If there’s one player who has impressed Los Angeles Lakers fans more than anyone this season, it’s Luka Doncic.
Doncic finished Monday night’s matchup against the Charlotte Hornets with 38 points, five rebounds, and seven assists on 50% shooting from the field in the team’s 121–111 win. Once again proving why he’s one of the most unstoppable scorers in basketball, the 26-year-old continued his streak of dominance since joining Los Angeles.
With Monday’s performance, Doncic separated himself from the rest of the league, now leading all eligible players with the most 20-plus-point first halves this season — five in total. The next highest on the list? Jaylen Brown, with three. The impressive part: Doncic has achieved this in just five games, while Brown has needed 11. Even more remarkable, Monday marked Doncic’s third consecutive game scoring at least 20 points before halftime.
Doncic is accomplishing two feats at once this season — powering the Lakers’ offense every time he takes the floor and making the Dallas Mavericks question their decision to trade him at last season’s deadline. So far, he’s averaging an astonishing 37.1 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 9.1 assists while shooting 49.1% from the field.
Recording that level of production in a single year is rare, but Doncic’s consistency makes it even more extraordinary. His five games with 20-plus points in the first half now place him second all-time, with 18 total across his career — just two shy of James Harden, who holds the record.
It’s mesmerizing how efficiently Doncic controls the pace of a game, bringing a calming yet lethal rhythm that elevates everyone around him. After a tough loss to the shorthanded Atlanta Hawks, his return to form provided Los Angeles the spark they needed.
The Lakers will next face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, where Doncic will have another chance to inch closer toward NBA history — one dazzling first half at a time.
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