Luka Doncic scored 49 points, adding 11 rebounds and eight assists, to lead the Los Angeles Lakers (1-1) past the Minnesota Timberwolves (1-1) 128-110 on Friday night.
Doncic became the fourth player in NBA history to start a season with back-to-back 40-point games, following his 43-point performance in the opener against Golden State.
The Slovenian star made five three-pointers and 16 of 19 free throws, though he missed his final two field-goal attempts and one late free throw, narrowly falling short of 50 points.
Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with 31 points, while Julius Randle added 26, but Minnesota could not match the Lakers’ offensive firepower in a rematch of last season’s first-round playoff series.
Austin Reaves contributed 25 points, 11 assists, and seven rebounds, while Rui Hachimura added 23 points and Deandre Ayton finished with 15 for Los Angeles.
Doncic battled early injuries, including a left-hand tweak in the first quarter, yet scored 23 points in that opening frame, matching Kobe Bryant and Kyle Kuzma for the Lakers’ most prolific opening quarter in the past 30 years.
By halftime, Doncic had 32 points, and his early fourth-quarter scoring surge helped Los Angeles pull away by 20, maintaining control despite Minnesota’s efforts to rally.
Bronny James made his season debut for the Lakers, appearing in the final 3:14 of the game while LeBron James watched from the bench wearing his younger son Bryce’s Arizona Wildcats jersey. The Lakers’ all-time leading scorer remains sidelined with sciatica until at least mid-November.
The Timberwolves will host Indiana on Sunday, while the Lakers travel to Sacramento for their next matchup the same night.
