<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-austin-reaves-reaction-seeing-luka-doncics-finger-goes-viral');   ga('set', 'title', 'Lakers guard Austin Reaves’ reaction after seeing Luka Doncic’s finger goes viral');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/reaves-and-Doncic.jpg"><figcaption>Kirby Lee-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Lakers guard Austin Reaves’ reaction after seeing Luka Doncic’s finger goes viral</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-28T09:51:50-07:00">October 28th, 9:51am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-28T09:51:50-07:00">October 28th, 9:51am</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University alum from Atlanta who graduated with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>On Monday evening, the Los Angeles Lakers dropped to 2-2 with a home loss at the hands of the Portland Trail Blazers. It was another big <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-austin-reaves-admit-tough-situation-stars-out">game from Austin Reaves</a>, who followed up his 51-point masterpiece against the Sacramento Kings with 41 more on Monday, but ultimately, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-jj-redick-states-the-obvious-amid-lebron-james-luka-doncic-absences">Lakers’ lack of depth</a> due to injuries was too much to overcome against Portland.</p><p>The Lakers could certainly use Luka Doncic right about now, but the Slovenian star is currently out dealing with multiple injuries, including a left finger sprain.</p><p>On Monday, when Reaves was on the sideline, Doncic appeared to show his teammate how his hand looked due to the injury, and Reaves’ reaction <a href="https://twitter.com/LukaUpdates/status/1983007937288380682" rel="noopener">quickly went viral.</a></p><p>(NFSW, video via Luka Updates on X, formerly Twitter).</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">AR says “Oh shit” when Luka shows him his palm or finger? 😳 <a href="https://t.co/Fs4Kuk2KFj">pic.twitter.com/Fs4Kuk2KFj</a></p><p>— Luka Updates (@LukaUpdates) <a href="https://twitter.com/LukaUpdates/status/1983007937288380682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Lakers fans are certainly hoping that Doncic’s injury isn’t as bad as Reaves’ reaction might suggest it is.</p><h2><b>A tough stretch for the Lakers</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Austin-Reaves-during-preseason-game.jpg"><figcaption>Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Los Angeles Lakers knew they’d be without LeBron James for the first few weeks of this season due to injury, but they likely didn’t anticipate having only seven members of their active roster healthy less than a week into the 2025-26 campaign.</p><p>However, that’s exactly the situation that the team finds itself in now due to a variety of injuries. The good news for Austin Reaves is that it’s given him an opportunity just how elite of a player he can be with the ball in his hands, but it remains unclear if head coach JJ Redick will be able to find a way to weaponize that potential when he is relegated to his normal third option role alongside James and Doncic.</p><p>Overall, the Lakers will gladly take a 2-2 start considering the number of injuries they’re dealing with, but they’d certainly like to have their best player in Doncic back in the lineup as soon as possible. Doncic had gotten off to a red-hot start to the season, scoring 43 and 49 points in his first two games before the injury sidelined him.</p><p>The Lakers will next take the floor against the Anthony Edwards-less Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday evening.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Lakers guard Austin Reaves’ reaction after seeing Luka Doncic’s finger goes viral

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-jj-redick-states-the-obvious-amid-lebron-james-luka-doncic-absences');   ga('set', 'title', 'Lakers’ JJ Redick states the obvious amid LeBron James, Luka Doncic absences');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Lakers-head-coach-JJ-Redick-makes-a-call-to-the-bench-during-the-first-quarter-of-the-game.jpg"><figcaption>© Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Lakers’ JJ Redick states the obvious amid LeBron James, Luka Doncic absences</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-28T09:14:54-07:00">October 28th, 9:14am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-28T09:14:54-07:00">October 28th, 9:14am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick didn’t sugarcoat the challenge his team faces without its two stars. Following <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-austin-reaves-gets-brutally-honest-on-how-not-fun-loss-to-blazers-was">Monday night’s 122-108 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers</a>, Redick acknowledged the offensive struggles that have emerged with <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-austin-reaves-admit-tough-situation-stars-out">both LeBron James and Luka Doncic sidelined</a>.</p><p>Speaking postgame via Spectrum SportsNet on X, formerly known as Twitter, Redick put it plainly.</p><p>“It’s hard to run offense without ball handlers,” he said.</p><p>The Lakers entered the season already without James, who <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-lebron-james-surprise-activity-hasnt-done-16-years">remains sidelined as he recovers from a sciatica injury</a> that has kept him out since training camp. Doncic, meanwhile, has missed the team’s last two games due to a left finger sprain and leg contusion. The 26-year-old guard is <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-out-1-week-multiple-injuries">expected to be out for roughly a week</a> as the team proceeds cautiously with his recovery.</p><p>Before the injury, Doncic opened the season in dominant fashion, averaging 46 points, 11.5 rebounds, 8.5 assists, and a steal per game while shooting 62 percent from the field and 31.8 percent from three-point range across the first two games. His absence has left a significant void in Los Angeles’ offensive rhythm.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">“It’s hard to run offense without ball handlers.”</p><p>JJ Redick addresses the media after the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Lakers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Lakers</a> fall to the Trail Blazers, losing 122-108.</p><p>Spectrum customers with both Internet and Mobile services can watch live Laker games at no extra cost with Spectrum SportsNet+.<br>🔗:… <a href="https://t.co/1pXpBbIi3W">pic.twitter.com/1pXpBbIi3W</a></p><p>— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpectrumSN/status/1983041717512376783?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><p>In Doncic’s place, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-jj-redick-austin-reaves-same-lebron-luka-tier">Austin Reaves has taken on a heavy workload</a> and emerged as the Lakers’ primary scoring option. The 27-year-old guard erupted for a career-high 51 points in Sunday’s 128-120 win over the Sacramento Kings, adding 11 rebounds, nine assists, and two steals while shooting 12-for-22 from the field and 21-for-22 from the free-throw line.</p><h2><b>JJ Redick guides short-handed Lakers without LeBron James and Luka Doncic</b></h2><p>Reaves followed that performance with another standout effort against Portland, scoring 41 points to go with five assists, four rebounds, and two steals while shooting 13-for-22 from the field and 12-for-14 from the line. Through four games this season, Reaves is averaging 35.8 points, 8.5 assists, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.8 steals while shooting 57.3 percent overall and 42.9 percent from three.</p><p>Despite the short-handed lineup, Redick <a href="https://x.com/SpectrumSN/status/1983041717512376783" rel="noopener">found positives in his team’s performance</a>, particularly on the defensive end.</p><p>“I took a lot away,” Redick said. “You know our half-court defense was excellent – first shot defense was excellent and we saw for the most part outside of a couple of guys, just a highly competitive, spirited, connected group. You can build on that.”</p><p>Redick, now in his second season as head coach, has emphasized maintaining structure and competitiveness as the team navigates the early absences of its two franchise leaders. The Lakers dropped to 2-2 on the season with Monday’s loss, a result that highlighted their reliance on James and Doncic to stabilize the offense.</p><p>The Lakers’ next opportunity to bounce back comes Wednesday night when they face the Minnesota Timberwolves (2-2) on the road at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. Los Angeles will then travel to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies (2-2) on Friday night at 9:30 p.m. ET on Prime Video before returning home to Crypto.com Arena.</p><p>While both James and Doncic are expected to return later this month, Redick and the Lakers are tasked with keeping the team steady until their stars are back in action.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Lakers’ JJ Redick states the obvious amid LeBron James, Luka Doncic absences

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/atlanta-hawks/hawks-news-trae-young-comparisons-luka-doncic-anthony-edwards');   ga('set', 'title', 'Hawks’ Trae Young earns comparisons to both Luka Doncic, Anthony Edwards from new teammates');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Trae-Young-and-Anthony-Edwards.jpg"><figcaption>Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Hawks’ Trae Young earns comparisons to both Luka Doncic, Anthony Edwards from new teammates</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-27T09:29:36-07:00">October 27th, 9:29am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-27T09:29:36-07:00">October 27th, 9:29am</time><address><a>Malik Brown</a>Malik Brown is a multimedia reporter based in Atlanta who covers the Hawks and Dream for ClutchPoints. Malik has worked in entertainment and sports, and he specializes in the NBA and NFL.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Hawks</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Atlanta <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/atlanta-hawks/hawks-news-kristaps-porzingis-first-bucket-atlanta">Hawks have put together a team</a> this season that could be one of the more competitive ones in the Eastern Conference. Trae Young will be the engine of the team, and he’s shown over his career that he can lead a group, regardless of who’s playing. Despite the narratives that may have been created about Young, players <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/46701366/nba-atlanta-hawks-trae-young-silence-haters-2025-2026-new-teammates" rel="noopener">know what he brings</a> to the table, including his newest teammate, Nickeil Alexander-Walker.</p><p>Alexander-Walker has played with Anthony Edwards, and narratives have spun about him, too. He thinks Young and Edwards are similar when it comes to their demeanor, but he sees it in a positive light, unlike others.</p><p>“Ant has a very strong personality,” Alexander-Walker said via ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk. “Trae has a strong personality. It just comes out different. And so when guys are very self-confident and aware of who they are, to the untrained eye that could be arrogance. It could be cockiness.</p><p>“Trae has confidence. Ant, Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander], Luka [Doncic] has confidence. … But [Young] still wears a heavy burden of pressure. And he’s had success through his pressure.”</p><p>Young has thrived in different situations since he started his career, and he probably wouldn’t have succeeded without having that confidence.</p><h2><b>Kristaps Porzingis compares Trae Young, Luka Doncic</b></h2><p>Young is known as one of the best playmakers in the league, and he has the stats to back it up. He knows how to get his teammates good looks, and Kristaps Porzingis could thrive in his role with the Hawks. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/dallas-mavericks/mavericks-news-luka-doncic-kristaps-porzingis-game-1-nba-finals">Porzingis has played with another great playmaker</a> before in Luka Doncic, and he’s using that experience as he plays alongside Young.</p><p>“The playmaking, they both have it at the highest of levels,” Porzingis said. “They do some similar stuff, honestly. Their builds are different. But they’re both masterminds at reading the basket, anticipating what’s going to happen, reading the game, anticipating what’s going to happen.</p><p>“That experience [with Doncic in Dallas] is definitely going to help me. Playing with Luka and having those open conversations and open dialogue with Trae about what he likes, where he wants to get the ball, and how I can make his life easier.”</p><p>Young is bound to make everyone’s life easier when they’re on the floor with him, and he can also turn things up and get himself going.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Hawks’ Trae Young earns comparisons to both Luka Doncic, Anthony Edwards from new teammates

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-60-point-challenge-austin-reaves-nearly-did-it');   ga('set', 'title', 'Lakers’ Luka Doncic issued 60-point challenge to Austin Reaves, and then he nearly did it');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Austin-Reaves-and-Luka-Doncic-celebrating.jpg"><figcaption>Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Lakers’ Luka Doncic issued 60-point challenge to Austin Reaves, and then he nearly did it</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-27T08:40:14-07:00">October 27th, 8:40am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-27T08:40:42-07:00">October 27th, 8:40am</time><address><a>Alex House</a>Alex House is a sports journalist who covers the NFL, NBA, and MLB for ClutchPoints. He grew up in a New York sports-heavy region in Connecticut and earned his journalism degree at the University of Rhode Island. His in-depth knowledge of two of the most passionate and raucous fan bases in the country gives him a truly unique writing voice.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Austin Reaves already knew what was expected of him when it was revealed that LeBron James would miss considerable time due to sciatica, but the recent <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-out-1-week-multiple-injuries">Luka Doncic injury news</a> forces the Los Angeles Lakers guard to enter savior mode. The Slovenian superstar himself <a href="https://x.com/LakersReporter/status/1982658908897620377" rel="noopener">called on</a> Reaves to score 60 points in Sunday’s clash with the Sacramento Kings, per Spectrum SportsNet’s Mike Trudell, a challenge that the 27-year-old was not too far from achieving.</p><p>Reaves seamlessly assumed the top role on offense, dropping 51 points on 12-of-22 shooting in a 127-120 road win. He was one assist shy of a triple-double and also recorded two steals, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-austin-reaves-joins-ex-mvps-exclusive-all-time-club">posting a masterful effort</a> when the Lakers needed him most. Jarred Vanderbilt also dared Reaves to step up in Sacramento, and his request was fulfilled.</p><p>“We were going to the bus lines, I was telling him, ‘we need 50 from you tonight,'” the veteran power forward told reporters, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “As you can see, he did it. We challenged him, and he came through.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">“‘We need 50 from you tonight’ … and as you can see, he did it.” Jarred Vanderbilt on his challenge to Austin Reaves as they boarded the team bus before the Kings. Reaves scored 51 and the Lakers won. <a href="https://t.co/rTwgtCCHGR">pic.twitter.com/rTwgtCCHGR</a></p><p>— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) <a href="https://twitter.com/mcten/status/1982675362518860045?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><h2><b>Austin Reaves steps up for Lakers in a huge way </b></h2><p>The undrafted talent out of Wichita State and Oklahoma was absolutely magnificent in the fourth quarter, knocking down three of his six 3-pointers in the span of two and a half minutes to help give LA a 108-101 lead with 6:46 remaining. He then essentially wrapped a bow on the W with a clutch display on the free throw line — was a mind-boggling 21-of-22 from the charity stripe overall.</p><p>Although Reaves had already introduced himself as an undeniable difference-maker in the years prior, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-jj-redick-key-factor-austin-reaves-51-points">this sensational outing</a> in the Golden 1 Center illustrated just how dangerous he can be as a No. 1 option. LeBron James is one of the two best players to ever step foot on a basketball court. Luka Doncic is an offensive savant who is expected to win at least one MVP crown before he retires. Naturally, No. 15 is often overshadowed by the elite company he keeps, but he is a vital member of this franchise.</p><p>The Lakers will not contend in the loaded Western Conference unless Austin Reaves is consistently competing at an impactful level. He proved as much in Sacramento, impressing Doncic, answering Vanderbilt’s plea and imbuing fans with new confidence. Los Angeles is hoping the new 50-point man has enough in the tank to lead the 2-1 squad past the visiting Portland Trail Blazers (1-2) on Monday night.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Lakers’ Luka Doncic issued 60-point challenge to Austin Reaves, and then he nearly did it

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-austin-reaves-luka-doncic-joke-nearly-backfires-51-point-masterclass-kings');   ga('set', 'title', 'Lakers star Austin Reaves’ Luka Doncic joke nearly backfires amid 51-point masterclass vs. Kings');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Lakers-guard-Luka-Doncic-left-and-guard-Austin-Reaves-15-interact.jpg"><figcaption>© Kirby Lee-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Lakers star Austin Reaves’ Luka Doncic joke nearly backfires amid 51-point masterclass vs. Kings</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-26T23:58:21-07:00">October 26th, 11:58pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-26T23:58:21-07:00">October 26th, 11:58pm</time><address><a href="https://letterboxd.com/splooshpuhrty/films/by/your-rating/">Jedd Pagaduan</a>Jedd Pagaduan is a certified Clippers and Gunners fan, which means he's a very sports-traumatized individual. He now writes about sports instead as a form of therapy.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-austin-reaves-drops-the-mic-with-perfect-reaction-to-51-point-stunner">Austin Reaves has built quite a close friendship</a> with Luka Doncic even though they’ve been teammates on the Los Angeles Lakers for a little less than nine months. The two always have quite a hilarious banter with one another, with Reaves <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DQP3iv7CVZ4/" rel="noopener">clowning</a> Doncic after he missed a free-throw on Friday night during their 127-110 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves — putting him just one point shy of his first 50-point game as a member of the Purple and Gold.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="instagram-media"><div style="padding: 16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DQP3iv7CVZ4/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> <div style="display: flex;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div><div style="display: flex;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div><div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"><div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div><div style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 14px;"><div><div></div><div></div><div></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div><div></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"><div></div><div></div><div></div></div></div><div style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 24px;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div><p></p></a><p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DQP3iv7CVZ4/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Bleacher Report (@bleacherreport)</a></p></div></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><p>On Sunday night, with Doncic being declared out for a week with multiple injuries, the onus was on <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-even-james-worthy-is-in-awe-of-austin-reaves-51-point-night">Reaves to lead the Lakers’ offense</a> against the Sacramento Kings. He ended up with the best game of his career to this point — 51 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists on 12-22 shooting from the field, 6-10 from deep, and 21-22 from the charity stripe.</p><p>But Doncic is surely laughing somewhere that Reaves nearly ended up with the same fate as him. Reaves, who has the entire world as his oyster, admitted that he <a href="https://twitter.com/khobi_price/status/1982693511955968452" rel="noopener">felt some pressure</a> at the foul line as he approached the 50-point mark as his joke towards his Lakers co-star nearly backfired.</p><p>“I ain’t gonna lie, I went to the free throw line. I’m like, s**t, I better not miss,” Reaves said, eliciting a laugh from the press room, via Khobi Price of So Cal News Group.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">"I ain't gonna lie, I went to the free throw line. I'm like, s—, I better not miss," Austin Reaves, fresh off scoring a career-high 51 points tonight in Sacramento, after trolling Luka Doncic on IG on Friday night: <a href="https://t.co/OUaGIVNzf4">https://t.co/OUaGIVNzf4</a> <a href="https://t.co/QXs9A63465">pic.twitter.com/QXs9A63465</a></p><p>— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) <a href="https://twitter.com/khobi_price/status/1982693511955968452?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>With 23 seconds left and the game basically over in favor of the Lakers, Reaves was fouled intentionally as the Kings, with their last gasp, tried to mount a comeback. He did end up swishing both free throws, making him just the fifth Laker player since 2000 to score over 50 points (joining LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, and Anthony Davis).</p><p>For as much as Reaves and Doncic love to clown each other, no one in the world is happier for the former than the latter after he willed the Lakers to a much-needed victory despite being shorthanded.</p><h2><b>Austin Reaves, Lakers lay the smack down from the foul line</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Lakers-guard-Austin-Reaves-15-reacts-after-making-a-three.jpg"><figcaption>© Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Lakers were playing with house money on Sunday, and it was evident that they were playing like they had nothing to lose. Reaves was ultra-aggressive and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-austin-reaves-drops-the-mic-with-perfect-reaction-to-51-point-stunner">shot 22 free throws</a>, channeling his own inner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the process.</p><p>But as a team, the Lakers shot brilliantly from the foul line. They made 41 of their 46 freebies (89.1 percent), and it was more than enough to compensate for the Kings’ 30-point advantage on three-pointers (18 made 3s for Sacramento, just eight for LA).</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Lakers star Austin Reaves’ Luka Doncic joke nearly backfires amid 51-point masterclass vs. Kings

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-out-1-week-multiple-injuries');   ga('set', 'title', 'Luka Doncic out at least 1 week with multiple injuries');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Lakers-guard-Luka-Doncic-77-with-head-coach-JJ-Redick.jpg"><figcaption>© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Luka Doncic out at least 1 week with multiple injuries</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-26T12:28:19-07:00">October 26th, 12:28pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-26T12:48:41-07:00">October 26th, 12:48pm</time><address><a>David Yapkowitz</a>David Yapkowitz is an NBA Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a credentialed reporter based in Los Angeles who covers the NBA/WNBA, NCAA/NCAAW and boys/girls high school basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Los Angeles Lakers were dealt a major blow this weekend when it was revealed that star guard Luka Doncic would be out for at least one week due to multiple injury issues, as per ClutchPoints’ NBA insider Brett Siegel. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-questionable-kings-injury">Doncic was originally listed as questionable</a> coming into the Lakers’ game against the Sacramento Kings on Sunday, but was <a href="https://x.com/BrettSiegelNBA/status/1982527569665864120" rel="noopener">ultimately ruled out</a>. He is dealing with both a leg injury and a finger injury and will be re-evaluated in one week.</p><p>During the Lakers’ opening night loss to the Golden State Warriors, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-groin-injury-treatment-sigh-of-relief">Luka Doncic was seemingly bothered by a groin injury</a>, but ultimately brushed it off as no concern during his postgame press conference. He was able to play during the team’s win against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and set a Lakers’ franchise record in the process in becoming the first player in team history to open up a season with back-to-back 40-point games.</p><p>Doncic’s absence is even more of a blow for a Lakers team that is already without LeBron James to begin the 2025-26 season. James has yet to make his season debut as he is currently dealing with a nerve injury.</p><p>Doncic had begun to get MVP chatter after his scorching hot start to the season. Through the Lakers’ first two games, he was averaging 46.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 1.0 steals with splits of 62 percent shooting from the field, 31.8 percent shooting from the three-point line and 79.3 percent shooting form the free-throw line.</p><p>With both Doncic and James out, the upcoming week is a major opportunity for Austin Reaves to step up. Last season, Reaves dropped a career-high 45 points to go along with seven rebounds and seven assists back on Feb. 8 in a win against the Indiana Pacers. Neither James nor Doncic played in that game.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Luka Doncic out at least 1 week with multiple injuries

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-questionable-kings-injury');   ga('set', 'title', 'Luka Doncic questionable for Kings game with finger injury');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Lakers-Luka-Doncic-reacts.jpg"><figcaption>Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Luka Doncic questionable for Kings game with finger injury</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-25T17:30:16-07:00">October 25th, 5:30pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-25T17:31:37-07:00">October 25th, 5:31pm</time><address><a>David Yapkowitz</a>David Yapkowitz is an NBA Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a credentialed reporter based in Los Angeles who covers the NBA/WNBA, NCAA/NCAAW and boys/girls high school basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Los Angeles Lakers have started the 2025-26 season at 1-1, dropping their opening night game against the Golden State Warriors while bouncing back to grab a win against the Minnesota Timberwolves. During those two games, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-surpasses-jerry-west-all-time-la-record">Lakers star Luka Doncic has been on a tear</a>, but he appeared on the team’s injury report coming into their matchup with the Sacramento Kings on Sunday.</p><p>Luka Doncic is <a href="https://x.com/Dave_Yapkowitz/status/1982234334661939553" rel="noopener">officially listed as questionable</a> on the Lakers’ injury report for their game against the Kings. He is listed as dealing with a left finger sprain. The finger injury is something new, and Doncic did not mention it at all following the Lakers’ win against the Wolves. Doncic did seemingly suffer an apparent groin injury during the Warriors loss, but he brushed it off and was able to play against the Timberwolves.</p><p>With back-t0-back 40-point games to begin the season, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-makes-la-history-back-to-back-40-point-games">Doncic set a Lakers franchise record</a> in becoming the first player in team history to open up a season with two consecutive 40-point games. Against the Warriors, Doncic finished with 43 points, and then dropped 49 points a couple of days later against the Wolves.</p><p>Following the Wolves win, Lakers head coach JJ Redick joked about Doncic not being able to capitalize on Redick’s attempts to get him across the 50-point line.</p><p>“There was some discussion around whether or not. . .I’m trying to get the guy 50. I’d already given him three chances,” Redick joked. “I gave him  fourth chance, he gets fouled. . .he was awesome. . .I said I’ve given you three chances, you passed up a layup, gave up a wide open three. . .just take the shot.”</p><p>But it hasn’t only been Doncic’s scoring that’s been huge for the Lakers. He’s also opened up the season with back-to-back double-doubles. Against the Warriors he grabbed 12 rebounds, and he had 11 rebounds against the Wolves. He’s also had a combined 17 assists through the first two games, finishing just shy of a triple-double in both.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Luka Doncic questionable for Kings game with finger injury

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/dallas-mavericks/mavericks-news-got-absolutely-roasted-loss-luka-doncic-dropped-49-points');   ga('set', 'title', 'Mavericks got absolutely roasted after loss while Luka Doncic dropped 49 points');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Mavericks-head-coach-Jason-Kidd_36f420.jpg"><figcaption>Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Mavericks got absolutely roasted after loss while Luka Doncic dropped 49 points</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-25T15:41:22-07:00">October 25th, 3:41pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-25T15:41:22-07:00">October 25th, 3:41pm</time><address><a>Josue Pavon</a>Josue Pavon is an Associate Editor and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer for ClutchPoints. He started his career as a credentialed media member writing about the Boston Celtics for WEEI.com in Boston, where he grew into a local on-camera NBA reporter and podcast host for CLNS Media. Alongside the Celtics radio broadcaster and two-time NBA champion Cedric Maxwell, Josue is the co-host of the Cedric Maxwell podcast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Dallas Mavericks</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>While watching their team start the 2025-26 campaign 0-2, Dallas Mavericks fans see their former star, Luka Doncic, who scored 49 points and made NBA history with the Los Angeles Lakers in the first week of the regular season. After a 117-107 loss to the Washington Wizards on Friday, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/dallas-mavericks/mavericks-news-fans-demand-dallas-fire-nico-double-digit-loss-wizards">the “Fire Nico” chants made an emphatic return</a>. The chant made famous after the Mavericks traded Doncic to the Lakers felt appropriate at American Airlines Arena on Friday.</p><p>Doncic’s 49 points led the Lakers in a 128-110 blowout win against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday. At the same time, the Mavericks <a href="https://x.com/Sam_Vecenie/status/1981928621523820895" rel="noopener">missed their chance</a> to earn their first win of the season, prompting jokes at Dallas’ expense, per The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie.</p><p>“Luka having 34/4/3 on 10/15 from the field in 3 quarters for the Lakers against Minnesota tonight while the Mavericks lose to the Wizards at home and their offense sputters and overflows like a clogged toilet really feels like a low point so far for Dallas fans in 2025,” Vecenie said.</p><p>Some pointed to Luka Doncic, who’s scored 49 points against the Timberwolves, 92 points in the Lakers’ first two games of the season, as the best player in the NBA right now, while the Mavericks are the <a href="https://x.com/TermineRadio/status/1982079959838453801" rel="noopener">most disappointing</a> team at 0-2. Others pointed to the irony of Doncic’s 92 points, which was Dallas’ <a href="https://x.com/SamQuinnCBS/status/1981943496933261817" rel="noopener">point total</a> in its 33-point loss (125-92) in its season opener against the San Antonio Spurs, as CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn noted.</p><h2><b>Klay Thompson on ‘Fire Nico’ chants amid Mavericks’ 0-2 start</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Mavericks-guard-Klay-Thompson.jpg"><figcaption>Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The chant signaled the fans’ revolt against Mavericks GM Nico Harrison, who pulled the trigger on the blockbuster trade of Luka Doncic — the most shocking trade in recent NBA history. However, after selecting Cooper Flagg, the league’s projected next star, first overall in this year’s draft, it felt like things were looking up for the Mavericks. After Friday’s loss, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/dallas-mavericks/mavericks-news-klay-thompson-dallas-fans-frustration">Klay Thompson defended the fans’ frustrating chant</a>.</p><p>For Thompson, it’s a sign that the Mavericks <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/46716877/mavs-drop-0-2-fire-nico-chants-grow-louder-dallas" rel="noopener">need to play better</a>, he said, per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.</p><p>“You got to give ’em something to cheer for,” he said. “I got to give ’em something to cheer for. It’s the nature of the game, man. I’ve been there. I was a fan for 20 years before I got in the NBA. I would’ve definitely criticized players. We deserve a lot of criticism. We’re the ones out there making it happen.”</p><p>The Mavericks will look to avoid a 0-3 start when they host the Raptors on Sunday.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Mavericks got absolutely roasted after loss while Luka Doncic dropped 49 points

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-admission-timberwolves');   ga('set', 'title', 'Luka Doncic’s honest admission on Timberwolves rematch');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Lakers-news-Luka-Doncic-surprises-teammates-with-Jordan-sneakers-.jpg"><figcaption>© Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Luka Doncic’s honest admission on Timberwolves rematch</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-24T23:56:41-07:00">October 24th, 11:56pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-24T23:56:41-07:00">October 24th, 11:56pm</time><address><a>David Yapkowitz</a>David Yapkowitz is an NBA Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a credentialed reporter based in Los Angeles who covers the NBA/WNBA, NCAA/NCAAW and boys/girls high school basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>LOS ANGELES – The last time the Los Angeles Lakers squared off against the Minnesota Timberwolves, it was during last season’s playoffs when the Lakers were eliminated in five games. It was a disappointing end of the Lakers who had grabbed a top-three seed in the Western Conference. But following the Lakers’ 128-110 win on Friday in their <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-marcus-smart-great-battle-anthony-edwards">rematch against the Timberwolves</a>, Luka Doncic admitted that he wasn’t concerned with last season’s playoffs.</p><p>“I honestly didn’t. I always say last year was really tough for me. I just want to forget about that season, trying to move on,” Doncic said. “I didn’t really think about that first round series just because it’s the second game. We’re going to meet them two or three more times, it’s going to be a war every time we play.”</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-makes-la-history-back-to-back-40-point-games">Luka Doncic continued his torrid start to the 2025-26 season</a>, dropping <a href="https://x.com/SportsCenter/status/1981945420906451222" rel="noopener">49 points against</a> the Timberwolves, just mere nights after his 43-point effort against the Golden State Warriors on opening night. Against the Wolves, he shot 14-of-23 (60.8 percent) from the field, 5-of-12 (41.6 percent) from the three-point line and 16-of-19 from the free-throw line.</p><p>But it wasn’t just Doncic’s scoring that carved up the Wolves. He also grabbed 11 rebounds and was two assists shy of a triple double with eight.  A good number of his assists came from looking for Deandre Ayton around the basket.</p><p>In the offseason, Doncic garnered headlines due to his apparent body transformation as he participated at EuroBasket with the Slovenian national team. Following the win against the Timberwolves, Doncic affirmed that he’s feeling great physically to begin this season.</p><p>“I feel great. I wish we have won the first game [of the season], but obviously it’s a good comeback,” Doncic said. “I think Minnesota is a great team. We had to do a lot to win today. But myself, I feel great. . .I just want to win every game.”</p><p>Doncic is coming off his first full training camp with the Lakers following his trade from the Dallas Mavericks last season. After the trade, Doncic appeared in 28 games for the Lakers, at a little over 35 minutes per game. He averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 1.6 steals with splits of 43.8 percent shooting from the field, 37.9 percent shooting from the three-point line and 79.1 percent shooting from the free-throw line.</p><p>The Lakers will face off against the Wolves two more times during the regular season with the next matchup coming next week in Minnesota, and the final meeting not until Mar. 10 which is a Lakers home game.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Luka Doncic’s honest admission on Timberwolves rematch

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-surpasses-jerry-west-all-time-la-record');   ga('set', 'title', 'Lakers’ Luka Doncic surpasses Jerry West for all-time LA record');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Luka-Doncic-drops-23-in-massive-1st-quarter-vs.-Timberwolves.jpg"><figcaption>William Liang-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Lakers’ Luka Doncic surpasses Jerry West for all-time LA record</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-24T23:19:20-07:00">October 24th, 11:19pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-24T23:19:20-07:00">October 24th, 11:19pm</time><address><a>Abdullah Imran</a>Abdullah Imran works as an Associate Editor for All Sports at ClutchPoints. He’s been a sports fan his entire life and enjoys writing about every sport. He has spent three years in sports journalism and loves analyzing games. In his free time, he very much enjoys binge-watching shows and playing video games.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-drops-23-massive-1st-quarter-timberwolves">Los Angeles Lakers left the Minnesota Timberwolves in the dust</a> with a 128-110 victory on Friday night at Crypto.com Arena, thanks to their star guard Luka Doncic putting up historic numbers. The 26-year-old cooked up a staggering 49 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists in 35 minutes, shooting 14-of-23 from the field, 5-of-12 from three, and 16-of-19 from the free-throw line.</p><p>Having scored 43 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists in the Los Angeles season-opening loss to the Golden State Warriors, combined with tonight’s 49-point performance, Doncic <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1981944688128274661" rel="noopener">made franchise history</a>. He surpassed Jerry West’s record of 81 points for the most in consecutive games to begin a season. Not only that, he became the first Lakers player to start a season <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-makes-la-history-back-to-back-40-point-games">with back-to-back 40-point games</a>, joining the elite company of Anthony Davis, Michael Jordan, and Wilt Chamberlain.</p><p>The Timberwolves, who led 40-36 after the opening quarter, were unable to contain the Slovenian beast, despite contributions from Anthony Edwards (31 points) and Julius Randle (26 points). Los Angeles outscored Minnesota 92-70 over the final three quarters.</p><p>Austin Reaves added 25 points, seven rebounds, and 11 assists, while Rui Hachimura scored 23 points on efficient 10-for-13 shooting. Deandre Ayton contributed 15 points and eight rebounds, and Jake LaRavia chipped in six points off the bench. Marcus Smart impacted the game defensively with two steals, altered shots, and a three-pointer.</p><p>The Lakers overcame an early deficit of 11 points, with Doncic scoring 23 points in the first quarter alone. By halftime, he had amassed 32 points, keeping Los Angeles within striking distance. Then, a strong 16-5 run to close the second quarter gave the Lakers a 68-63 lead at the break.</p><p>In the second half, Los Angeles expanded the lead steadily, with efficient shooting and solid defense allowing them to control the game. By the fourth quarter, the Lakers led by 14, with Doncic continuing to dazzle fans with his scoring and playmaking.</p><p>Los Angeles has started the season with LeBron James on the sideline due to a nerve injury. As a result, Doncic has shouldered much of the offensive responsibility.</p><p>The Lakers will look to continue their momentum in their next game, a road matchup against the Sacramento Kings on Sunday at 9 p.m. ET.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Lakers’ Luka Doncic surpasses Jerry West for all-time LA record

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-makes-la-history-back-to-back-40-point-games');   ga('set', 'title', 'Luka Doncic makes Lakers history with back-to-back 40-point games');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Luka-Doncic_301c7a.jpg"><figcaption>Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Luka Doncic makes Lakers history with back-to-back 40-point games</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-24T21:55:11-07:00">October 24th, 9:55pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-24T21:55:11-07:00">October 24th, 9:55pm</time><address><a>Richard Pereira</a>Richard Pereira joined ClutchPoints in January 2025 as an Associate Editor. He earned his degree from Florida Atlantic University in 2023 and has been covering the school's athletic programs since 2020, having served as a Sports Editor at the FAU University Press. He was granted the unique opportunity to report on the men's basketball team's journey to the Final Four in Houston for FAU Owls Nest during March Madness, consistently striving to grow as a sports journalist.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Luka Doncic is off to a historic start to the 2025-26 NBA season following the Los Angeles <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-drops-23-massive-1st-quarter-timberwolves">Lakers’ blowout win over the Minnesota Timberwolves</a> on Friday night.</p><p>Doncic started the year with a bang, having 43 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists in the Lakers’ season-opening loss to the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night. He responded once again, putting up 49 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists throughout 35 minutes of action. He shot 14-of-23 from the field, including 5-of-12 from beyond the arc, and 16-of-19 from the free-throw line.</p><p>The superstar forward <a href="https://x.com/brettsiegelnba/status/1981941393758331232?s=46&amp;t=vnLDgTn4yNZudl1UzUUjJA" rel="noopener">made both franchise and league history</a> with his first two performances of the season, per NBA insider Brett Siegel. His feats involved the likes of Anthony Davis, Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain.</p><p>“With 40-plus points tonight, Luka Doncic has just become the first player in Lakers history to record back-to-back 40-point games to start a season. He is the fourth player in NBA history to do so (Anthony Davis, Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain),” Siegel wrote.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">LeBron James gives the thumbs up after Luka Doncic missed a free throw that would’ve gotten him to 50 😅 <a href="https://t.co/Wu84l1fI7Q">pic.twitter.com/Wu84l1fI7Q</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1981943754304217330?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 25, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><h2><b>How Luka Doncic, Lakers played against Timberwolves</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Los-Angeles-Lakers-guard-Austin-Reaves-15-and-center-Deandre-Ayton-5-battle-for-the-ball-with-Minnesota-Timberwolves-center-Rudy-Gobert-27.jpg"><figcaption>Kirby Lee-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>It is only two games, and Luka Doncic is already making a strong case for MVP as he led the Lakers to their first win of the season against the Timberwolves.</p><p>Minnesota had the better start, leading 40-36 after the first quarter. It was all Los Angeles from there on, as the hosts outscored the visitors 92-70 in the last three quarters.</p><p>Free throws and fouls played firm roles in this matchup. The Lakers got the edge in both categories, making 26 free throws on 81.3% accuracy while limiting their fouls to 20. It wasn’t the case for the Timberwolves, making 15 free throws on a 71.4% clip while committing 27 fouls.</p><p>Four players scored in double-digits for Los Angeles, including Doncic. Austin Reaves had a great display with 25 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds. He shot 9-of-15 overall, including 2-of-5 from downtown, and 5-of-5 from the charity stripe. Rui Hachimura came next with 23 points and two rebounds, Deandre Ayton had 15 points and eight rebounds, while Jake LaRavia provided six points and a steal.</p><p>The Lakers will look forward to their next matchup, being on the road. They face the Sacramento Kings on Oct. 26 at 9 p.m. ET.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Luka Doncic makes Lakers history with back-to-back 40-point games

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-drops-23-massive-1st-quarter-timberwolves');   ga('set', 'title', 'Lakers’ Luka Doncic drops 23 in massive 1st quarter vs. Timberwolves');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Luka-Doncic-drops-23-in-massive-1st-quarter-vs.-Timberwolves.jpg"><figcaption>William Liang-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Lakers’ Luka Doncic drops 23 in massive 1st quarter vs. Timberwolves</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-24T20:34:13-07:00">October 24th, 8:34pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-24T20:34:13-07:00">October 24th, 8:34pm</time><address><a>Richard Pereira</a>Richard Pereira joined ClutchPoints in January 2025 as an Associate Editor. He earned his degree from Florida Atlantic University in 2023 and has been covering the school's athletic programs since 2020, having served as a Sports Editor at the FAU University Press. He was granted the unique opportunity to report on the men's basketball team's journey to the Final Four in Houston for FAU Owls Nest during March Madness, consistently striving to grow as a sports journalist.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Luka Doncic got off to a hot start during the Los Angeles <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-why-rui-hachimura-deandre-ayton-strong-bond">Lakers’ matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves</a> on Friday night.</p><p>Doncic has begun his eighth year in the NBA, his second with the Lakers. He looks to cement himself as the face of the franchise as he embraces his first full campaign with the team.</p><p>Doncic has been off to a fiery start, getting 43 points and 12 rebounds in the season-opening loss to the Golden State Warriors. He <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1981919724540940557" rel="noopener">kept up that momentum in the first quarter</a> against the Timberwolves, scoring 23 points after knocking down multiple shots from beyond the arc.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Luka Doncic.<br>Logo step-back three.<br>23 points in the 1st Quarter 🤯<a href="https://t.co/gn9VP996qJ">pic.twitter.com/gn9VP996qJ</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1981919724540940557?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 25, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><h2><b>How Luka Doncic, Lakers played 1st half against Timberwolves</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Luka-Doncic-drops-23-in-massive-1st-quarter-vs.-Timberwolves-2.jpg"><figcaption>Kirby Lee-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Luka Doncic and the Lakers had a solid end to the first half. They outscored the Timberwolves 16-5 to close out the second quarter and lead 69-63 at halftime.</p><p>Minnesota handled Doncic’s first-quarter explosion well as they led 40-36 after the period. However, Los Angeles fired back by taking the second quarter 32-23 to hold the advantage after the first half.</p><p>Free-throw shooting and turnovers are playing a solid impact on the matchup. The Lakers hold the edge in these areas with 11 made free throws while limiting their turnovers to four. It has been difficult for the Timberwolves, only converting three shots at the line while turning the ball over seven times.</p><p>Two players have scored in double-digits for Los Angeles so far, including Doncic. He leads the way with 32 points, four rebounds and two assists. He shot 9-of-14 from the field, including 4-of-8 from downtown, and 10-of-12 from the free-throw line. Austin Reaves came next with 12 points, seven assists and five rebounds. Meanwhile, Rui Hachimura has nine points and Gabe Vincent has five points and three assists.</p><p>Following this matchup, the Lakers will prepare for their next contest. They will be on the road, facing the Sacramento Kings on Oct. 26 at 9 p.m. ET.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Lakers’ Luka Doncic drops 23 in massive 1st quarter vs. Timberwolves

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nba-stories/nba-news-victor-wembanyama-luka-doncic-nba-opening-night-history');   ga('set', 'title', 'Victor Wembanyama, Luka Doncic among 5 players making NBA Opening Night history');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Spurs-1.jpg"><figcaption>Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><h1>Victor Wembanyama, Luka Doncic among 5 players making NBA Opening Night history</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-24T13:16:30-07:00">October 24th, 1:16pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-24T13:16:30-07:00">October 24th, 1:16pm</time><address><a>Rishabh Bhatnagar</a>Rishabh is a seasoned NBA and sports journalist and editor with over seven years of experience working for reputed organizations. A novelist first and foremost, he has written three fiction books. His high threshold of knowledge combined with his writing skills gives him the ability to write uniquely insightful pieces across basketball, soccer, cricket, lawn tennis, eSports, and a variety of other sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The NBA season has started in full swing, with a range of players coming up with major offensive performances already. That includes as many as five players scoring <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-kobe-bryant-shaq-michael-jordan-opening-night">at least 40 points on opening night</a>, a league record in itself.</p><p>The likes of Luka Doncic, Victor Wembanyama, Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Maxey and Aaron Gordon have all joined the <a href="https://x.com/espninsights/status/1981743619976352219?s=46&amp;t=vnLDgTn4yNZudl1UzUUjJA" rel="noopener">40-point opening night club</a>, per ESPN Insights. Victor Wembanyama powered San Antonio’s 125–92 road win over Dallas with 40 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks on 15-of-21 shooting, setting a Spurs record for most points in a season opener.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">ABSOLUTE CINEMA 🙌 </p><p>There have been five players with a 40-point performance in 2025 season-openers, the most such performances in a single season in NBA history. <a href="https://t.co/hdmQD6Hwzh">pic.twitter.com/hdmQD6Hwzh</a></p><p>— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNInsights/status/1981743619976352219?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Anthony Edwards scored 41 points with seven rebounds and closed the game with a step-back mid-range jumper in the final seconds. The Minnesota Timberwolves, as a result, rallied to beat Portland 118–114, capping a fourth quarter in which the Timberwolves held the Blazers to 4-of-19 shooting.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/denver-nuggets/nuggets-news-aaron-gordon-breaks-alex-english-record-with-nuclear-season-opener">Aaron Gordon erupted for a career-high 50 points</a> on 17-of-21 shooting, including 10-of-11 from three and eight straight makes from deep, marking the most efficient 50-point game by true shooting in league history. This was despite the Denver Nuggets losing to the Golden State Warriors 137–131.</p><p>Tyrese Maxey dropped 40 points to lead Philadelphia past Boston 117–116, with rookie VJ Edgecombe adding 34 in his debut, the most in an NBA debut since Wilt Chamberlain in 1959. Moving on, Luka Dončić opened his second Lakers season with 43 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists on 17-of-27 shooting.</p><p>He joined Kobe Bryant and Elgin Baylor as Lakers to top 40 in a season opener, but Los Angeles lost to Golden State amid turnover issues and a decisive third-quarter swing. While two of the five performances unfortunately came in losing causes, all five players were excellent in their first official games this season.</p><p>With Shai-Gilgeous Alexander also producing 55 points in what was his second game, quite a few offensive superstars have started out in scintillating fashion.</p><p> </p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Victor Wembanyama, Luka Doncic among 5 players making NBA Opening Night history

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-chris-paul-comparison-deandre-ayton');   ga('set', 'title', 'Lakers’ Luka Doncic draws intriguing Chris Paul comparison from Deandre Ayton');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Luka-Doncic-dribbling-the-ball-against-Warriors.jpg"><figcaption>William Liang-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Lakers’ Luka Doncic draws intriguing Chris Paul comparison from Deandre Ayton</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-24T11:58:02-07:00">October 24th, 11:58am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-24T11:58:02-07:00">October 24th, 11:58am</time><address><a href="https://www.facebook.com/joey.mistretta/" rel="facebook">Joey Mistretta</a>Joey Mistretta is a Dallas Mavericks beat reporter, Dallas Wings beat reporter and lead MLB editor for ClutchPoints. He is originally from Lake Arrowhead, California. Mistretta graduated from Biola University with a degree in broadcast journalism.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Los Angeles Lakers added Deandre Ayton this past offseason. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-shaq-deandre-ayton-warning-shaky-debut">Ayton endured an underwhelming Lakers debut</a>, but there is potential for him in LA if he can develop chemistry with Luka Doncic. Doncic understands what it takes to find the roll man in the pick-and-roll, so the duo could be quite dangerous if they get on the same page. Ayton previously played with Chris Paul and Devin Booker — and <a href="https://x.com/mcten/status/1981789896416317831" rel="noopener">he compared</a> Doncic and Austin Reaves to his former teammates on Friday.</p><p>“He (Doncic) talks with his eyes,” Ayton told reporters, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “You have great play-makers, like CP, and playing with Book. You can tell, you have that one conversation with them and they know what you want. They all geniuses… They know the game. They’re already picking teams apart… Just adding another guy, where I’m putting pressure on the rim. I’m giving them what they want, how they want their screens set… It’s a timing thing.”</p><p>The ingredients are present for success. The Lakers are still finding their rhythm as a team overall. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-lebron-james-injury-timeline-update-patient-approach">LeBron James is out with injury</a>, which forces an adjustment given how important of a presence he is in the lineup.</p><p>So, how can Ayton continue to build chemistry with play-makers such as Doncic and Reaves? Well, his experience of playing with a star point guard like Paul could help matters.</p><p>“It’s a thing where you’re reading the defense together, you’re on the same page,” Ayton continued. “It’s like watching a movie together, ‘you see what I see?’ Things like that. I’m starting to see AR (Reaves) and Luka show me things that they like, because I’ve been around, where CP3 is more of a slow shifty guy, that’s what Luka gives me.”</p><p>The Lakers will play the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Lakers’ Luka Doncic draws intriguing Chris Paul comparison from Deandre Ayton

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-groin-injury-treatment-sigh-of-relief');   ga('set', 'title', 'Luka Doncic’s groin injury treatment provides Lakers with a sigh of relief');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Lakers-Luka-Doncic-on-Opening-Night.jpg"><figcaption>Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Luka Doncic’s groin injury treatment provides Lakers with a sigh of relief</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-22T13:44:55-07:00">October 22nd, 1:44pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-22T14:13:06-07:00">October 22nd, 2:13pm</time><address><a>Brett Siegel</a>Brett Siegel joined ClutchPoints as a credentialed NBA insider and reporter in May 2023 after previously covering the NBA for Fastbreak on FanNation and NBA Analysis Network, as well as working with Louisville Basketball. From playing to coaching to covering the game as a media member, Brett has been involved with the game of basketball from many different perspectives. Breaking the news of various free agent signings, yearly NBA Draft news and other key stories around the league, Brett is always on the phone, getting the latest news and rumors around the NBA. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @BrettSiegelNBA.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Los Angeles Lakers superstar guard Luka Doncic opened up the 2025-26 NBA season with 43 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists in the team’s 119-109 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night. In doing so, he became the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-kobe-bryant-shaq-michael-jordan-opening-night">first Lakers player to register 40 or more points on Opening Night</a> since Kobe Bryant did so in 2007.</p><p>However, news after the game that Doncic was dealing with some right inner leg discomfort instantly sent Los Angeles into panic mode.</p><p>Although he did receive some treatment for a groin issue on Wednesday, Doncic was a <a href="https://x.com/DanWoikeSports/status/1981094999245934955" rel="noopener">participant</a> in the Lakers’ short practice coming off their loss, according to Dan Woike of The Athletic.</p><p>After Tuesday’s game, Doncic said he “felt it a little bit” because of the way his hip turned during the game. Doncic added that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-calm-panic-groin-injury-warriors">this discomfort was “probably nothing.”</a></p><p>“He seems to be fine. I don’t think it’s anything major,” head coach <a href="https://x.com/mcten/status/1981101439427760519" rel="noopener">JJ Redick told reporters</a> on Wednesday, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “He got some treatment this morning and we didn’t practice long, but he was a participant in practice.”</p><p>Not only did Doncic’s massive performance put him in Lakers’ lore with Kobe, but he also <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luke-doncic-personal-record-43-point-outburst-vs-warriors">joined Shaquille O’Neal as the only players in franchise history</a> to have at least 35 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in a season opener.</p><p>Despite Luka’s scoring outburst in the first game of the season, the Lakers as a whole struggled the entire night on offense against the Warriors. Austin Reaves (26 points) and Deandre Ayton (10 points) were the only other players to score in double figures, as the team shot just 25 percent from 3-point range.</p><p>The main reason Doncic looked like a one-man show for Los Angeles in their first game of the season was that LeBron James is currently sidelined with a sciatica problem in his side. James is not expected to be available until sometime in mid-November.</p><p>During the game, James was seen on the Lakers’ bench looking very unenthusiastic and disconnected the whole night. Many NBA fans were <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-lebron-james-disconnected-warriors-game">questioning LeBron’s commitment to Los Angeles</a> this season on social media after the Lakers’ loss.</p><p>While this is not the way the Lakers envisioned starting the 2025-26 season, the good news is that Doncic is not injured, and it does not appear as if he will miss any time. The Lakers will look to win their first game of the new season on Friday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
46.0	11.5	8.5	0.5	1.0

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
46.0	11.5	8.5	0.5	1.0

Luka Dončić news

Luka
Dončić news