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2026-27 · Regular season · NBA Mexico City Game
Los Angeles Lakers beat Portland Trail Blazers 124-118 as Luka Dončić scores 53 in NBA Cup win
Luka Dončić scored 53, including 20 in a 34-15 third quarter, and the Lakers held off a 43-point Portland fourth to win 124-118 and move to 8-2.
In this article
Luka Dončić scored 53 points, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Portland Trail Blazers 124-118 at Crypto.com Arena on Friday, November 6, in Emirates NBA Cup Group Play. The Lakers won their fourth straight to move to 8-2, alone atop the West, and avenged a 136-129 home loss to Portland on October 27. The Blazers fell to 6-2.
Dončić shot 17-of-33 from the field, 5-of-15 from three and 14-of-18 at the line in 38 minutes, adding 5 rebounds and 5 assists. It was the 11th 50-point game of his career, tying Allen Iverson for 10th in NBA history, and his fourth as a Laker. He has now topped 40 in four straight games, joining Elgin Baylor, Kobe Bryant and George Mikan as the only Lakers to do it in the regular season.
Video: NBA / X.
How it turned
Portland controlled the first half. The Lakers missed their first 15 three-point attempts on their yellow Cup court, fell behind by 16 in the second quarter and trailed 60-53 at the break. Dončić closed the half with a banked heave from beyond the far free-throw line at the buzzer.
Video: NBA / X.
The third quarter flipped the game. Los Angeles scored 17 straight points, won the period 34-15 and led 87-75 entering the fourth. Dončić had 20 points in the quarter alone, outscoring the Blazers by himself. A 32-11 surge stretched the lead to 16 early in the fourth.
Video: NBA / X.
Portland answered with 43 points in the fourth and twice trimmed a late 12-point Lakers lead to four. Dončić hit a jumper in the lane with 28 seconds left, and he and Austin Reaves combined for 10 points in the closing stretch to finish it.
The supporting cast
Reaves scored 25 on 8-of-22 shooting and went 8-of-8 at the line, with 4 steals. Walker Kessler had 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting and 12 rebounds. Los Angeles forced 24 turnovers, scored 28 points off them and had a 52-32 edge in the paint, offsetting Portland’s 19-of-43 night from three.
Deni Avdija led the Blazers with 22 points, 11 assists and 9 rebounds but also committed 8 turnovers. Damian Lillard scored 22 with four threes. Toumani Camara added 18, Donovan Clingan had 17 points and 11 rebounds, and Jrue Holiday scored 12. Portland played without Shaedon Sharpe, Ja Morant and Vit Krejci. Attendance was 19,057.
Video: Lakers / X.
What’s next
The Blazers host the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday, November 7, at 10 p.m. ET (5 a.m. Sunday Cairo time). The Lakers visit the Detroit Pistons on Sunday, November 8, at 6 p.m. ET (1 a.m. Monday Cairo time).
Full box score and play-by-play: Game Center. All-time head-to-head.
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