In his first season fully embracing the role of the Los Angeles Lakers' franchise centerpiece after LeBron James' departure, Luka Doncic has put together extraordinary performances. His determination to guide the Lakers to as many victories as possible was on full display during Monday's 124-114 win over the Atlanta Hawks. His remarkable showing also won over the opposing coaching staff, as Quin Snyder had plenty of praise for the Lakers superstar.
During the postgame press conference, Snyder discussed Doncic's remarkable abilities and reflected on what it was like to be on the receiving end of his historic 73-point performance against the Hawks when he was playing for the Dallas Mavericks.
“I don't personalize that,” Snyder said. “If I did, I guess it would be an honor. He's playing at a level that no one has seen in this league in a long, long time.”
On Monday, Doncic once again spearheaded the Lakers' offensive attack after returning from lower-back tightness that forced him to miss Sunday's matchup against the Detroit Pistons.
The superstar guard made an immediate impact, finishing with 32 points, eight rebounds, and 10 assists to help Los Angeles secure another win. The Slovenian superstar has now recorded at least 30 points in eight of his first 10 games this season.
With that performance, Doncic also made Lakers history by becoming the first player in franchise history to record multiple games featuring at least 30 points, five assists, five steals, and two blocks. Only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson had previously reached that statistical combination.
Article Continues BelowThe Lakers entered Monday's game without Austin Reaves, who was unavailable due to illness. However, Doncic's return, alongside valuable contributions from the supporting cast, allowed Los Angeles to overcome Reaves' absence and maintain its winning momentum.
With the victory, the Lakers improved their record to 10-2 while extending their winning streak to six consecutive games.