Luka Doncic keeps turning every Lakers game into a scoring showcase, and Friday night against Portland gives him another chance to stretch one of the NBA’s hottest early-season runs.
Doncic has now put up at least 40 points in three straight games, averaging 42.3 over that span. Los Angeles has won all three, a clear sign that his scoring binge is doing more than filling up a box score - it’s driving wins.
The bigger picture around Doncic has been just as eye-catching. He’s strung together six straight games with at least 35 points, five rebounds, five assists and five made 3-pointers, a line that shows just how complete his game has been. He enters Friday leading the NBA with 38.5 points per game.
That kind of production has helped the Lakers steady themselves after an uneven start, and they’ll try to make it four wins in a row when they host Portland.
The Trail Blazers arrive with some momentum of their own. They’ve won three straight, capped by a 132-119 victory over Phoenix. Damian Lillard scored 25 points in that one and has given Portland a needed offensive lift since returning from an Achilles injury that cost him last season.
Portland has also gotten useful contributions from Donovan Clingan and Deni Avdija. The Blazers have had to work through injury issues as well, including the absence of Ja Morant and a fractured ankle suffered by Vit Krejci, but they’ve kept finding ways to win.
They also already have a win over the Lakers this season, beating them 136-129 on Oct. 27. That result gives Friday’s matchup a little extra edge, especially for a Los Angeles team that allowed 136 points in that meeting and knows it has to be better on defense.
The Lakers’ challenge is straightforward: keep Doncic rolling, but also get enough from the rest of the roster to handle a Portland team that can score from multiple spots. Doncic can bend a game with tough shot-making and playmaking, but Los Angeles will need a fuller effort if it wants to protect its winning streak.
Friday is another test, and another chance for Doncic to keep doing what he’s been doing best: piling up points and dragging the Lakers forward with him.
In Other News...
Damian Lillard Had Every Reason To Explode Over Dillon Brooks
Dillon Brooks managed to turn a routine stoppage into one of those moments that instantly grabs everyones attention. During a game, the Phoenix Suns wing appeared to try to step on Damian Lillards Achilles after a whistle, and Lillard reacted immediately by confronting him before referees and coaches stepped in to keep it from getting any worse. Lillard was not injured, but the sequence still had the kind of edge that can linger long after the possession is over.
For Portland fans, it was another reminder of how quickly things can get heated when Lillard is involved in a physical matchup. He has always carried himself with a calm, steady presence, so when he goes straight at an opponent like that, it says plenty about how serious the moment felt. The incident ended without further escalation, but it left plenty of room for questions about what Brooks was trying to do and how the league will view the exchange. [Read more 🡒]
Blazers Backcourt Takes Another Hit After Vt Krej Scare
Vt Krejs night ended in a hurry late in the third quarter against the Suns, and the sight of him leaving the arena on crutches with a protective boot only deepened the concern around Portlands backcourt. The Trail Blazers were already dealing with multiple injuries in that area, so another setback there is the last thing they needed as the season moves along.
The immediate issue now is the uncertainty around how long Krej will be out, with the team still waiting to learn more about the fracture to his lower left leg or ankle and whether surgery will be part of the recovery plan. For a Blazers group trying to piece together guard minutes on the fly, even a short absence would be a problem, and this one could linger well beyond that. [Read more 🡒]
Dillon Brooks Is Giving Suns Fans The Wrong Kind Of Headlines
Dillon Brooks managed to turn a regular-season meeting with Portland into the kind of night that lingers long after the final buzzer. After a whistle, he kicked the back of Damian Lillards left leg, setting off a brief confrontation between the two before Lillard answered the moment the old-fashioned way, by getting back to work and finishing at the rim with Brooks in the picture.
The Blazers walked away with a 132-119 win, and Lillards 25 points helped make sure the on-court response mattered more than the post-whistle heat. Brooks still finished with 15 points for Phoenix, but the bigger takeaway for Portland was how quickly the game tilted from irritation to control, with Lillard making sure the last memorable play belonged to him. [Read more 🡒]