LOS ANGELES — After Luka Doncic scored 49 points in the Lakers’ 128-110 win over the Timberwolves on Friday — shattering Jerry West’s 56-year-old franchise record of 81 points scored in the first two games of a season — teammate Austin Reaves was asked a question.
Could Doncic, who has scored 92 points this season, average 40?
“Yes,” Reaves told ESPN.
Could Doncic average 40 and would that help the team win?
“Yes,” Reaves continued. “He’s so good, it’s weird.”
It was strange to see how effective the Doncic-led Lakers offense was in its second game of the season compared to Tuesday’s 119-109 loss to the Golden State Warriors.
The Lakers shot better from the field, 59.2% compared to 54.5% on Tuesday, and were much better from 3, shooting 41.4% compared to 25%. They also committed fewer turnovers, 12 compared to 19.
And Doncic has been the constant, becoming the first player in Lakers history with consecutive 40-point games to start a season and only the fourth in NBA history, joining Anthony Davis, Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain.
“I wish we had won the first game, but it’s obviously a good comeback,” Doncic said after finishing 14 of 23 from the floor, including 5 of 12 from 3 and 16 of 19 from the free throw line. “I think Minnesota is a great team. We had to do a lot to win today. But I feel good myself. I want to win every game.”
Doncic added 11 rebounds and eight assists, joining Reaves (25 points, 11 assists, 7 rebounds) with a double-double. Rui Hachimura scored 23 points on 10-of-13 shooting, and Deandre Ayton had 15 points and eight rebounds.
“Of course, he dominates the whole match so easily,” Hachimura said. “And this isn’t a random team we played against. This is a Western Conference Finals team. So it’s crazy.”
After trailing by 11 points in the first quarter, the Lakers cut the Timberwolves’ lead to four heading into the second quarter as Doncic tied Kobe Bryant and Kyle Kuzma for the most points in team history in the first quarter with 23.
The Lakers dominated the middle two quarters 72-54 against the Timberwolves, who eliminated them from the playoffs last season.
Doncic said revenge didn’t fuel the performance.
“I just want to forget last season,” Doncic said. “I was trying to move on. I don’t really think about that first-round series.”
The team, however, was thinking about its poor third-quarter performance against the Warriors, when Golden State outscored Los Angeles 35-25 to open the game.
On Friday, a few Lakers players left the halftime locker room early to take warm-up photos while the halftime show — a balancing acrobat, Christian, and his dog, Scooby — was still finishing its routine.
And Los Angeles won the third 40-31.
“I think for the first time in Lakers history the other team called the first timeout in the third quarter,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “We had a good ‘okay, okay’ with the band. ‘Okay, band, we did it!'”
As much as the third quarter was cause for celebration for Redick, he got a little boost from Doncic in the fourth.
During a late timeout, with Los Angeles up 23 points and 3:29 to play, Redick chastised Doncic for being stuck at 48 points.
“I’m trying to get the guy to be 50, and yeah, I’d already given him three chances,” Redick said. “I gave it a fourth chance. He gets fouled, then he misses that too.”
Doncic went 1-for-2 from the foul line with 3:05 left, bringing his total to 49 points, the most he has scored for the Lakers, and Redick replaced him shortly after.
The win was Ayton’s first with the Lakers, thanks in large part to the guy who tormented his Phoenix Suns team in the playoffs years ago.
“Just like I see it when I’m on the other side – shocked,” Ayton said when asked what it was like to witness Doncic’s night. “Like, ‘Oh my God, I can’t believe he’s doing that. When is he going to miss?’ You know, things like that.
“But I wanted him to have 50 tonight.”
