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Luka Doncic picked up right where he left off, putting up another historic performance for the Los Angeles Lakers after missing three games with a leg contusion and finger sprain. In the Lakers’ 117–112 win over the Memphis Grizzlies in NBA Cup group play Friday, Doncic erupted for 44 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists, Sports Illustrated reports. The outburst marked his third straight 40-point effort to start the 2025–26 season, joining Wilt Chamberlain as the only players in NBA history to achieve the feat, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. When informed of the record, Doncic could only laugh, The Athletic reports. “Jesus,” he said, clearly in disbelief. Historic Company The Lakers’ new superstar has scorched every defense he’s faced this year. He opened the season with 43 points against Golden State and followed with 49 versus Minnesota. His 51.9 percent shooting in Memphis actually marked his least efficient game of the year. Through three contests, Doncic has totaled 136 points, averaging 45.3 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 7.7 assists. Chamberlain achieved his 40-point streaks twice; seven games to open the 1962–63 campaign and five to start 1961–62. For Doncic to be mentioned alongside one of basketball’s most dominant forces underscores the magnitude of his run. Friday’s win also lifted the Lakers to 4–2. Austin Reaves continued his strong play, adding 21 points while helping steady the offense during Doncic’s absence. With LeBron James still sidelined by sciatica, Reaves had carried the scoring load, highlighted by a 51-point explosion in a win over Sacramento and back-to-back games of 41 and 28 points. Chasing History Even with the hot start, Doncic is keeping expectations realistic. Asked if he could sustain a 40-point average all season, he didn’t hesitate. “That’s going to be tough,” Doncic admitted. “Sometimes they’re going to double me more. Sometimes I won’t be able to score that much. I had three or four shots that were crazy shots that I felt like doing, but they were terrible shots. So I’ve got to work on that.” Lakers coach JJ Redick credited Doncic’s poise and control despite constant defensive pressure. “He just continues to get where he wants to go, and he takes what the defense gives him,” Redick said. After returning to the team in Memphis on Thursday, Doncic got a late-night workout in with Redick and the coaching staff. He participated in shootaround the next morning and was upgraded to probable before tip-off. His rhythm returned immediately, dropping 13 points in the first quarter. Redick said his halftime speech helped refocus the Lakers after a sluggish second quarter. “I didn’t raise my voice, at least I don’t think I did,” he told reporters. “But if I had to summarize it, we didn’t start the game playing hard, then they went on a run with five guys who just played harder than us. So we challenged them at halftime, and it was like watching two different teams.”
