Doncic drops 50 points on Jazz as Lakers roll on to third straight win

Luka Doncic scored 52 points as the Los Angeles Lakers maintained their perfect start to life after LeBron James with a 132-123 defeat of the Utah Jazz.

Now the undisputed superstar of the Lakers since James departed this summer for Philadelphia, Doncic also finished with 10 assists, eight rebounds and two steals as Los Angeles improved to 3-0.

Austin Reaves added 29 points for the Lakers.

“It’s one of the best feelings - down the stretch, tight game, hitting those threes,” said Doncic, who had eight three-pointers. “Played the basketball we know how to play.”

It was the first 50-point game by an NBA player this season.

Meanwhile, James and the 76ers fell 106-93 to the Detroit Pistons, ending a three-game winning streak to start the season.

Detroit - who topped the Eastern Conference last season - led wire-to-wire, pulling 21 points clear in the second quarter.

Tyrese Maxey tried his best to drag the Sixers back into the contest with 18 points in the fourth quarter, but the Pistons weathered the storm and also moved to 3-0.

"We're just staying steady. We're not getting ahead of ourselves," said Cade Cunningham, who top-scored for Detroit with 26 points.

Elsewhere, the New York Knicks lost their third straight game, falling 111-102 to the Orlando Magic despite Jalen Brunson's 28 points.

It is the worst start to a season by defending NBA champions since the Dallas Mavericks in 2011.

"The reality of it is, giving up 40 points in the fourth quarter is way too much ... When you're not shooting the ball well, like we are, you got to figure out different ways to win the ballgame," said Knicks coach Mike Brown.

Franz Wagner dropped 21 points in the fourth quarter alone to secure Orlando's first win of the season.

Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander top-scored with 34 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Los Angeles Clippers 108-101. But victory was marred by injury to Jalen Williams, who grotesquely snapped his ankle on a drive to the rim, and was stretchered from the court.

Anthony Edwards scored a game-high 26 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves secured a third straight comfortable win, 117-94 over the Toronto Raptors.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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