Doncic’s 53 points lift Lakers as Cavs top Sixers in LeBron James’s return | Basketball
Doncic Shines as Lakers Defeat Trail Blazers; James Faces Tough Return to Cleveland
Los Angeles—In a standout performance, Luka Doncic scored 53 points, leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a 124-118 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers during NBA Cup group-stage play on Friday. The win marked the Lakers’ fourth consecutive victory, allowing them to rebound from a sluggish start in which they trailed by as many as 16 points in the second quarter.
Doncic’s remarkable first-half finish included a standout shot from beyond half-court just before the buzzer, helping the Lakers narrow the deficit to seven points and set the stage for a strong second half. The Trail Blazers rallied late, narrowing the score to within four points in the final minute. Doncic delivered with a clutch floater to secure the win.
This stellar performance continued Doncic’s trend of prolific scoring; he has recorded at least 40 points in six of his last seven games. With this performance, he joined Lakers legends Elgin Baylor, Kobe Bryant, and George Mikan as the only players in franchise history to score 40 or more points in four consecutive regular-season games.
“I’m having a lot of fun,” said Doncic, who also contributed five rebounds and five assists. “Obviously, playing basketball, it’s a lot of fun for me. It’s more fun when you play like this and when you win games.”
In addition to his 53 points, Doncic recorded his 11th career game with 50 or more points, surpassing LeBron James and tying with Mikan for the fourth-most such games in Lakers history.
On the other hand, LeBron James’s return to Cleveland did not go as planned. Playing in his 24th NBA season and his first game against the Cavaliers since leaving the Lakers for the Philadelphia 76ers in June, James and the Sixers faced a 119-95 defeat. Although greeted with a mixed reception—cheers alongside scattered boos—James struggled offensively, finishing with eight points on three-of-12 shooting. He also recorded seven rebounds, three assists, two steals, and six turnovers.
“I did not feel in a good rhythm offensively,” James commented after the game. “We didn’t look like much offensively. We had a couple of spurts. We were able to cut [the deficit] to three in the third quarter. But too many turnovers on my behalf.”
While James faltered, teammate Joel Embiid struggled as well, missing all nine of his field goal attempts and scoring only six points from the free-throw line. Jaylen Brown led the Sixers with 20 points. In contrast, the Cavaliers controlled the game early, with Donovan Mitchell scoring 23 points and Evan Mobley adding 22, while dominating the boards 56-42 despite the absence of center Jarrett Allen.
The NBA Cup group-stage action will continue throughout November, with quarterfinals slated for December 4-5, semifinals on December 8-9, and the final on December 11.
In other NBA action, the Boston Celtics tallied 24 three-pointers in a 119-80 victory over the Charlotte Hornets. Jayson Tatum led Boston with 34 points.
Meanwhile, Victor Wembanyama guided the San Antonio Spurs to a 124-109 victory over the Sacramento Kings, contributing 30 points and 14 rebounds. The Oklahoma City Thunder also maintained their dominance by defeating the Memphis Grizzlies 128-97, with Ajay Mitchell scoring a career-high 35 points and two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander adding 28 points, despite missing several key starters.
