Luka Doncic is a savant.
He proved but once more to be distinguished in his area of experience and the Lakers are reaping the rewards of Doncic’s brilliance.
Doncic was dynamic in scoring 49 factors, developing two assists in need of a triple-double with 11 rebounds and eight assists in main the Lakers previous the Minnesota Timberwolves 128-110 Friday night time at Crypto.com Enviornment.
Doncic grew to become the primary participant in Lakers historical past to open the season with back-to-back 40-plus level video games and fourth in NBA historical past to perform that feat, becoming a member of Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain and Anthony Davis.
Doncic has probably the most factors in Lakers historical past within the first two video games with 91 factors, surpassing the 81 factors Corridor of Famer Jerry West scored in back-to-back video games to open the 1969-70 season.
Doncic capped his present by drilling a three-pointer that gave the Lakers a 19-point lead, his showmanship together with pursing of his lips whereas doing a shimmy to the adoring crowd. Then he bounced off the courtroom when the reeling Timberwolves referred to as a timeout with eight minutes and 6 seconds left within the recreation.
He had an opportunity to attain 50 factors, however Doncic missed the primary of two free throws with 3:05 left. He departed the sport with 3:01 left to a standing ovation.
Doncic continued his distinctive play to open the season from the beginning Friday, scoring from everywhere in the courtroom, doing no matter he needed in opposition to Minnesota defenders, working himself into exhaustion that ultimately had him begging to come back out after dropping 23 factors on the Timberwolves within the first quarter.
Doncic tied Kobe Bryant and Kyle Kuzma for probably the most factors in a primary quarter in Lakers historical past because the 1996-97 season.
It was the twelfth time in Doncic’s profession during which he had scored 20-plus factors in a gap quarter.
Doncic completed the primary half with 32 factors, changing into the fourth Laker because the 1996-97 season to file a number of video games with 30-plus factors in a half. He joined Bryant, LeBron James and Shaquille O’Neal.
When Doncic began getting assist from his teammates within the second quarter whereas he was on the bench resting, the Lakers turned an 11-point first-half deficit right into a 68-63 lead after the primary 24 minutes.
The 2 days of follow and the shootaround in some methods was an extension of coaching camp for the Lakers and it gave them further time to organize for a Minnesota Timberwolves staff that knocked them out of the playoffs final season.
The Lakers misplaced their season opener to the Warriors right here on Tuesday night time and had two days to work some issues out.
Lakers coach JJ Redick stated these practices and the shootaround on recreation days “was just a really detailed reinforcement of some things that we did throughout the training camp.”
Lakers guard Luka Doncic, left, drives down the lane in opposition to Timberwolves heart Rudy Gobert in the course of the second half Friday.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Instances)
“So we in some ways, you got to get back to the fundamentals of defense,” Redick stated. “But we spent a lot of time both Wednesday and Thursday on that, and today’s shootaround was more of a mental day. We spent about 40 minutes on the court, but it wasn’t rev them up and go. It was mental for both sides of the ball.”
The Lakers additionally hung out at follow making an attempt to get heart Deandre Ayton unlocked.
Ayton was particularly wanted in opposition to the tall and bodily Timberwolves entrance line.
He stood tall, one thing Redick stated Ayton was “consistent” in his willingness to be coached.
“He’s been really good for the last two weeks,” Redick stated. “He had two great days of practice. I thought yesterday was his best day in our scrimmage of pick-and-roll coverage.”
And so on.
Lakers backup heart Jaxson Hayes didn’t play in opposition to the Timberwolves due to left knee soreness.
