Doncic Scores 45, 42 in Back-to-Back Lakers Wins

Luka Doncic scored 45 points and grabbed 15 rebounds on Sunday, then added 42 points, 13 assists, and seven rebounds on Monday. The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Toronto Raptors and the Miami Heat in consecutive games at their downtown arena. Doncic’s back-to-back performances capped a five-game stretch where he has scored at least 37 points in every contest.

The 25-year-old guard has surpassed the 40-point mark in four of those five games. He has made 34 three-pointers during this run and is shooting 53.1 percent from the floor. His scoring surge began with a 52-point performance against the Utah Jazz, followed by 41 and 37 points in two subsequent losses.

“It feels good, but when we win, it feels way better,” Doncic said after the win over Miami. “That’s the only important stuff. Obviously, it feels good (to score), but when you win by 20 against a team like Miami, it’s really awesome, especially on a back-to-back.”

Doncic’s scoring ability is drawing defensive attention that opens the floor for his teammates. The Lakers went 37 for 80 from beyond the three-point line in the last two games. They recorded 39 assists against the Heat, the most for the team since coach JJ Redick took over in 2024. The Lakers currently lead the league in team field goal percentage.

Quentin Grimes, a Lakers guard, noted the consistency of Doncic’s shooting. “It just feels like almost anything he shoots, whether it's a circus shot, or whether it's a regular step-back 3, or it's a tough look, it seems like everything he shoots is going to go in,” Grimes said. “It's kind of surreal. I don't think I've ever been on the court when everything somebody shoots, you think it's going in.”

The Lakers are 6-2 on the season following a roster turnover that added nine new players. New center Walker Kessler is the NBA's most accurate individual shooter, benefiting from lobs thrown by Doncic. Austin Reaves scored 27 points in the Monday victory. “Luka is doing incredible things, and when he’s doing that, it just opens up the floor for everybody else to play free and confident,” Reaves said.