Los Angeles Lakers star Point Guard Luka Doncic made NBA history in Tuesday’s 136-115 win over the New Orleans Pelicans at Crypto.com Arena. Los Angeles improved to 39-21 and won its seventh straight game, while New Orleans fell to 17-45. Doncic, 26, finished with 30 points, 8 rebounds, 15 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block while shooting 9-of-19 from the field and 6-of-13 from downtown in 34 minutes of play.
The NBA world reacted to Doncic’s stellar performance before a star-studded crowd in downtown Los Angeles. “Lakers Nation” senior staff writer Matthew Peralta wrote on X, formerly Twitter, “10/10 recommend having Luka Doncic on your favorite basketball team.” Meanwhile, Boston Celtics legendary Point Guard Isaiah Thomas wrote on X, “Luka looking real comfortable.”
Doncic Makes NBA History
After the Los Angeles Lakers’ win over the New Orleans Pelicans, OptaSTATS wrote on X, “Luka Dončić of the @Lakers is the first player in NBA history to: score 30+ points dish out 15+ assists grab 5+ rebounds make 5+ threes be +30 or better…all in the same game.” OptaSTATS’ post attracted attention from the NBA world. One user wrote, “#ThankYouNico” while another user asked, “Is this good? #LakeShow”
The Lakers’ big news came just hours after the Dallas Mavericks confirmed Kyrie Irving tore his ACL. Irving, 32, will turn 33 on March 23. By the time Anthony Davis plays his second game with the Mavericks, Davis will be 32. The Irving-Davis duo sounds good on paper, but right now, Dallas is suffering from the bad injury luck blues, and Dallas’ goal may be to tank for a lottery pick to package to trade for veteran power forward Kevin Durant.
Luka Doncic’s Background
Doncic spent his first 6.5 NBA seasons in Dallas, so there were emotions in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex that might never go away. The turmoil began with protests, including a mock funeral with a blue casket. Dallas Mavericks season-ticket holders weren’t happy about the Mavericks’ price increases after protests and spray-painted messages for GM Nico Harrison.
The protestors have the right to protest, thanks to the First Amendment. However, the protests likely won’t bring the star point guard back to Dallas. The trade may not be the right choice, but the trade just goes to show that a business can go from hot to cold in a matter of minutes. Sports, including basketball, are a business — and Mavericks Head Coach Jason Kidd can relate. Kidd, now 51, was unexpectedly traded to the Phoenix Suns in 1996.
Doncic’s Stats
Doncic has been averaging 26.6 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game while shooting 44.7% from the field and 33.9% from downtown this season. Doncic averaged 28.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game while shooting 46.8% from the field and 34.7% from downtown in his NBA career dating back to 2018.
His 30 points and a Lakers career-high 15 assists helped him become the fourth player in Lakers history to post these totals in a single game. Doncic just trails LeBron James, Magic Johnson, and Jerry West. His Tuesday performance included a stretch of three straight three-pointers to set the tone in the first quarter. He and James, 40, stole the show, with James posting 34 points on 10-of-18 shooting, along with eight rebounds and six assists.
The Lakers will host the New York Knicks at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. Pacific. The Lakers will look for their eighth straight win, while the Knicks will look to avoid a two-game losing skid. The Knicks previously lost to the Golden State Warriors, 114-102, at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday. The Knicks are affected by Karl-Anthony Towns’ absence for personal reasons.
