Luka Doncic scored a season-high 53 points, including a 61-foot heave at the end of the first half, to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 124-118 comeback victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night. The win extended Doncic's streak of games with at least 35 points to seven and his streak of 40-point games to four.
Despite struggling with their 3-point shooting for much of the game, missing their first 15 attempts, the Lakers found their rhythm in the second half. Doncic's unlikely bank-in from beyond half-court as the first half expired ignited a surge for the team, even though they trailed 60-53 at halftime.
In the third quarter, Doncic outscored the Trail Blazers by himself with 20 points, propelling the Lakers to a dominant 34-15 quarter and a lead they would not relinquish. Austin Reaves contributed 25 points to the Lakers' effort, while Walker Kessler added a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds.
The victory improved the Lakers' season record to 8-2 and marked their first win in NBA Cup Group Play.