Luka Dončić firmó 52 puntos y superó a LeBron James en partidos de más de 40 puntos con los Lakers, a los que guió a una victoria por 123-132 en el campo de los Utah Jazz tras remontar una desventaja de 18 puntos, según el artículo.
Dončić Passes LeBron James on Lakers’ 40-Point Games List
Dončić reached 19 career games with at least 40 points in a Lakers uniform, moving within four games of Hall of Famer George Mikan for sixth place on the franchise leaderboard. The Slovenian guard accomplished the feat in 38 minutes of action on Sunday, shooting 17 of 30 from the field, making eight of 18 attempts from three-point range, and converting ten of 11 free throws.
The performance pushed Dončić past LeBron James, who spent eight seasons in Los Angeles and secured the 2020 championship in the Orlando bubble before departing this summer. Dončić added eight rebounds and ten assists to cap his offensive display, steering a revamped Lakers roster under JJ Redick.
Early Deficit Giving Way to Second-Quarter Surge
Utah controlled the opening frame by exploiting early defensive vulnerabilities from the visitors. The Jazz closed the first quarter with a 47-29 advantage, fueled by Lauri Markkanen, who finished with a team-high 28 points.
Los Angeles responded immediately in the second period with a 24-45 scoring run that flipped the game before halftime. Dončić scored 25 points in the first two quarters alone, sending the Lakers into the locker room ahead at 71-74. He added 14 points in the third quarter and 13 in the fourth to hold off late pushes from the home side.
Reaves Supports Dončić as Jazz Stars Score
Austin Reaves provided primary backcourt support for Dončić, scoring 29 points while shooting four of five from beyond the arc. Together, Dončić and Reaves combined for 81 of the team’s 132 total points.
For the Jazz, Keyonte George contributed 24 points and ten assists, Jaren Jackson Jr. added 20 points, and Ace Bailey posted 17 points alongside 12 rebounds. Collin Sexton chipped in 13 points off the bench, while Walker Kessler recorded two points, seven rebounds, and one block against his former team following an offseason trade to Los Angeles.
Lakers Stay Undefeated While Jazz Fall to 1-2
The victory keeps the Lakers undefeated at 3-0 to open the regular season. The Utah Jazz fell to a 1-2 record through their first three contests.
