It was a night of celebration for the Los Angeles Lakers. They claimed a victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, for LeBron James, this wasn’t just any other win. It came against his former team and raised him into historic territory. He’s eclipsed Kareem-Abdul Jabbar once again. And he wasn’t the only one leaving with a milestone besides his name.
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Starting with Luka Doncic, the six-time All-Star reached 15,000 career points after another spotless display. He scored 42, his third consecutive game scoring 40 or more. Alongside his injection of points, Doncic also had 12 assists with no turnovers. This win over the Cavaliers handed the Lakers their 50 win of the season. For LeBron James, this was win number 1,229 for his career.
The King now sits at the top of the list of most wins in NBA history. He surpassed the mark set by Kareem-Abdul Jabbar. James had an efficient night in the win, compiling 14 points and six rebounds.
A historic night in the making for the Lakers. Rui Hachimura reached 5,000 career points; Luka Doncic reached 15,000 career points; and if LAL holds on to beat the Cavs, it will be the 1,229th win of LeBron James’ career, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most wins all-time.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 1, 2026
The Lakers were absolutely flawless in their victory tonight. It wasn’t just contributions from their ‘Big 3’. In fact, Austin Reaves struggled to leave a mark. But a lot of their role players filled in. Jake LaRavia and Rui Hachimura combined for 28 points while missing just two shots. The latter also reached 5,000 career points tonight.
The offensive duties were well distributed. The Lakers’ defense followed suit. They forced 14 turnovers from the Cavaliers. Moreover, the Lakers managed to contain both Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. The Cavs’ decorated backcourt added just 27 points. JJ Redick’s strategy was clear. Attack the Cavaliers’ ball handlers and force mistakes.
The Lakers did a successful job in executing those plans. They played those matchups with physicality and constant disturbance. That cramped the Cavaliers’ offense, which only had 26 assists on the night. Redick won the chess battle against Kenny Atkinson. It also marked history for the Lakers coach.
Redick now sits in the company of Phil Jackson as the only Lakers coach to have back-to-back 50+ win seasons. That’s the kind of trajectory the Lakers have been on, especially in March. However, that still doesn’t seem convincing enough for Doncic to win the most prestigious individual accolade.
Luka Doncic keeps shining without MVP buzz
Narratives from seasons ago are still hurting Luka Doncic. Recently, former ESPN analyst Rachel Nichols said she wouldn’t vote Doncic as her MVP. Nothing wrong. But the reasoning? He hasn’t played both sides of the floor for the entire season. The Lakers did stumble with inconsistency before the All-Star break.
They were also not healthy during that stretch. Doncic still pulled them through, allowing for an aggressive push that gave the Lakers a stronghold as the third seed. That’s value. He’s the heartbeat of the system. JJ Redick has clarified that on numerous occasions. And Doncic has quietly eradicated his flaws. Yet, the loud conversations aren’t happening.
The Slovenian just beat Kobe Bryant’s record. He’s got the most points by a Lakers player in a single month. Doncic also leads the league in scoring while being a triple threat. A similar player, Nikola Jokic, ranks higher on the MVP ladder than the Lakers star. Isn’t their impact eerily similar?
It’s high time that the NBA media starts to truly appreciate the Lakers’ evolution. That stems from Doncic’s consistent brilliance. He’s not had a game scoring below 30 points in weeks. At the same time, he’s averaging close to three steals per game and puts his body on the line to draw charges. You don’t define ‘valuable’ with a fixed set of guidelines. It’s how a player elevates their team.
Doncic was never regarded as a top defender. But he’s certainly trying and generating output on that side of the court. Offensively, there’s no match. Luka Doncic can control everything on any given possession. And most of all, he’s the only unstoppable force at the moment.
Just for context’s sake, if James Harden can win MVP off being a terrific offensive engine, Doncic has reached those levels. The Lakers aren’t the best teams, but they are one of them. And Luka Doncic should draw vast praise for their rampant rise since the All-Star break.
It’s time for Doncic to be regarded as one of the best players in the league. To say he isn’t worthy of being the MVP is as Stephen A. Smith would say, blasphemy.
