SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Luka Doncic continued an unprecedented scoring streak Wednesday night, pouring in 40 points to guide the Los Angeles Lakers to a 116-103 victory over the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center.
The outing marked Doncic’s third consecutive game with at least 40 points and his sixth straight game tallying at least 35 points, five rebounds, five assists and five 3-pointers. According to OptaSTATS, Doncic is the only player in NBA history to achieve that statistical baseline in six consecutive contests.
Through his first eight appearances of the season, Doncic has accumulated 308 points. That total stands as the highest eight-game opening output since Michael Jordan scored 303 points to open the 1988-89 campaign, ABC News reported. The only player to compile more points across eight games to begin a season is Wilt Chamberlain, who surpassed that threshold three times, including a record 418 points in 1962-63.
Los Angeles fell behind by eight points during the opening period before drawing even at 28-28. Doncic quickly asserted control in the second quarter, generating 13 of his 23 first-half points during an 11-0 personal scoring run that broke a 46-46 tie and provided the Lakers a lead they never relinquished.
Doncic completed the night shooting 11-of-23 from the floor, 6-of-13 from beyond the arc, and 12-of-13 from the free-throw line, alongside nine rebounds and seven assists.
Defensive stops and secondary scoring
Despite shooting under 40 percent in the first half, the Lakers leaned on defensive stops and opportunistic secondary scoring to pull away. Austin Reaves finished with 21 points and four assists while committing zero turnovers.
Center Walker Kessler anchored the interior, supplying 15 points, eight rebounds, four blocked shots and three steals. Kessler was especially effective during the final frame, generating 10 points, five rebounds and four blocks in the fourth quarter alone to prevent a Kings comeback.
“We’re trying to set off-ball screens for him,” Lakers Head Coach JJ Redick said of Doncic after the game, as reported by Last Word on Sports. “Other guys are handling it, so I think some of that workload from bringing the ball up against pressure every single possession is just not there right now. And that’s very intentional on our part.”
A brief delay occurred late in the third quarter when a spectator sitting near the baseline threw a basketball aggressively toward official Chelisa Painter, according to ABC News. Doncic gestured toward the individual, who was promptly escorted out of the arena by security personnel.
For Sacramento, rookie guard Darius Acuff Jr. posted a team-high 22 points and 12 assists. Domantas Sabonis recorded 16 points and 17 rebounds, while Zach LaVine scored 21 points as the Kings dropped to 1-7 on the season.
The victory moved the Lakers to 7-2, placing them in a tie with the Houston Rockets for the best mark in the Western Conference, ClutchPoints reported. Los Angeles returns home Friday to host the 6-1 Portland Trail Blazers, seeking to avenge an earlier home loss, while Sacramento hosts the San Antonio Spurs.
