Los Angeles Lakers earned a 128-110 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night
Luka Doncic scored 49 points and became the fourth player in NBA history to begin a season with back-to-back 40-point performances
Portland Trail Blazers beat the Golden State Warriors 139-119 in Tiago Splitter’s debut as interim head coach
Luka Doncic scored 49 points and became the fourth player in NBA history to begin a season with back-to-back 40-point performances, leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a 128-110 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night.
Doncic followed his 43-point game in an opening-night loss to Golden State with his highest-scoring effort in a Lakers jersey, going 14 for 23 with five 3-pointers while adding 11 rebounds and eight assists.
The Slovenian superstar also made 16 of his 19 free throws, yet he missed his final two field goal attempts and a late free throw to fall just short of his eighth career 50-point game.
Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain and Anthony Davis have also started NBA seasons with a pair of 40-point games. Doncic was traded to LA for Davis last winter.
Anthony Edwards scored 31 points and Julius Randle had 26 for Minnesota, which couldn't slow the Lakers' offence in a rematch of last season's first-round playoff series won in five games by the Wolves.
Austin Reaves added 25 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds, while Rui Hachimura scored 23 and Deandre Ayton had 15 for the Lakers.
Wembanyama excels again as Spurs win
Victor Wembanyama turned in his second straight stellar performance with 29 points, 11 rebounds and nine blocks before fouling out in overtime, and the San Antonio Spurs held on to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 120-116.
Devin Vassell, who had 23 points, hit a 3 in overtime and Julian Champagnie followed with another from deep shortly after to give the Spurs a 116-110 lead and the Pelicans could not recover.
Zion Williamson had 27 points and 10 rebounds for New Orleans. He made a free throw to tie it at 107 with 12 seconds left in regulation but missed another for the lead.
Wembanyama dunked to open overtime and added his last block when he swatted away Trey Murphy's floater.
The big Frenchman opened the season with 40 points and 15 rebounds in Wednesday's win over Dallas.
Luke Kornet had 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Spurs, grabbing nine of his teammates misses to help San Antonio total 20 offensive rebounds and 26 second-chance points. Stephon Castle scored 16 points for the Spurs, including a 3 with 19.8 seconds left in regulation.
Blazers roll in Splitter’s debut
Deni Avdija had 26 points and six assists, and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Golden State Warriors 139-119 in Tiago Splitter’s debut as interim head coach.
Splitter is stepping in after coach Chauncey Billups was arrested by the FBI early Thursday and arraigned in federal court later that day.
Jerami Grant scored 22 points, Toumani Camara had 19, and Shaedon Sharpe added 17 for the Blazers, who shot 16 for 34 (47 percent) from 3-point range and outscored the Warriors 66-30 in the paint.
Stephen Curry scored 35 points for the Warriors, Jonathan Kuminga had 16 and Jimmy Butler 14.
