Luka Dončić flashes early-season MVP magic in road win over Jazz
· Yahoo Sports
Luka Dončić kept the Los Angeles Lakers within reach while their defense struggled Sunday. When they needed separation in the closing minutes, he provided that, MVP-style.
Dončić scored 52 points with 10 assists and eight rebounds, leading the Lakers past the Utah Jazz 132-123 at Delta Center. L.A. overcame an 18-point deficit to win its first road game and improve to 3-0.
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The performance offered an early glimpse of Dončić’s MVP potential. He supplied the offense while the Lakers struggled to get stops, helped bring them back and delivered the shots that finally put Utah away.
Dončić finished 17 of 30 (56.7%) from the field, including eight 3-pointers, recording his 10th career regular-season game with at least 50 points.
Austin Reaves added 29 points, scoring 15 in the second quarter to help erase Utah’s scorching start. After allowing 47 first-quarter points, the Lakers answered with a 45-point second quarter, wiping out their largest deficit before halftime.
Dončić finished the half with a sequence that captured how quickly he could change the game.
He stripped Ace Bailey, then sent him to the floor with a step-back on the other end before knocking down a 3-pointer with 4.7 seconds remaining. The shot gave L.A. its first lead, sending the Lakers into halftime ahead 74-71 after spending nearly the entire half chasing Utah.
This sequence by Luka was world class pic.twitter.com/jUaaHmyOtr
— Carlos Yakimowich (@CarlosYakJr) October 26, 2026
Dončić had 25 points at the break. He scored another 27 in the second half, giving the Jazz little relief as they tried to regain control.
His 14-point third quarter helped the Lakers carry a 103-100 lead into the fourth. But Utah stayed close, requiring L.A. to finish a game its early defensive struggles had put in jeopardy.
Dončić and Reaves took over from there.
The guards scored 24 of the Lakers’ 29 fourth-quarter points, with Dončić supplying 13 and Reaves adding 11. Their combined scoring gave L.A. answers as the teams traded opportunities to take control down the stretch.
Dončić delivered the biggest blows with consecutive 3-pointers within 40 seconds. The second brought him to 50 points and gave the Lakers a 127-121 lead with 1:42 remaining.
Reaves followed with another 3-pointer in the final minute, helping close out the Jazz before Dončić added two free throws with 12.5 seconds left.
The Lakers needed nearly all of that production. Utah outrebounded L.A. 66-39 as Walker Kessler struggled to continue his hot start with two points and seven rebounds in his return to Utah.
Three games will not determine an MVP race, and the Lakers have defensive issues to address despite their unbeaten start.
But Sunday showed how Dončić can turn a difficult afternoon into a win. He kept the Lakers close, helped take back the lead and finished with his strongest scoring performance of the young season.
The Lakers' next stop is back home against the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday and then the Clippers in Inglewood on Wednesday. L.A.'s first back-to-back of the season.