Luka Doncic Breaks Lakers Record in 60-Point Outing As Win Streak Rolls

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Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers

In the early going, things did not look good for the Los Angeles Lakers. A travel hiccup meant they did not get into their hotel until 5 a.m. on Thursday, and they had to turn around and play the Miami Heat in the second game of a back-to-back–a Miami team that has been one of the best in the league since just before the All-Star break, going 10-4 in their last 14 heading into the Lakers showdown.

The Lakers were in quicksand in the first quarter, giving up 42 points, and trailing by 13.

But then the defense found its legs and tightened up. And then Luka Doncic got going, as has been his wont in recent weeks, as the Lakers entered the night with a seven-game winning streak. During that streak, Doncic averaged 38.1 points with 9.1 rebounds and 8.0 assists. He has shot 49.6% from the field and 40.4% from the 3-point line.

Chuck all of that, though. Doncic topped it all on Thursday, leading a massive comeback win for the Lakers’ eighth straight W, by a 134-126 score. And he did it by notching an incredible 60-point night, making 18 of his 30 shots and nine of his 17 3-pointers, adding seven rebounds and five steals. Along the way, he broke the Lakers’ single-season record for 3-pointers, held by D’Angelo Russell, which was 226 but is now 232.

Sean Deveney is a veteran sports reporter covering the NBA, NFL and MLB for Heavy.com. He has written for Heavy since 2019 and has more than two decades of experience covering the NBA, including 17 years as the lead NBA reporter for the Sporting News. Deveney is the author of 7 nonfiction books, including “Fun City,” “Before Wrigley became Wrigley,” and “Facing Michael Jordan.” More about Sean Deveney