Luka Doncic scored 52 points to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 132-123 comeback victory over the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City on Sunday, October 25.
The Slovenian guard also recorded 10 assists and eight rebounds to finish with a double-double in the National Basketball Association (NBA) regular-season game, securing a third consecutive victory for the Lakers this season, according to Reuters.
Doncic shot 17 of 30 from the field and made eight of his 18 attempts from three-point range. The performance marked the 10th time in his career that he has scored at least 50 points in an NBA regular-season contest.
A double-double is recorded when a player reaches double digits in two of the five primary statistical categories in a single game. Doncic, who entered the NBA in 2018 after winning a EuroLeague championship with Real Madrid in Spain, is one of the league's leading offensive playmakers and represents the Slovenian national team in international competition.
Doncic late three-pointers and free throws
Doncic took control in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter as Los Angeles earned its ninth win in the last 10 meetings between the two Western Conference franchises. He capped a 14-5 Lakers scoring run that put the visitors ahead by hitting two three-pointers within a 40-second span.
The second of those long-range shots brought Doncic to the 50-point mark for the night and gave the Lakers a 127-121 lead with 1 minute and 42 seconds remaining on the clock. He then sealed the outcome by converting two free throws with 12.5 seconds left in the game.
Austin Reaves provided key scoring support for Los Angeles with 29 points. Together, Doncic and Reaves accounted for nearly all of the Lakers' scoring at the foul line, making 21 of the California team's 24 free-throw attempts.
Walker Kessler finished with two points and seven rebounds for the Lakers. Sunday's contest was Kessler's first game in Utah since the Jazz traded him to Los Angeles during the offseason.
Utah Jazz first-quarter lead
Before the Lakers rallied, the Jazz opened the game with a fast offensive start and built an 18-point advantage in the first quarter. Ace Bailey scored 15 points in the opening period on seven-of-eight shooting from the floor.
Lauri Markkanen contributed 12 points in the first quarter, including a deep three-pointer at the buzzer. Keyonte George distributed seven assists in the opening 12 minutes alone, setting a career high for assists in a single period.
Behind that early surge, Utah ended the first quarter ahead 47-29. The Jazz shot 61.3 percent from the field in the opening period and recorded 14 assists on 19 made field goals.
On the defensive end, Utah limited the Lakers to 34.8 percent shooting in the first quarter. Doncic kept Los Angeles within striking distance early by scoring 17 of his team's first 25 points.
Los Angeles Lakers second-quarter comeback
The Lakers gained momentum in the second quarter as they stepped up their defensive pressure and forced turnovers from the Jazz. Reaves led the perimeter attack during the period, making three three-pointers and scoring 15 points.
Los Angeles completed the turnaround in the final seconds of the first half. With 4.7 seconds remaining before halftime, Doncic hit a step-back three-pointer to give the Lakers their first lead of the game at 74-71.
Doncic maintained the scoring pace after the intermission by adding 14 points in the third quarter. That output sent Los Angeles into the fourth quarter with a 103-100 lead.
The NBA consists of 30 franchises competing across an 82-game regular season, divided between the Eastern and Western Conferences. The Lakers, based in Los Angeles, play in the Pacific Division, while the Jazz, who moved to Salt Lake City from New Orleans in 1979, compete in the Northwest Division.
Full game statistics and player totals
Markkanen finished as the leading scorer for the Jazz with 28 points. George ended the night one rebound shy of a triple-double, recording 24 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.
Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 20 points for Utah, while Bailey closed the game with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Despite those four players reaching double figures in scoring, the home side could not hold the advantage it built in the opening period.
For the game as a whole, the Lakers shot 48.8 percent from the field and converted 20 of 47 attempts from three-point range. The Jazz shot 48.4 percent overall and made 10 of 35 three-point attempts.
Utah dominated the boards, outrebounding Los Angeles 52 to 31 over the course of the game, but the Lakers overcame the rebounding deficit through their perimeter shooting and fourth-quarter execution.
