The Los Angeles Lakers achieved a stunning comeback victory in their opening NBA Cup game, 117-112, over Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies. Luka Doncic was back in the lineup and provided another outstanding Luka performance.
In his return to the court, the Lakers superstar shot 14-for-27, including 6-for-15 from three-point range, to finish with 44 points. In addition, he recorded 12 rebounds and six assists in the Lakers' road win. He also achieved an impressive feat by joining his teammate, LeBron James, in franchise history.
He became the second player in Lakers history to record 40-plus points, 10-plus rebounds, five-plus assists, and five-plus three-pointers in multiple regular-season games, per NBA Stats.
His performance against the Grizzlies on Friday included an array of dazzling shots, with an entertaining move that put Jaren Jackson Jr. on skates, causing him to lose a shoe and stumble on the court.
Following the game, reporters spoke to Luka about how he’s averaging over 40 points per game, which is no easy feat to maintain. They asked whether he believed it was sustainable as the season progressed.
"That's gonna be tough. I don't know. Like I said, sometimes they’re gonna double me more. Sometimes, I won't be able to score that much," he said, also highlighting he needs to work on some of his "terrible" shots.
The NBA released a Luka highlight video following the Lakers’ win and his impressive statistical performance.
His return came at an ideal time for the Lakers, who had won a thriller on an Austin Reaves game-winning shot for their previous game. Reaves was also putting up impressive numbers, including 41- and 51-point performances, before Luka’s return.
In addition, the Lakers have guard Marcus Smart in the lineup, a significant offseason acquisition. Smart started and played 35 minutes, recording 12 points, four assists, three rebounds, and two steals in the team's first NBA Cup win.
The team is still awaiting LeBron James’ return, with the expectation that King James returns in mid-November. Meanwhile, it seems the Lakers are still fully capable of getting wins with performances like Luka and Reaves have displayed in recent games.
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