Luka Doncic scored 52 points to power the Los Angeles Lakers to a 132-123 victory over the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, AP News reported. The win keeps the Lakers undefeated at 3-0 to start the season, while overcoming an 18-point first-quarter deficit.
How Doncic Ignited the Lakers’ 18-Point Comeback
El partido comenzó con una ventaja inicial de los Jazz de Utah tras castigar la defensa de los Lakers de Los Ángeles. The Jazz raced to a 47-29 lead by the end of the opening period, despite Doncic already accounting for 17 points in the frame. The momentum shifted entirely in the second quarter when the Lakers erupted for a 45-24 scoring swing, turning a steep deficit into a 71-74 halftime disadvantage behind 25 points from the Slovenian guard.
Utah fought back to reclaim a 116-113 lead with just over four minutes remaining in regulation. At that precise juncture, Doncic took over the contest. He converted a clutch triple to tie the game at 116-116 with 4:06 left on the clock, followed by two free throws that put Los Angeles ahead 118-116. He added two more three-pointers in the final two minutes—including a deep shot with 1:42 remaining to cap a decisive 14-5 run—securing the 132-123 final score.
LUKA JUST ERUPTED FOR 52 POINTS 🚨🪄 52 PTS🪄 8 REB🪄 10 AST🪄 2 STL🪄 8 3PM🪄 LAKERS ROAD WINHe becomes the first player in @Lakers franchise history to record 50+ PTS, 10+ AST, 5+ REB, and 5+ 3PM in a single game! pic.twitter.com/mfUAJSEJYB
Stat Line and Historical Milestone in Salt Lake City
Doncic finished his 38-minute night shooting 17 of 30 from the field, hitting 8 of 18 attempts from beyond the arc and 10 of 11 from the free-throw line, alongside 10 assists and 8 rebounds. With this performance, Doncic surpassed LeBron James for the sixth-most 40-point games in Lakers franchise history, reaching 19 such performances in a purple-and-gold uniform. Austin Reaves provided vital support in the backcourt, contributing 29 points, 4 assists, and 4 triples while going 11 for 13 from the charity stripe. Together, Doncic and Reaves combined for 81 of the team’s 132 total points.
Utah Jazz Response and Individual Standouts
The Jazz fell to a 1-2 record despite a balanced offensive effort led by Lauri Markkanen, who paced the hosts with 28 points and 6 rebounds. Keyonte George orchestrated the Utah offense with 24 points, 10 assists, and 9 rebounds, while Jaren Jackson Jr. added 20 points. Forward Ace Bailey chipped in 17 points and 12 rebounds in 29 minutes of action.
The matchup also marked the return of center Walker Kessler to Salt Lake City following his offseason trade to Los Angeles in a sign-and-trade agreement. Kessler logged 27 minutes against his former team, finishing with 2 points, 7 rebounds, and a block.
Lakers Campaign Continues Without LeBron James
Collin Sexton added 13 points off the bench for Utah, while Ziaire Williams and Matisse Thybulle each contributed 11 points for the Lakers. JJ Redick’s squad continues its early-season campaign with Doncic leading the team following the departure of LeBron James, who left Los Angeles in the offseason after an eight-year tenure.
🏀 SUNDAY'S FINAL SCORES 🏀Luka Dončić posts the highest-scoring game of the season and his 10th career 50-PT game in the @Lakers 3rd consecutive win to open 2026-27!Austin Reaves: 29 PTS, 4 3PM, 2 BLKMatisse Thybulle: 11 PTS, 3 3PM, 3 STL pic.twitter.com/CzA7vGGStQ
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Luka Doncic and Ace Bailey are dueling early in Lakers-Jazz ⚔️Luka:17 points, 5-of-11 FG, 5-of-6 FTAce:15 points, 7-of-8 FGUtah leads LA 47-29 after one quarter. pic.twitter.com/tQRlJoJvzm
Luka Doncic through 3 quarters of Lakers-Jazz 🔥39 points 14-of-26 FG7 rebounds 5-of-14 3PT8 assists 6-of-7 FT2 stealsLA leads Utah, 103-100 heading into the 4th quarter. pic.twitter.com/R9PPRH8tJk
Halftime: Lakers 74, Jazz 71What a response from the Lakers. After a disappointing first quarter, they punched back in the second, outscoring Utah 45-24. Austin Reaves (15 points), Sandro Mamukelashvili (9 points), and Luka Doncic (8 of his 25) led the charge. They likely need…
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