Luka Doncic scored a season-best 53 points Friday as the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 124-118 at Crypto.com Arena. The performance raised his scoring average to 40.1 points through nine appearances, extending an extraordinary start for the leader of the NBA's top-ranked offense.
No player has finished an NBA season averaging at least 40 points since Wilt Chamberlain in 1962-63. Doncic has accumulated 361 points in his first nine games, a total only Chamberlain has surpassed over that opening stretch. According to ESPN Research, Chamberlain scored 472 points through nine games in 1962-63 and 455 in 1961-62.
Chamberlain ultimately averaged 44.8 points in 1962-63, following his record 50.4 average the previous season. The closest scoring marks cited from later eras remain below 40: Michael Jordan averaged 37.1 in 1986-87, the highest figure of the 3-point era, while James Harden's 36.1 in 2018-19 leads the 21st century. Kobe Bryant's 35.4 remains the Lakers' best since the NBA and ABA merged in 1976.
Doncic's previous career-best season average was 33.9 points with the Dallas Mavericks in 2023-24. Asked about sustaining his current pace, he emphasized how much basketball remained, noting that the Lakers had played 10 games with 72 still ahead. He also acknowledged the volume of shots he had taken against Portland. "As long as we're winning, I'm good," Doncic said.
At 27, Doncic has become the Lakers' undisputed central figure following James' offseason move to the Philadelphia 76ers. Before Friday's game, he led the NBA in scoring, field goal attempts, 3-point attempts and free throw attempts. He also ranked first in usage rate, player efficiency rating and win shares.
The Portland game marked Doncic's sixth outing above 40 points this season and his second above 50. His career total of 11 games with at least 50 points puts him in a tie for 10th on the all-time list. Among active players, he stands fifth behind Harden, Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard and James.
A 62-foot shot at the halftime buzzer helped fuel the Lakers' comeback Friday. Doncic also reached at least 40 points for a fourth consecutive game, joining Bryant, Elgin Baylor and George Mikan as the only Lakers players to accomplish that streak.
The scoring run has drawn praise from both benches. Lakers coach JJ Redick described Doncic's abilities as shared by very few players, if any. Portland coach Micah Nori offered an emphatic assessment before the game, calling Doncic "the MVP right now" and adding, "Hands down."
