Luka Doncic scored 42 points in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 138-117 win over the Miami Heat on Monday, extending a scoring surge that has seen him net 40-plus points in four of his past five games. The Lakers improved to 6-2 with the victory, while the Heat dropped to 2-5.
Doncic’s performance lifted his league-leading scoring average to 38.8 points per game. Giannis Antetokounmpo, who plays for Miami, praised him after the game. Antetokounmpo is averaging the fourth-most points in the league this season at 28.4, nearly 10 fewer than Doncic.
“Obviously, he’s one of the best scorers to play this game, if not the best,” Antetokounmpo said.
When a reporter asked for more context on the two-time MVP’s claim, Antetokounmpo doubled down. “Not right now. Of all time. I feel like some people are scared to say that, but he’s got to be up there.”
Antetokounmpo’s endorsement carries weight. He has nearly 22,000 career points and sits No. 41 on the all-time scoring list, just behind Larry Bird.
The numbers behind the praise
Several statistics support the case for Doncic. His career scoring average of 29.32 points trails only Michael Jordan (30.12) and Wilt Chamberlain (30.07). His career playoff scoring average of 30.9 points exceeds his regular-season mark.
The win over Miami marked Doncic’s fifth straight game with 20-plus points in the first half. No Lakers player has done so since Kobe Bryant in 2007. The 27-year-old is also on pace to win his second straight scoring title and the third of his career.
Over his past five games, Doncic has averaged 43.4 points while shooting 53.2% overall, 44.7% from three-point range and 89.1% from the free-throw line.
Creating for others
Doncic also added 13 assists against Miami. He handled the Heat’s double teams with ease. Miami blitzed him on seven possessions when he used an on-ball screen, and the Lakers scored on six of them.
Teammate Quentin Grimes described the streak in awe. “It just feels almost anything he shoots, whether it’s a circus shot or regular step-back 3, or it’s a tough floater, it just seems like everything he’s shooting is going to go in,” Grimes said. “… I don’t think I’ve ever been on the court when everything somebody shoots, you think it’s going in. So, kind of crazy little heater he’s on for sure.”
Lakers coach JJ Redick pointed to the team’s ball movement. The Lakers recorded 39 assists, their most since Redick took over as coach in 2024-25. “It’s a really good offense that we’re playing right now,” Redick said. “And a lot of that, of course, is Doncic and what he’s able to do and bend the defense. And his shotmaking creates a lot of problems and then he can make every pass.”
Lakers climbing the West
Two weeks into the season, the Lakers moved up to No. 4 in the Western Conference standings. They went 2-0 in back-to-back games against Miami and the Toronto Raptors to get there.
Doncic kept the focus on the team rather than his own play. “Obviously when we win, it feels way better,” he said. “But obviously, it feels good.”