Luka Doncic continued his torrid early-season pace, scoring 32 points to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 124-114 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. The win marks the sixth consecutive triumph for the Lakers, who now sit at 10-2 atop the NBA Western Conference. Doncic, whose sensational early-season form has propelled the Lakers to the top of the Western Conference, once again led from the front on Monday to secure an impressive win on the road. The Lakers improved to 10-2 at the top of the Western Conference as Atlanta fell to 7-5.
Doncic, who is currently averaging 40 points per game, delivered a comprehensive stat line that included 10 assists, eight rebounds, five steals, and two blocks.
Despite the absence of teammates Austin Reaves and Quentin Grimes, the Lakers received a significant lift from the bench as Sandro Mamukelashvili contributed 23 points, including five shots from behind the arc.
Walker Kessler added 21 points, while Collin Sexton and Ziaire Williams chipped in 18 and 12, respectively.
Head coach JJ Redick lauded the team’s effort, specifically highlighting the production of the bench unit. “I thought Collin did a really nice job of giving us some juice, and Sandro had his best game as a Laker,” Redick said. He noted that the absence of a secondary ball handler forced Doncic to carry a heavy load, which the star navigated effectively. So he had to be on the ball a lot, and that was taxing, he was out there without a secondary ball handler.
In the Western Conference standings, the San Antonio Spurs continue to track the Lakers, moving to 9-2 after a dominant 122-96 road win against the Phoenix Suns. Victor Wembanyama, coming off a 52-point performance, tallied 40 points, 11 rebounds, eight blocks, and three assists. Coach Mitch Johnson praised Wembanyama for allowing the game to flow naturally and credited the team for positioning him to capitalize on opportunities. “I think he’s allowing the game to unfold naturally, and he’s doing a great job of putting himself in positions to take advantage of the opportunities that are in front of him.
The Golden State Warriors extended their own winning streak to eight games, dismantling the New Orleans Pelicans 138-87. Stephen Curry and Brandin Podziemski each finished with 25 points, while rookie Yaxel Lendeborg added 23, moving the team to an 8-3 record.
Elsewhere on Monday, the Detroit Pistons improved to 7-3 following a 122-111 win over the Washington Wizards, fueled by 24 points from John Collins. The Memphis Grizzlies also reached a 7-3 record after defeating the Toronto Raptors 118-102.
In other league action, the Charlotte Hornets upset the Cleveland Cavaliers with a 124-112 victory. Meanwhile, in Houston, the Rockets snapped a two-game skid by defeating the Denver Nuggets 110-100. Although Jamal Murray posted 38 points for Denver, Houston secured the win behind 23 points from Kevin Durant and 20 points from Alperen Sengun.
