Luka Dončić Joins Wilt Chamberlain With Another 40-point Game To Start Season

Luka Dončić continued his heater to commencement nan 2025-26 play pursuing his return from a three-game absence owed to a left-finger sprain and a contusion to his little near leg.

In nan Lakers’ 117–112 triumph complete nan Grizzlies successful NBA Cup group play Friday, nan superstar defender had 44 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. It’s his 3rd 40-point crippled of nan play successful arsenic galore tries, joining Wilt Chamberlain arsenic nan only players successful NBA history to apical 40 points successful 3 consecutive games to statesman a season, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

Dončić scored 43 points successful his first crippled of nan season, followed by a 49-point capacity successful crippled 2 for a whopping 136 full points done nan 3 games he’s played successful frankincense far. He’s averaging an unthinkable 45.3 points, 11.7 rebounds and 7.7 assists per crippled successful nan mini sample.

Chamberlain remarkably reached nan feat twice, scoring 40 aliases much successful 7 consecutive games to commencement nan 1962–63 play and 5 consecutive successful 1961–62, per ESPN. Joining nan NBA legend’s institution for immoderate grounds is awesome and speaks to Dončić’s tear to commencement his first afloat play arsenic a Laker.

Los Angeles moves to 4–2 connected nan play arsenic Austin Reaves added 21 points to help conclusion Memphis Friday. They went 2–1 complete Dončić’s absence while LeBron James is sidelined to commencement nan twelvemonth owed to sciatica. Reaves starred pinch Dončić and James out, highlighted by a 51-point nighttime successful a triumph complete nan Kings Sunday, followed by performances of 41 and 28 points successful his adjacent 2 games.

The Lakers recreation location to play nan Heat Sunday successful Dončić’s adjacent opportunity to support his 40-point streak alive.

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