Luka Doncic 'decided' to make his 61-foot heave punctuating 53-point effort in win over Blazers

Luka Doncic punctuated a 53-point night with a 61-foot buzzer-beater that bounced off the backboard and went in, as the Los Angeles Lakers overcame Portland 124-118 on Friday. With the team trailing by double digits late in the final seconds of the first half, Doncic dribbled, stopped in the far free-throw circle, and launched the shot. He said it “changes the whole energy” and described the attempt as intentional. The Lakers then turned the momentum into a dominant third quarter, with Doncic outscoring the Blazers in the period, securing their eighth win in 10 games to start the season. Doncic is averaging 40.1 points through the first 10 games while shooting 49.8% overall and 41.9% from three. Walker Kessler added 16 points and 12 rebounds.