Luka Dončić Scores 53 as Lakers Rally Past Blazers for His Fourth Straight 40-Point Game

Luka Dončić scored a season-high 53 points as the Los Angeles Lakers came from 16 points down to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 124-118 on Friday night, extending one of the most remarkable scoring runs of the NBA season. It was Dončić’s fourth consecutive game with at least 40 points and the highest single-game total by any player so far in the 2026-27 season, Bleacher Report reported.

The Slovenian guard shot 17 of 33 from the field, made five three-pointers and added five rebounds and five assists in the NBA Cup group game. He also banked a heave from roughly 60 feet at the end of the first half. Through the Lakers’ first ten games, he is now averaging 40.1 points.

What Records Did Luka Dončić Set Against Portland?

Dončić became the first Lakers player since Kobe Bryant in January 2012 to score 40 or more points in four straight games, according to Bleacher Report. ClutchPoints said he is only the fourth player in franchise history to do it in the regular season, after Bryant, Elgin Baylor and George Mikan.

The run is unusual even by Dončić’s standards. According to the Daily Sports Headlines bulletin, his four straight games with at least 40 points, five rebounds and five assists match a feat previously achieved only by Baylor. ClutchPoints also reported that he became the first player in NBA history to record six consecutive games with at least 35 points, five rebounds, five assists and five made threes. Friday’s game was his seventh in a row with five or more three-pointers.

• Points: 53 (season high for any player)
• Shooting: 17 of 33 from the field, 5 three-pointers
• Streak: four straight 40-point games, the first Laker to do so since Kobe Bryant in 2012
• Season average: 40.1 points per game
• 40-point games this season: six in the Lakers’ first ten games

How Did the Lakers Beat the Trail Blazers?

Portland controlled much of the first half and led by as many as 16 points. The second quarter turned into a duel between Dončić and Damian Lillard, who outscored him 12-10 in the period on the way to 22 points. Lillard, who is still finding his rhythm after an Achilles injury, has now scored 20 or more in four straight games.

The game swung in the third quarter, when the Lakers outscored the Blazers 34-15 to take a 12-point lead into the final period. Portland pushed back several times in the fourth, but Los Angeles held on. Austin Reaves scored 25 points, his third straight game with at least 20, and centre Walker Kessler had 16 points and 12 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season.

For Portland, Deni Avdija posted 22 points and 11 assists, and Donovan Clingan added 17 points and 11 rebounds.

How Has Dončić Started the 2026-27 Season?

The Portland game followed a 40-point, nine-rebound, seven-assist performance in a 116-103 win over the Sacramento Kings. In his ten games so far, Dončić has scored at least 40 points six times. Giannis Antetokounmpo recently described him as one of the game’s greatest scorers, ClutchPoints noted.

The comparison with Bryant carries extra weight in Los Angeles, where the late Lakers great’s scoring records are part of the franchise’s identity. Dončić, a six-time All-Star, arrived from the Dallas Mavericks in a blockbuster trade in February 2025, and this season he has become the clear focal point of the Lakers’ attack.

What Else Happened in the NBA on Friday?

Elsewhere, Victor Wembanyama had 30 points and 14 rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Sacramento Kings 124-109, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaquille O’Neal as the only players with at least 250 points, 100 rebounds and 35 blocks through the first nine games of a season. Jayson Tatum scored 34 points as the Boston Celtics hammered the Charlotte Hornets 119-80, and the Cleveland Cavaliers handed the Philadelphia 76ers only their second defeat of the season, 119-95. LeBron James shot 3 for 12 and scored in single figures on his return to Cleveland, only the tenth time that has happened in his career, according to the Daily Sports Headlines bulletin. Our LeBron James career profile covers his records and stats.

When Do the Lakers Play Next?

The Lakers start a four-game road trip on Sunday 8 November against the Detroit Pistons, when Dončić will try to stretch his run of 40-point games to five. New to the league’s format? Our guide explains how the NBA season works, from the regular season and the NBA Cup to the play-offs.

Featured image: Luka Dončić playing for the Los Angeles Lakers against the Cleveland Cavaliers in January 2026, by Erik Drost / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0. File photo.

Sources

• Bleacher Report — Luka drops 53 as Lakers beat Blazers: full box score, stats and highlights (7 November 2026).
• AP News — Luka Doncic scores 53 in another spectacular offensive game, carrying Lakers past Blazers 124-118 (7 November 2026).
• ClutchPoints — Lakers’ Luka Doncic accomplishes feat not seen since Kobe Bryant (7 November 2026).
• NBA.com — Starting 5: Luka drops 53, Tatum dominates (7 November 2026).
• Daily Sports Headlines — Daily Sports Headlines, November 7, 2026 (7 November 2026).