Doncic drops 52 in masterclass performance, leads Lakers comeback and passes Shaq in franchise history

Doncic became the first player in the NBA to eclipse the 50-point mark this season. He knocked down eight three-pointers and came up clutch down the stretch. The Lakers trailed by as many as 18 points in the second quarter before mounting a comeback, capped by Doncic draining a buzzer-beating three at the end of the first half to give LA its first lead of the night at 74-71.

When the game hung in the balance late in the fourth quarter, Doncic took over once again. After the hosts threatened to reclaim control, he buried back-to-back triples to cap a 14-5 Lakers run, putting the visitors ahead 127-121 with 1:42 remaining. Austin Reaves sealed the victory with a dagger from beyond the arc. Reaves finished with 29 points and, alongside Doncic, was lethal from the charity stripe as the duo combined to shoot 21-of-24 on free throws.

This marks Doncic's third 50-point performance since joining the Lakers a year and a half ago. By comparison, Shaquille O'Neal recorded just two such games during his entire eight-year tenure with the franchise. Doncic now has 10 career 50-point games, tying NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Abdul-Jabbar needed 20 seasons to hit that milestone, while the Slovenian guard has matched it in just his eighth year in the league.

Lauri Markkanen paced Utah in the loss with 28 points. Keyonte George flirted with a triple-double, tallying 24 points, nine rebounds, and 10 assists, while Jaren Jackson Jr. chipped in 20 points. Rookie Ace Bailey notched a double-double with 17 points and 12 boards.

Walker Kessler had extra motivation heading into the matchup after being acquired by the Lakers from Utah this past offseason. However, in his return to Salt Lake City, the center struggled to match his strong start to the season, finishing with just two points and seven rebounds.

With this victory, the Lakers have now won eight of their last nine meetings against the Jazz. Los Angeles looks ahead to a Tuesday matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers, while Utah hosts the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday.

73 points vs. Atlanta Hawks, January 26, 2024

60 points vs. Miami Heat, March 19, 2026

60 points vs. New York Knicks, December 27, 2022

53 points vs. Detroit Pistons, January 30, 2023

52 points vs. Utah Jazz, October 26, 2026