarrett Allen, evan Mobley added 22 points.
The Boston Celtics dominated the Charlotte Hornets in a 119-80 blowout, fueled by an impressive 24 three-pointers. Jayson Tatum paced the victory with 34 points, leading a wire-to-wire effort that saw Boston build a lead as large as 46 points. The Boston Celtics drained a whopping 24 three-pointers on 44 attempts in a 119-80 blowout of the Hornets in Charlotte.
In Sacramento, Victor Wembanyama continued his strong form for the San Antonio Spurs. Coming off a massive 52-point, 24-rebound game against Dallas, the star big man recorded 30 points and 14 rebounds to guide the Spurs to a 124-109 win over the Kings.
The Oklahoma City Thunder maintained their regular-season dominance over the Memphis Grizzlies with a 128-97 victory on the road. Despite missing injured starters Chet Holmgren, Cason Wallace, and Jaylen Williams, the Thunder secured their 13th consecutive win against Memphis. Ajay Mitchell set a career high with 35 points, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander chipped in 28 points to help build a commanding 71-49 halftime lead.
The current NBA Cup group-stage fixtures are scheduled throughout November. The tournament will move to the quarterfinals on December 4-5 and the semifinals on December 8-9, culminating in the final on December 11.
