“I don’t have any words,” said Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick.
That was Redick’s comment after witnessing another masterpiece from Luka Doncic and then being asked in a post-game presser to describe what he saw. Doncic led Los Angeles to a 124–118 win over the Portland Trail Blazers, in which the six-time All-Star scored 53 points, a new season high.
It was the latest in a string of impressive performances for Doncic, who is on a historic run and off to a strong start to the 2026–27 NBA season.
Doncic was on his fourth straight 40-plus-point game, all in Lakers wins, and his sixth 40-plus game in his last seven. Doncic joins Kobe Bryant, Elgin Baylor, and George Mikan as the only players in Lakers history to score at least 40 in four straight games.
For the season, Doncic is putting up 40.1 points through the Lakers’ 10 games, nine of which Doncic played in. Being in a class with Bryant, Baylor, and Mikan is undoubtedly remarkable, but Doncic’s scoring pace puts him in an even more exclusive club, one that had only one member before Friday’s game.
Only Wilt Chamberlain has averaged more points in a player’s first nine games than Doncic, and Chamberlain did it twice.
The Big Dipper averaged 50.6 points early in the 1961–62 season and 52.4 points in the 1962–63 season. Chamberlain went on to average a record 50.4 points in the former year and 44.8 points the following season, the two highest-scoring point averages in NBA history.
If Doncic could maintain his torrid pace with 40.1 points, he would rank third-best in league history. Even if his pace, which seems unsustainable, drops a bit, he could still outpace every player in NBA history, save Chamberlain, if he finishes the year above 37.1 points.
Michael Jordan (37.09 points) in the 1986–87 season is the high-water mark in the 3-point era and the highest total of any player other than Chamberlain.
Somewhat overshadowed by Doncic’s blazing start to the year was Friday’s win over Portland in an NBA Cup Group Play game. His 53 points are the second-most in NBA Cup history, trailing only De’Aaron Fox’s 60-point outing in 2024.
Doncic scored 20 points in the third quarter alone, outscoring Portland’s entire team, which put just 15 points on the board. It was Doncic’s 11th game with at least 50 points, tying him with Allen Iverson for the 10th-most all-time.
Doncic’s highlight basket was also, arguably, the highlight of the entire nine-game Friday NBA schedule.
With seven seconds left in the first half, Portland’s Sidy Cissoko missed a 3-pointer, and Lakers center Walker Kessler grabbed the rebound. The big man then gave the ball to Doncic under the basket, and with time ticking down, Doncic launched a three-quarters-court shot that measured 63 feet.
As you’d expect, the shot went in as the halftime buzzer sounded, giving the Lakers momentum heading into the locker room and setting the stage for their third-quarter domination.
“I thought it was an important shot to make, so that’s why I decided to make it,” Doncic said afterward with a smile.
More than a scorer, Doncic also added five rebounds and five assists, and he now has seven straight games with at least 35 points, five rebounds, and five assists.
For the season, he’s averaging 40.1 points, 7.8 rebounds, 7.7 assists, 1.7 steals, and 0.7 blocks. Opponents have praised his defensive effort, as Doncic is averaging the most blocks and second-most steals of his career.
He has certainly taken advantage of LeBron James’s departure to the Philadelphia 76ers, as the Lakers are clearly Doncic’s team.
He had to share that role with the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, as James will always be a focal point no matter which team he suits up for. Doncic has the Lakers at 8–2, tied for the league’s best record and Los Angeles’ best record through 10 games since 2019–20, when it won its last NBA championship.
Coincidentally, the team with an 8–2 record is the squad James took his talents to, as the 76ers share that record. That has many fans in both Los Angeles and Philadelphia already looking forward to a dream 2027 NBA Finals of Philly versus L.A., which has happened six times before, trailing only Lakers vs. Celtics (12) as the most common Finals matchup in NBA history.
While Redick was at a loss for words describing his superstar, an opposing coach was clear and concise in talking about Doncic. Just minutes after the Slovenian dropped 53 points on his team, Blazers coach Miach Nori stated, “He’s the MVP right now. Hands down.”
