Latest news and updates about the Lakers
Former NBA sharpshooter JJ Redick likens Luka Doncic’s recent 40‑point explosion in the Lakers’ 116‑103 victory over the Sacramento Kings to his own March scoring surge that featured a 60‑point game. Redick says Doncic is pulling off shots that ‘five guys in the NBA can make,’ highlighting the rarity and elite skill of the performance.
Luka Dončić lights up the Lakers with a career‑making 40‑point night in the 119‑108 win over the Sacramento Kings on Nov. 4, 2026, earning an A+ grade. He backs it up with 9 rebounds, 7 assists and near‑perfect free‑throw shooting. Austin Reaves drops 21 points with zero turnovers for an A, while Jake LaRavia and Walker Kessler rebound with B+ grades despite early foul trouble. Matisse Thybulle, Quentin Grimes and Sandro Mamukelashvili struggle, getting C‑D grades, and Collin Sexton posts a modest 10‑point effort for a B‑. The piece grades every Lakers player based on expectations, highlighting the team's defensive steadiness and Luka’s dominant shot‑making.
Luka Doncic fuels the Lakers' 7‑2 start with a 40‑point, nine‑rebound, seven‑assist performance in a 116‑103 win over the Sacramento Kings. The Slovenian star joins Kobe Bryant and Elgin Baylor as the only Laker with six straight 35‑point games, posting a historic stretch of 52, 41, 37, 45, 42 and 40 points. He also becomes the first NBA player with six consecutive 35‑point, 5‑rebounds, 5‑assists, 5‑made‑three‑pointers games. Coach JJ Redick likens the run to his March 2024 surge, and teammates describe it as a "tsunami" of scoring.
The Los Angeles Lakers have sent 22‑year‑old guard Bronny James to their newly rebranded G League team, the Coachella Valley Lakers, after he saw just 2.4 minutes per game in five appearances during the Lakers' 7‑2 start to the 2026‑27 season. James, entering his third NBA year, previously posted 18.4 points, 4.4 assists and 4 rebounds per game with the former South Bay Lakers, shooting 49.6% overall and 41.3% from three. The affiliate, now based in Palm Desert’s Acrisure Arena under coach Alex Cerda, also receives rookie Cameron Carr. The move aims to give James consistent minutes and a chance to earn a larger role with the Lakers.
Former NBA big man Kendrick Perkins likens Luka Doncic to Kobe Bryant, calling the Dallas star a top‑10 offensive force who embodies the “Mamba Mentality” by taking any shot and thriving under pressure. Perkins praises Doncic’s fearless scoring and leadership, while new Lakers rookie Ziaire Williams adds that opponents struggle to contain him, noting his easy dominance and strong character. The article highlights these high‑profile endorsements as Doncic continues to draw historic comparisons.
After the Sacramento Kings fall to 1‑7 with a 116‑103 defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers, Zach LaVine bluntly admits the roster is plagued by poor defenders. LaVine told a post‑game press conference that both teams have “bad defenders” and the Lakers exploited the Kings’ defensive woes, a point underscored by Luka Doncic’s 40‑point performance. The Kings now rank 28th in defensive rating (119.4 points per 100 possessions), prompting criticism of the franchise’s long‑standing struggles.
Luka Doncic scored 40 points for his sixth straight game of at least 35, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Sacramento Kings 116-103 on Wednesday night. The post Luka Doncic drops 40, first since Michael Jordan to top 300 in 8 games appeared first on TalkBasket.net .
Luka Doncic dazzles again, dropping his fifth 40‑point game of the season in a 116‑103 win over the Sacramento Kings. The Lakers star finishes with 40 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, boosting his season averages to 38.5 points, 8.1 rebounds and 8.0 assists. Kings guard Zach LaVine lauds Doncic as one of the greatest talents ever, praising his unstoppable shot‑making and scoring prowess. Meanwhile, LaVine is posting 23.1 points per game on efficient shooting as the Kings continue a rebuilding stretch.
Luka Doncic launches the 2026‑27 season with a historic stretch that Lakers coach JJ Redick hails as his best ever. After pouring 40 points in a 116‑103 win over Sacramento, Doncic became the first player to log six consecutive games with at least 35 points, five rebounds, five assists and five threes. Redick credits a new off‑ball role and reduced ball‑handling load for the surge, recalling a similar March surge last year when Doncic scored 60 against Miami and hit 600 points in the month, joining Michael Jordan. The Lakers sit 7‑2 and face Portland Friday.
The Lakers improved their record to 7-2 as they defeated the Kings 116-103 behind Luka Doncic (40 points) and Austin Reaves (21 points).
Luka Doncic scores 40 points as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Sacramento Kings 116‑103, becoming the first NBA player ever with six straight games of at least 35 points, five rebounds, five assists and five made threes. Doncic shoots 11‑of‑23 (6‑of‑13 from three) and adds nine boards, seven assists and 12 free throws. Austin Reaves contributes 21 points, Walker Kessler 15, while Zach LaVine scores 21 for Sacramento. The win lifts the Lakers to 7‑2, tying the West’s best record and setting up a chance to extend his streak against Portland on Friday.
After being waived by the Lakers, former first‑round pick Dalton Knecht signs a two‑way deal with the New York Knicks and scores 10 points on 4‑of‑6 shooting in 16 minutes of a 135‑105 win over Chicago. Coach Mike Brown hails Knecht as a “scorer,” not just a shooter, praising his range, mid‑range game, drive and passing, while warning he must improve defensively. Brown’s endorsement could earn Knecht a meaningful role in New York’s offense, provided he tightens up his defense.
The Sacramento Kings had their chances, but couldn't overcome a 40-point effort from Luka Doncic as the Lakers rolled to a win at Golden 1 Center.
The Los Angeles Lakers are on fire thanks to Luka Doncic, who had another 40-point performance to take out the Sacramento Kings.
The Lakers cruise to a 116-103 win over the Sacramento Kings in Sacramento on Nov. 4, 2026, thanks to a dominant defensive effort that held the Kings to just 38.2% shooting. Luka Dončić erupts for 40 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, while Austin Reaves adds 21 points. The team limits turnovers to a season‑low 12 and forces a four‑minute scoring drought in the fourth. Key contributions also come from Walker Kessler (15 points, eight boards) and bench scorers Ziaire Williams and Jake LaRavia. The victory sets up a next matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday.
The Los Angeles Lakers started Jake LaRavia for the fifth straight game, but head coach JJ Redick needs to go back to Ziaire Williams.
The 76ers beat the Pistons 112-106 at Little Caesars Arena, improving to 8‑1 on the season. Joel Embiid posted 26 points, 15 rebounds and a technical foul after elbowing Detroit’s Tolu Smith, sparking a heated scuffle and Pistons fans chanting “f*** Embiid.” Jaylen Brown led Philadelphia with 30 points, while LeBron James added a 13‑point, 10‑rebound double‑double. Detroit’s Duncan Robinson scored 27, and Cade Cunningham had 26 with 11 assists, but the Pistols fell to 6‑2. Philadelphia next faces Cleveland, and Detroit hosts the Lakers.
Ja Morant makes headlines not for his play but his fresh haircut as the Portland Trail Blazers, now 6‑1, prepare to face the Los Angeles Lakers. The two‑time All‑Star trimmed off his iconic long dreadlocks, reverting to a short style reminiscent of his Murray State days. Morant, who has posted 15.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists while shooting 54.2% overall and 42.9% from three in his first four games with Portland, remains sidelined with a left hamstring injury that ended his debut against Memphis. His recovery will be key for Portland’s season outlook.
Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg ignites controversy after claiming he “lost all respect” for Luka Doncic, prompting coach Steve Kerr to temper his fire on "Inside the NBA." Kerr praised Lendeborg’s competitiveness but warned he must back it up, especially after Doncic drops 37 points and six threes in the rematch. The Pacific roundup also notes Kerr’s silence on Kristaps Porzingis’ uncertain status, Lakers forward Adou Thiero edging toward a season debut after G‑League practice, and Suns forward Rasheer Fleming missing Wednesday’s game with a rolled ankle that’s likely day‑to‑day.
After a 112-106 win over Detroit, LeBron James praised Pistons guard Cade Cunningham as one of his “favorite players,” putting him in the same league as Luka Dončić. James highlighted Cunningham’s versatility, noting his 26 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds in the loss. The Sixers, now 8-1 and 4-0 on the road, saw Jaylen Brown drop a season‑high 30 and Joel Embiid add 26‑15, while James recorded 13‑10‑8 and became the NBA’s first player with 16,000 field goals. The win avenges an early-season defeat and sets up a trip to Cleveland.
Luka Doncic powers the Lakers to a 7‑2 start, scoring 23 points by halftime against the Sacramento Kings at the Golden 1 Center. He strings together 11 straight second‑quarter points, highlighted by a three‑pointer over Darius Acuff Jr., and a long‑range bucket that puts L.A. up 57‑46. Austin Reaves adds 13 first‑half points as the Lakers lead 73‑65 early in the third. The Kings, rattled after their lone win, rely on rookie Acuff’s 19 points, while De’Andre Hunter and Zach LaVine contribute double‑digit scores.
Hall of Famer Tim Hardaway Sr. slams the Miami Heat after a 2‑5 start, calling out a lack of defensive urgency and an overreliance on three‑point shots. On his Crossover Podcast, he singled out Bam Adebayo, Tim Hardaway Jr., Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins, urging the team to move the ball more and focus on mid‑range looks. Hardaway highlighted Miami’s 119.8 defensive rating (27th in the NBA) and the 138‑117 loss to the Lakers, where they allowed 17.3 threes per game. He warned that without consistent effort from opening tip, the Heat’s offense will keep chasing games.
The Miami Heat (2‑5) head to the Intuit Dome on Wednesday to try to rebound from a 138‑117 loss to the Lakers, while the LA Clippers (1‑6) look to snap their own skid. Both teams are struggling early in the season, making this West Coast showdown a chance for the Heat to regain momentum and for the Clippers to earn their first win. The thread previews lineups, key players, and what the result could mean for each franchise's early trajectory.
The top two teams in the Eastern Conference thus far in the 2026-27 season battled for a second time on Wednesday night. Round 2 went to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Dalton Knecht announced his Knicks debut with a thunderous putback dunk in the first half of New York's November 5 game against the Chicago Bulls. After teammate Landry Shamet missed a three, Knecht caught the offensive rebound unguarded and slammed it at Madison Square Garden. The 25‑year‑old, a 2024 first‑round pick waived by the Lakers, signed a two‑way deal with the reigning champions and replaced Kevin McCullar Jr. on the roster, making the highlight a promising start to his fresh NBA chapter.