Luka Doncic Tops Kobe Bryant’s Single-Month Scoring Record for Lakers
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LOS ANGELES — Luka Doncic poured in 42 points and dished out 12 assists Tuesday night, pushing the Los Angeles Lakers past the Cleveland Cavaliers at Crypto.com Arena and etching his name in two separate sections of NBA history.
The 27-year-old guard closed March with 600 points, eclipsing Kobe Bryant’s franchise record for most points in a calendar month. The feat also positions Doncic alongside Michael Jordan as the only players to top 600 points in March; Jordan amassed 676 in 1987.
Doncic’s scoring binge has produced at least 30 points in 13 straight games and 40 or more in the last three. His run already yielded back-to-back Western Conference Player of the Week honors, and he is widely expected to earn Western Conference Player of the Month for March.
During the victory over Cleveland, the Slovenian star also reached 15,000 career points, becoming the third-youngest player to hit the milestone. Only LeBron James and Kevin Durant arrived at the mark sooner, with Doncic reaching it a few months ahead of Bryant’s pace.
The Lakers finished the month 15-2, securing the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. “If you don’t win, it doesn’t really mean anything,” Doncic said postgame. “The run we have been on really means a lot, so we just have to keep building on that.”
Head coach JJ Redick added that Doncic’s play has placed him firmly in the league’s MVP conversation alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic. Redick believes the award should go to Doncic if Los Angeles maintains its current form through the end of the regular season.
Source: Lakers Nation
