Luka Doncic has been actively knocking on the front door of the MVP honors. He produced yet another fifty-ball, leaving the legends to find superlatives to praise him. Last night, Portland tried sending extra bodies at him, but he still found ways to dictate the game, whether by attacking the basket, creating space for a jumper, or punishing a late rotation. His latest 50-point performance raised a familiar question around the league:
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How do you contain a player who seems comfortable against almost any coverage?
The answer was difficult to find in the Lakers’ 124-118 win over the Trail Blazers. Luka Doncic erupted for 53 points, and the performance drew striking reactions from two former NBA players who have seen plenty of elite talent.
Udonis Haslem and Blake Griffin heaped praise, with the Heat legend dropping a vivid comparison.
“We’ve seen a lot of basketball, guys. We don’t see nothing like this. And that’s not to take away from the greats that have played this game, but I have seen a lot. I’ve not seen a guy that has not been stopped with two guys, has not been stopped with three guys. I can’t tell the apex predator. You got the sharks, you got the alligators, and then you put Luka face right next to them,” Haslem said, in Prime’s NightCap.
On the other hand, Griffin focused on a different part of the performance: the defensive activity. It’s an aspect that Luka Doncic is least known for. In fact, it’s the aspect he is most criticized for.
“Defensively, I’m noticing, like, a difference, and I think it’s just a spark that you have. You’re getting your hands on loose balls, you’re taking charges. I mean, we saw the charge tonight. Like, that was a huge play. Not only stopped that layup from happening, but then you get the half-court shot. Like, that’s a five-point swing right there,” Griffin said, speaking to Luka from the studio.
The play came just before halftime.
Luka Doncic stepped into a Portland attacker’s path and drew an offensive foul, preventing a potential basket. The Lakers got the ball back, and Doncic launched a 61-foot shot that went in as the buzzer sounded. A sequence that probably would have had the Blazers end the half on a high. But Luka’s magic swung it right back in the Lakers’ favor.
Speaking of the shot, Doncic said, “I think it changes the whole energy in the team and in the gym. I thought it was an important shot to make, so that’s why I decided to make it.”
Despite the historic performance, it wasn’t an easy game for the Lakers.
The Blazers held a steady lead throughout the first half. The Lakers had missed their first 15 three-point attempts and fallen behind by 16. Luka Doncic kept them in reach, then scored 20 in the third quarter to help fuel a 17-0 run. Austin Reaves added 25 points, while Portland’s turnovers undermined its effort to protect the lead.
The performance also gave Doncic four consecutive 40-point games, joining Elgin Baylor, Kobe Bryant and George Mikan as the only Lakers to reach that mark in four straight regular-season games. That puts his scoring run in rare franchise company.
Also, he has tied Oscar Robertson’s record for most consecutive games (7) with 35 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. Looking at the hot streak that he is in, the record isn’t safe.
Haslem saw a scorer whom extra defenders could not contain, while Griffin saw him contributing to winning possessions without scoring.
Luka Doncic’s scoring remains the headline, but the Lakers will need both sides of that performance as the season continues. If the defensive activity Griffin highlighted becomes a regular part of his game, containing him will become an even harder assignment.