With LeBron James sitting out the second night of a back-to-back, Luka Dončić used his platform to enhance his MVP argument in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 128-117 win over the Indiana Pacers on Friday night.
Dončić dropped 44 points, nine rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks in just 32 minutes. He put up 22 in the first quarter and didn’t have to play in the fourth because the Lakers were in control.
This was Dončić’s 10th 40-point game of the season, moving him past Anthony Edwards for most in the NBA. The victory moved the Lakers into a tie with the Denver Nuggets in the loss column as those two teams fight over the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference.
Dončić was showered with praise and calls to win his first MVP award, including from the coach on the opposing bench, after his incredible outing on Friday night.
In nine games since the All-Star break, Dončić is averaging 30.9 points on 48.0 percent shooting (44.1 percent from three), 8.1 assists and 7.7 rebounds per contest. He is still leading the NBA in scoring with 32.5 points per game, which is on pace to be the second-highest average of his career (33.9 in 2023-24).
The Lakers have won four of their last five games after a brief three-game losing streak. They are still fighting an uphill battle to be a title contender in the West because of how strong the top of the conference looks, but history has shown Dončić is more than capable of being the best player on the court against anyone on any night.
Dončić and the Lakers will get a chance to show everyone where they belong in the title hierarchy coming up. Their next two games are against the New York Knicks on Sunday and Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday.