Luka Doncic told he’s the ‘closest thing to Kobe’ after performance vs Miami Heat
· Yahoo Sports
Luka Doncic has been compared to Kobe Bryant by Kendrick Perkins after another outstanding performance for the Los Angeles Lakers against the Miami Heat.
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Doncic scored 42 points, dished out 13 assists and grabbed seven rebounds in the Lakers’ 138-117 victory, continuing a remarkable start to the season.
The Slovenian has been one of the NBA’s most productive players so far, averaging 38.3 points per game as Los Angeles made a 6-2 start.
Kendrick Perkins compares Luka Doncic’s mentality to Kobe Bryant
Speaking about Doncic’s performance, Perkins suggested the Lakers superstar is already among the greatest offensive players in NBA history.
“Luka Doncic, yes, is already a top 10 offensive player in the history of the game. You can’t name me 10 players that you would take over him offensively for as getting a bucket or orchestrating or being the system offensively.”
Perkins also compared Doncic’s mentality to that of Bryant, making a distinction between their playing styles.
“He’s the closest thing to Kobe. Not gamewise, mentalitywise out of all the young guys that I’ve seen.”
The former NBA champion then highlighted how consistently Doncic has been scoring, suggesting his current production could continue throughout the season.
“Some people struggle to score 24 points in a game. We’ve been asked I’ve asked Bam Adebayo to at least try to average over 20 and Luka is getting that in a quarter consistently.”
Doncic’s numbers certainly support the praise. He has averaged 43.4 points across his last five games, including a 45-point performance against the Toronto Raptors before his 42-point display against Miami.
His latest run has also put him in remarkable company. The Lakers revealed that Doncic has recorded 31 games with at least 40 points, 10 assists and five rebounds before turning 28. Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, LeBron James and Nikola Jokic have managed 23 such performances combined at the same age.
Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo has also suggested Doncic could be the greatest scorer in NBA history.
With the Lakers winning alongside his individual brilliance, Doncic will now look to maintain his extraordinary scoring form as the season progresses.
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