Luka Doncic scores NBA season-high 52 as Lakers beat Jazz 132-123 to stay unbeaten

Luka Doncic scored 52 points, the first 50-point game of the NBA season, as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Utah Jazz 132-123 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Sunday (US time; tip-off 9pm GMT Sunday 25 October), according to AP. The Lakers are 3-0 and the Jazz 1-2.

Doncic made 17 of 30 shots, including eight of 18 three-pointers, and 10 of 11 free throws, and had 10 assists and eight rebounds in 38 minutes, according to the ESPN box score. Austin Reaves added 29 points; AP said the pair combined to make 21 of 24 free throws.

Score by quarter (ESPN): Lakers 29-45-29-29, Jazz 47-24-29-23.

Comeback from 18 down

Utah scored 47 points in the first quarter and led by as many as 18 in the second, AP reported. Doncic’s step-back three-pointer with 4.1 seconds left in the first half gave Los Angeles their first lead, 74-71.

In the fourth quarter, Doncic finished a 14-5 run with back-to-back three-pointers that put the Lakers 127-121 ahead with 1:42 left, according to AP. AP said it was the Lakers’ eighth win in their last nine games against Utah.

The Jazz out-rebounded the Lakers 52-31 and outscored them 58-30 in the paint, according to ESPN team statistics, while Los Angeles made 20 of 47 three-pointers to Utah’s 10 of 35.

Kessler’s return to Utah

Walker Kessler had two points and seven rebounds in his first game back in Utah since joining the Lakers in a sign-and-trade deal in July, AP reported. Lauri Markkanen led the Jazz with 28 points, Keyonte George had 24 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists, Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 20 and Ace Bailey had 17 points and 12 rebounds.

The Jazz host Memphis on Monday and the Lakers host Portland on Tuesday (US time), according to AP.

See also: Lakers beat Clippers 125-117 as Austin Reaves scores 28.