One week after setting his Los Angeles Lakers career-high in scoring, Luka Dončić took his offensive rampage to another level during Thursday’s 134-126 road win over the Miami Heat.
Dončić tallied 60 points for the third time in his career and first with LA, becoming the first Laker to do so since franchise legend Kobe Bryant, garnering the 27-year-old a raucous reception.
Luka Dončić’s 60-Point Explosion Fuels Lakers Superstar’s MVP Buzz
Behind rejuvenated team defense and a remarkable scoring run from Dončić, the Lakers entered Thursday riding a seven-game winning streak. However, playing on the second night of a road back-to-back following Wednesday’s hard-fought 124-116 victory over the Houston Rockets, they faced a tall task in extending their success.
Dončić rose to the occasion and then some, though, as after Wednesday’s clutch 40-point performance, he added another 60 points against Miami, shooting 18-for-30 (60%) with 9 3-pointers. 39 of his points came in the second half as LA gutted out a win against a playoff team for the fourth consecutive outing.
With his 60-point outburst, Dončić evoked fond memories of the late Bryant, who famously hit the milestone during his farewell game against the Utah Jazz on April 13, 2016. No Laker had done so since the five-time NBA champion, with Dončić’s previous career-high as a member of the Purple and Gold being 51 points.
The six-time All-Star also broke the record for the most points scored by a Heat opponent, overtaking James Harden’s 58-point effort for the Houston Rockets on Feb. 28, 2019.
After recording a staggering 100-point total across a two-day span, Dončić had the NBA world in awe of his late-season dominance.
“What a run he’s on,” Spectrum SportsNet’s Mike Trudell marveled.
“60 burger for Luka Dončić. He is in some type of zone right now that we haven’t seen in purple and gold since Kobe,” Lakers Nation’s Daniel Starkand observed.
“Luka did what now?” The Indianapolis Star’s Dustin Dopirak questioned.
“He’s been the best player in the world lately,” The Athletic’s Jovan Buha contended.
“If anyone is gonna surpass Bam [Adebayo’s 83 points] this season, it’s gonna be Luka Dončić,” Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor asserted.
Meanwhile, others began advocating for Dončić to get more love in MVP discussions.
“I believe Luka Dončić has entered the MVP conversation, if he hasn’t already,” ESPN’s Bobby Marks weighed in.
“Luka Dončić is the most unguardable player in the NBA!🤯 He scored a season-high 60 points in tonight’s win against the Miami Heat. Luka has to be one of the top 2 or 3 players being considered in the MVP race,” Lakers legend Magic Johnson exclaimed.
During LA’s eight-game victory run, Dončić is averaging a whopping 40.9 points per game, showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon with the playoffs fast approaching.
The Lakers (45-25) will look to further strengthen their grasp on the Western Conference’s third seed during Saturday’s road clash against the Orlando Magic (38-31).
