Luka Doncic ‘decided’ to make his 61-foot heave punctuating 53-point effort in win over Blazers

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers were trailing by double digits in the final seconds of a tough first half against Portland when Doncic took a few dribbles, stopped in the far free-throw circle and heaved a glorious 61-footer off the backboard and in.

Doncic has done all types of magic during his spectacular start to the Lakers’ season, but this epic buzzer-beater was much more than simply the most memorable moment from his 53-point performance in the Lakers’ 124-118 win Friday night.

“I think it changes the whole energy in the team and in the gym,” Doncic said. “I thought it was an important shot to make — so that’s why I decided to make it.”

A sly smile creeped onto Doncic’s face with that playful boast — but after the NBA’s leading scorer topped 40 points for the sixth time in seven games, after he surpassed 50 points for the second time already this season, it was clear Doncic can conjure just about anything he pleases on the court this season.

And Doncic had a very good point: His three-quarter-court shot flipped the momentum in a game that had been controlled by the Trail Blazers. Los Angeles rode that wave into a dominant third quarter — in which Doncic outscored Portland all by himself — and all the way to its eighth win in 10 games to start the season amid Doncic’s historic offensive success.

“When you’ve got a guy that can make shots like that, it’s fun basketball,” said Lakers center Walker Kessler, who had 16 points and 12 rebounds. “He’s incredible to watch. He’s incredible to play alongside. He’s my MVP. I think it’s pretty clear right now.”

Doncic is averaging 40.1 points per game through the Lakers’ first 10 games while hitting 49.8% of his shots and 41.9% of his 3-point attempts.

Nobody who spends time around the Lakers is surprised when Doncic makes a shot from half-court or beyond. He’s pretty obsessed with those shots, sometimes taking dozens of them after practice at the Lakers’ training complex.

He already hit a memorable half-court shot just last month, squaring up and banking it in over trash-talking Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg in the Lakers’ season-opening victory over Golden State.

“Luka can do some things that maybe a handful (or) no one can do in basketball,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “When he shoots it from three- quarter court, you’re surprised when it doesn’t at least go in and out, hit the rim.”

Doncic is scoring from everywhere else on the court lately, too.

Even with a slow start against Portland in which he missed his first five 3-point attempts, he finished 17 for 33 with only three turnovers. He had five 3-pointers, five rebounds and five assists, hitting those marks along with at least 35 points for his seventh consecutive game.

He has four 50-point performance in his 101 regular-season games with the Lakers, already tied for the fourth-most in team history. He has 11 50-point games in his nine-year career, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and tying Allen Iverson for 10th in league history.

“I’m having a lot of fun,” Doncic said. “Obviously, playing basketball, it’s a lot of fun for me. It’s more when you play like this and when you win games.”

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