Camille Naredo

Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the game against the Denver Nuggets on February 22, 2025 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. Jamie Schwaberow, NBAE via Getty Images/AFP 

DENVER, CO - FEBRUARY 22: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the game against the Denver Nuggets on February 22, 2025 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE   Jamie Schwaberow/NBAE via Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow / NBAE / Getty Images / Getty Images via AFP)

Article (news)

Los Angeles Lakers v Denver Nuggets

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1743998804519AFP__20250223__2200723877__v1__Preview__LosAngelesLakersVDenverNuggets.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the game against the Denver Nuggets on February 22, 2025 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. Jamie Schwaberow, NBAE via Getty Images/AFP "/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the game against the Denver Nuggets on February 22, 2025 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. <em>Jamie Schwaberow, NBAE via Getty Images/AFP </em></span></span></span></div><p>LOS ANGELES -- Luka Doncic scored 30 points as the Los Angeles Lakers produced a devastating display of long-range shooting to score a surprising 126-99 blowout over the No.1 ranked Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday.</p><p>A heavyweight showdown between the Western Conference leaders and the third-placed Lakers was effectively settled in the first half, as Los Angeles rattled in 15 three-pointers -- a franchise record -- to open up a 78-56 lead at the end of the second quarter.</p><p>The Lakers never looked like surrendering that hefty double-digit cushion as they closed out a comfortable win to silence the Oklahoma City home crowd.</p><p>The win saw the Lakers edge closer to securing one of the four remaining automatic playoff spots in the West after already-qualified Oklahoma City and Houston.</p><p>The Lakers poured in 22 three-pointers across the game, with Doncic responsible for five of them. Austin Reaves had four three-pointers in his 20 point haul, while LeBron James added 19 points.</p><p>Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Oklahoma City scoring with 26 points on an off-night for the Thunder, who shot just 43 percent from the field while making only 12-of-37 three-pointers.</p><p>James meanwhile said the Lakers had been determined not to let up after making a fast start against the Western Conference leaders.</p><p>&quot;Between them and Cleveland, they&#x27;re the best teams in the NBA,&quot; James said. &quot;They&#x27;re the number one team in the West so you can&#x27;t let up no matter what the score is -- they&#x27;re always going to make a push. That&#x27;s why they are where they are at this part of the season.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>- &#x27;Good win for us&#x27; -</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3bcodZVIH80?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div><p>&quot;So it&#x27;s a really good win for us and we can build off it... we&#x27;re just trying to build our habits right now, going into the final stretch of the year.&quot;</p><p>Reaves meanwhile believes the result augured well for the final week of the regular season, which reaches its conclusion on April 13.</p><p>Six teams are battling for four playoff spots in the West, from the third-placed Lakers (48-30) down to the eighth-placed Memphis Grizzlies (46-32).</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s huge,&quot; Reaves said. &quot;The way the standings are, you can go from third to eighth in the snap of a finger. So for us to come in and play such a good team the way we did tonight is big. Hopefully we can build on that momentum.&quot;</p><p>In San Francisco, meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors&#x27; five-game winning streak came to a halt with a 106-96 loss to the second-placed Houston Rockets.</p><p>Elsewhere on Sunday, the Cleveland Cavaliers missed the chance to lock up the No.1 seeding in the Eastern Conference after suffering a 120-113 home defeat to the Sacramento Kings.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kB1e1YEg5cM?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div><p>The Kings, 10th in the West and battling to force their way into the play-in tournament, grabbed a precious victory courtesy of a 37-point performance from Zach LaVine, with DeMar DeRozan adding 28 points and Domantas Sabonis 27.</p><p>Cleveland, who lead the Eastern Conference by 4.5 games from Boston with a 62-16 record, had an injury scare in the third quarter when Donovan Mitchell hobbled off for treatment with what looked like an ankle problem.</p><p>Mitchell later returned to the game but was unable to stop the Cavs slipping to defeat.</p><p>Sacramento&#x27;s victory meanwhile meant the Portland Trail Blazers and San Antonio Spurs were both eliminated from playoff contention in the West.</p><p>The Boston Celtics meanwhile kept their slim hopes of grabbing No.1 seed from Cleveland with a 124-90 rout of the Washington Wizards.</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div>

<p>Luka Doncic scored 30 points as the Los Angeles Lakers produced a devastating display of long-range shooting to score a surprising 126-99 blowout over the No.1 ranked Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday.</p>

Luka Doncic scored 30 points as the Los Angeles Lakers produced a devastating display of long-range shooting to score a surprising 126-99 blowout over the No.1 ranked Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday.

NBA: Luka Doncic scores 30 as Lakers rout Thunder

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NBA: Luka Doncic scores 30 as Lakers rout Thunder

Agence France-Presse

Published Apr 07, 2025 07:18 AM PHT

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Updated Apr 07, 2025 12:07 PM PHT

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