Luka's Monster Quarter
Luka Doncic exploded for 22 points in the first quarter alone, leading the league with 5 such 20+ point Q1 games this season. He finished with 35 PTS in the Lakers' 110-97 win over the Knicks. Doncic is setting the pace for explosive starts this year.
This offensive explosion was a historic one for the Lakers franchise; no other player in the team's history has recorded five 20-point first quarters in a single season. The achievement puts Dončić ahead of Lakers legends like Kobe Bryant, Elgin Baylor, and Jerry West in that specific category. The 22-point quarter was part of a dominant performance where Dončić shot 7-for-9 from the field and a perfect 5-for-5 from three-point range in the opening 12 minutes. This scoring barrage helped the Lakers secure a wire-to-wire victory, never trailing against the Knicks. Throughout the 2025-26 season, Dončić has been a consistent offensive force, averaging 32.5 points, 8.4 assists, and 7.8 rebounds per game in 52 appearances. His scoring average currently leads the league. While Dončić's 22 points are impressive, the all-time NBA record for points in a single quarter belongs to Klay Thompson, who scored 37 points in a quarter in 2015. The record for points in a *first* quarter is held by Kevin Love, with 34 points in 2016.
