WASHINGTON – Exactly one year to the day after his blockbuster trade from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers, Luka Dončić delivered one of his finest performances in purple and gold. On Friday night (Jan. 30, 2026), he led the Lakers to a commanding 142-111 victory over the Washington Wizards, finishing with 37 points, 13 assists, and 11 rebounds in just 30 minutes of action – completing the triple-double by halftime.
With the performance, the NBA announced that Dončić made Lakers franchise history, becoming just the second player — joining teammate LeBron James — to record a 35-point triple-double while making at least five three-pointers in a game.
James accomplished the feat on Dec. 6, 2024, posting 39 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists while knocking down six shots from beyond the arc.
Head Coach JJ Redick Praises Luka’s Aggression After the win improved the Lakers to 29-18 on the season, head coach JJ Redick had high praise for his star point guard:
“It started with the willingness to make the extra pass. The way Luka started the game was the perfect type of aggression — ‘I’m going to hunt and try to create advantages.’ He was very decisive with that, and there was a great flow that happened because of it.”
Dončić in MVP Form Dončić is currently having one of the best seasons of his NBA career, firmly in the MVP race and leading the league in scoring at 33.7 points per game entering Friday night.
The Lakers will return to action Sunday night for the season’s first broadcast of Sunday Night Basketball on NBC, when they take on the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
Lakers Nation – what do you think?
- Is Luka playing at true MVP level right now?
- Can he lead the Lakers to a championship in his first full season with them?
- Or do they still need one more piece to truly contend in the West?