Luka Doncic produced a dazzling all-round display to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a tense 118-116 win over San Antonio on Wednesday, outduelling Victor Wembanyama in their first meeting of the season.
Doncic finished with 35 points, 13 assists, nine rebounds, five steals, and two blocks in a game that went down to the wire.
The Lakers, still without LeBron James and Austin Reaves, improved to 7-2 after surviving a chaotic ending at Crypto.com Arena.
Wembanyama led the Spurs with 19 points and eight rebounds but fouled out in the final two minutes as San Antonio’s balanced attack fell just short.
“They have an amazing team,” Doncic said afterward. “To come back and win without LeBron and Austin, it’s unbelievable.”
In Portland, the Trail Blazers pulled off the shock of the night, erasing a 22-point deficit to end Oklahoma City’s unbeaten run with a 121-119 comeback win.
Deni Avdija starred with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists, while Jrue Holiday added 22 points, including clutch free throws that sealed the result.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the league’s reigning MVP, poured in 35 points for the Thunder, who had started 8-0 before collapsing late in the fourth quarter.
Elsewhere, the Brooklyn Nets finally recorded their first win of the season, beating the injury-hit Indiana Pacers 112-103 behind Michael Porter Jr.’s 32 points and 11 rebounds.
Coach Jordi Fernandez praised his team’s spirit, saying the Nets “look like a connected, selfless group” ready to build momentum.
At Madison Square Garden, the New York Knicks exploded for 83 second-half points in a 137-114 rout of Minnesota, while Nikola Jokic’s 33-point triple-double powered Denver past Miami 122-112.
Donovan Mitchell also lit up the night with 46 points as Cleveland defeated Philadelphia 132-121.
