Luka Doncic’s Historic Night Sparks Lakers Legend's Bold Claim That Will Surprise You

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Behind star guard Luka Doncic’s season-high 60 points, the Los Angeles Lakers secured their eighth straight win by moving past the Miami Heat 134-126 on Thursday night.
Doncic had his fingerprints all over the game, which he tied his second-highest single-game scoring output, while setting his new Lakers’ career high.
The six-time All-Star was a huge factor in the pivotal fourth quarter, scoring 20 points in the period that served as the separating factor to grab the Lakers' 10th win in their 11 games.
James Worthy’s Take on Luka Doncic After Lakers Win Is Raising Eyebrows

After the game, Hall of Famer James Worthy lofted some high praise for Doncic, calling him arguably the most “consistent” and “dominant” clutch player in franchise history, via Spectrum SportsNet.
“Historically, the Lakers have had clutch players," Worthy said. ”Kareem with the sky hook. Magic with his play. Kobe, Shaq. But I don’t think we’ve ever had one as consistent and dominant as Luka Doncic.
“The way he controls the game with the ball in his hand, and he’s a shot maker. He’s a shot maker from anywhere. He’s really good at drawing fouls too.”
Worthy is beyond impressed by Doncic’s ability to perform in the clutch late in games if he’s willing to put him over Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson and Shaquille O’Neal in those scenarios.
Bryant is regarded as one of the game’s most feared and clutch performers in NBA history. Meanwhile, Abdul-Jabbar and Johnson routinely made pivotal plays with the Showtime Lakers, helping secure five NBA titles together.
It’s quite lofty words from Worthy to put him above those all-time greats, but Doncic has proven in his career to be a big-time factor late in games. He has added plenty of those memorable moments since joining the Lakers, and he could have many more ahead with the franchise.
He may not have the championship pedigree just yet with Los Angeles, but he’s showcasing that he can come through in key moments.
Beyond that, Doncic has been on an offensive tear over the eight-game winning streak, averaging 40.9 points, 8.9 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 2.4 steals while shooting 50.2 percent from the field and 42.2 percent from beyond the arc in 37.5 minutes per contest.
It marked Doncic’s second 50-point effort in the last five games while he also set the franchise single-season record for most made 3-pointers.
The Lakers sit in an opportune spot, holding the third spot in the Western Conference standings behind a 45-25 record with a two-game lead over the fourth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves.
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Ryan Ward is an NBA journalist and a credentialed reporter with more than 15 years of experience covering the league and the Los Angeles Lakers. He has written for ClutchPoints, Lakers Nation, Heavy, Rotowire and EssentiallySports. Ryan also produces a podcast and video content focused on the Los Angeles Lakers and the NBA at large.
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