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Luka Dončić leads the NBA at 40.1 points a game — 10.2 ahead of anyone else — as the Lakers sit alone atop the West at 8-2
Dončić is at 40.1 points through nine games after a 53-point Cup night, 10.2 ahead of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Stephen Curry, while the Lakers move alone to first in the West at 8-2.
In this article
Luka Dončić is averaging 40.1 points through nine games, and the gap to the rest of the NBA is 10.2 points a game. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Stephen Curry sit next at 29.9. After a 53-point night in the Lakers’ 124-118 NBA Cup win over the Trail Blazers, Los Angeles is alone atop the Western Conference at 8-2.
Dončić has scored 361 points in those nine games. He has six games of 40 or more, two of 50 or more, and seven straight of 35 or more. The Lakers are 7-2 in the games he has played and won the one he missed, 103-87 over the Clippers on Oct. 29:
The numbers that stand out
- Dončić’s 40.1 points a game lead the league by 10.2 over Gilgeous-Alexander (29.9) and Curry (29.9). No other qualifier is within 10 points of the lead
- He has scored 40 or more in six of nine games and 50 or more twice (52 against Utah, 53 against Portland). His last seven games: 52, 41, 37, 45, 42, 40 and 53
- He is also at 7.8 rebounds and 7.7 assists a game on 49.8 percent shooting, 41.9 percent from three and 87.3 percent from the line
- The Lakers are 8-2, tied with the 76ers for the NBA’s best record, and alone in first in the West. Minnesota, Houston, San Antonio and Oklahoma City sit at seven wins
- Los Angeles leads the league in scoring at 122.0 points a game and in effective field-goal percentage at 59.2 percent. Dončić has accounted for 29.6 percent of the Lakers’ points
Scoring race through Friday
| Player | Team | G | PPG | RPG | APG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luka Dončić | Lakers | 9 | 40.1 | 7.8 | 7.7 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Thunder | 9 | 29.9 | 4.1 | 4.4 |
| Stephen Curry | Warriors | 7 | 29.9 | 3.7 | 4.4 |
| Victor Wembanyama | Spurs | 9 | 29.1 | 12.6 | 3.0 |
| Jayson Tatum | Celtics | 8 | 27.9 | 6.2 | 8.0 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | Heat | 9 | 27.3 | 12.7 | 5.6 |
| Tyrese Maxey | 76ers | 10 | 26.9 | 3.7 | 5.3 |
| Ty Jerome | Grizzlies | 8 | 26.6 | 3.4 | 5.2 |
Minimum seven games. Averages through Friday’s NBA Cup slate.
Dončić’s nine games
| Date | Opponent | PTS | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 22 | Warriors | 28 | W 127-105 |
| Oct. 24 | Clippers | 23 | W 125-117 |
| Oct. 25 | Jazz | 52 | W 132-123 |
| Oct. 28 | Trail Blazers | 41 | L 129-136 |
| Oct. 31 | Warriors | 37 | L 95-112 |
| Nov. 2 | Raptors | 45 | W 131-125 |
| Nov. 3 | Heat | 42 | W 138-117 |
| Nov. 5 | Kings | 40 | W 116-103 |
| Nov. 6 | Trail Blazers | 53 | W 124-118 |
What 40 points a game usually means
Only Wilt Chamberlain has averaged 40 or more points for a full NBA season, at 50.4 in 1961-62 and 44.8 in 1962-63. The highest full-season mark since then is Michael Jordan’s 37.1 in 1986-87. Dončić is already past that pace through nine games, and the 10.2-point gap to second place is the clearest separation at the top of the scoring race this season.
The Lakers’ supporting numbers match the scoring binge. At plus-77 they rank fifth in point differential, behind Minnesota (plus-107), Houston (plus-93), Boston (plus-87) and San Antonio (plus-81), and their 8-2 start is one of 24 exact 8-2 marks through 10 games in Basketball-Reference logs from 2014-15 through 2025-26. Those 24 teams averaged plus-9.3; Los Angeles is at plus-7.7.
How Friday’s Cup slate moved the board
Friday’s nine Cup games also reshaped the early standings picture around Dončić’s leap. Philadelphia fell to 8-2 and plus-28 after a 119-95 loss at Cleveland, ending an 8-1 start that had ranked first in the league. Minnesota climbed to 7-3 and plus-107 with a 115-109 win at New Orleans. Oklahoma City moved to 7-2 with a 128-97 win at Memphis, Boston to 7-2 after a 119-80 win at Charlotte, and San Antonio to 7-2 with a 124-109 win at Sacramento.
Portland, which entered the night as a West leader, dropped to 6-2 and plus-72 after the loss to Los Angeles. The Trail Blazers still rank among the top six in average margin.
What’s next
Saturday’s slate has seven games, including Houston at Phoenix and San Antonio at Portland. Dončić and the Lakers are off. The scoring race will move only if Gilgeous-Alexander, Curry or Wembanyama cut into the 10-point gap before Los Angeles plays again.
Game results and player averages: ESPN box scores. Historical season scoring marks and 8-2 starts: Basketball-Reference.
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