This historic run happened during the Monday night home game against the Miami Heat on November 2, 2026. The 24 points he scored by halftime sealed the deal and placed his name right next to the late legend in the franchise history books.
The numbers from this season are staggering and hard to ignore. Doncic is now averaging 37.7 points per game, which stands as the highest scoring average in league history for anyone who is not Wilt Chamberlain. He joined Bryant as the only two players in Lakers history to record at least 10 quarters with 20 or more points since the year 2000. Bryant had 36 such quarters between 2000 and his retirement in 2016, while Doncic hit his 10th mark during Friday’s road game against the Warriors, where he scored 21 points in the opening quarter alone.
Defense Gets the Respect It Deserves
Fans often get lost in the flashy shots and ignore the work happening on the other end of the floor. Coach JJ Redick made sure to point out that the team was just as impressed by his defensive effort as his scoring. Redick told reporters before the game, according to the New York Post, “He’s been awesome on defense. I think, even just his on-ball throughout this early stretch of games has been really good just in terms of containment.” He admitted that watching the film from Sunday night showed how much the team was in awe of his defense during the actual game. The coach called the performance inspiring and said he really meant it.
This focus on defense separates good players from great ones. It is easy to shoot a ball, but it takes real effort to stay in front of a fast opponent. The fact that a player averaging nearly 38 points a game can also make a coach say his defense was awesome shows the complete package he brings to the court.
Team Health Improves for the Road Ahead
While Doncic was rewriting history, the Lakers also got good news about their starting wing. After missing three games because of left foot soreness, Ziaire Williams was removed from the injury report ahead of Monday night’s clash. He last played on October 27 against the Trail Blazers, recording 11 points, 4 assists, and 2 steals in 29 minutes. Although Williams has struggled with foot soreness at the start of the season, the team is pleased to see him return.
Coach Redick gave a clear update on the injury status on Sunday. “The images have been clean,” Redick said of Williams’ foot. He described the issue as “a soreness that just pops up in the morning.” The coach added that Williams is feeling much better, and they are just being cautious with the back-to-back schedule. Williams started in all four regular-season games he has played so far and is averaging 11.3 points on 57.1% shooting.
The only player left on the injury report was Adou Thiero, who was listed as out due to left knee injury management. With Williams returning, the Lakers have a stronger lineup to handle the tough games coming up. The team is coming off a win against the Raptors on Sunday night, which was the first night of the back-to-back set.
It is not just about the points. It is about consistency against the league’s best teams. Doing this against the Heat at home is one thing, but doing it in back-to-back games against the Warriors and the Heat shows real stamina. The fact that he is the first to do this since 2007 means the gap between then and now was huge. Bryant set the bar high, and Doncic is clearing it without even looking down.
The media often talks about talent, but this is about work. The film sessions and the rep counts are what lead to these numbers. When a player puts in that kind of effort, the results show up on the scoreboard. The Lakers are getting a big return on their investment.
