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Luka Doncic Ties NBA Record Streak as Lakers Beat Heat
Luka Doncic closed out the NBA's final slate before Election Day by matching one of the league's most demanding statistical records, and the Los Angeles Lakers made sure it came with a win. On Monday night, Doncic scored 42 points with 13 assists, seven rebounds and six three-pointers in a 138-117 victory over Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Miami Heat, putting him level with Damian Lillard in the history books.
All 30 teams took the floor on Monday before the NBA paused for Election Day on Tuesday, and the 15-game slate delivered plenty beyond Doncic's heater. Memphis lost its unbeaten record in overtime, Houston climbed to the top of the Western Conference, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Stephen Curry both put on late-game shows, and the Philadelphia 76ers kept rolling in the East. Here is a full breakdown of what mattered.
Luka Doncic's Historic Streak, Explained
The record in question is a tough one: games with at least 35 points, five rebounds, five assists and five made threes. Monday was Doncic's fifth consecutive game clearing all four marks, which matches Lillard's run from January 2020 for the longest such streak in NBA history. The Lakers' next game will show whether he can push past it.
The numbers across those five games are absurd. Doncic is averaging 43.4 points, 8.6 assists, 8.4 rebounds and 6.8 three-pointers per night, and he has now posted back-to-back 40-point games. Monday also marked his 19th career game with 40 or more points, 10 or more assists and five or more threes, moving him past James Harden's 18 for the most in NBA history.
Lakers Pull Away From Miami
Antetokounmpo did his part for the Heat with 30 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists, but the Lakers sprinted away to a 21-point win for their second victory in two nights. For a team leaning on Doncic night after night, the supporting performance was just as important as the headline numbers.
Rockets Take the West Lead as Memphis Falls in Overtime
Pelicans 135, Grizzlies 134 (OT)
Memphis was chasing the first 7-0 start in franchise history, and the Pelicans ended that bid in the most dramatic game of the night. Ty Jerome erupted for 40 points on 14-for-22 shooting, including a personal 9-0 run in the final 1:43 of regulation to force overtime. He added eight more points in the extra period, including a go-ahead and-1 with 18 seconds left.
New Orleans still had the answer. Jeremiah Fears retook the lead with a pair of late free throws, and the Pelicans held on during the final possession. Zion Williamson finished with 25 points, 11 rebounds and four assists, and led all scorers with nine points in overtime. Karlo Matkovic scored a career-high 25 and Derik Queen added 20 points. Pelicans coach Jamahl Mosley praised his team's resilience, toughness and grit after the game. Memphis fell to 6-1.
Rockets 109, Celtics 93
Houston took advantage of the Grizzlies' loss. The Rockets handed Boston its first defeat since the season opener behind a balanced attack in which eight players scored at least eight points. Alperen Sengun led the way with 26 points, seven rebounds and 10 assists, while Marcus Smart starred on defense against his former team. Houston held the Celtics under 100 points for the first time this season.
The win lifted the Rockets to 7-1 and into first place in the West. Houston and Memphis are tied for the league's best plus-minus at +12.9.
Blazers Stay Hot in Denver
Portland is also making noise. The Trail Blazers climbed out of a 14-point first-half hole to beat the Nuggets 118-110 and improve to 5-1, just a game behind Houston. Deni Avdija scored 28 and Damian Lillard added 20, while Donovan Clingan posted 17 points and 18 rebounds. Jamal Murray scored 35 for Denver, and Nikola Jokic added 26 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in the loss.
Stars Take Over Across the Western Conference
Gilgeous-Alexander and Curry Deliver
In a game with a season-high 23 lead changes, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 43 points and hit the tiebreaking three-pointer with 33 seconds left to lift Oklahoma City past Cleveland 117-112. He scored 26 points in the second half and matched his career high with 35 field-goal attempts, helping the shorthanded Thunder snap a two-game skid.
Curry was just as dangerous. Back from a one-game absence, he scored 34 points with six rebounds and seven assists, including 18 points in the third quarter, as Golden State edged Phoenix 116-113 for its fifth straight win. Curry has scored 30 or more in three consecutive games and ranks second in the league at 30 points per game. Devin Booker scored 26 for the Suns.
Spurs Extend Their Winning Streak
San Antonio recovered from an 0-2 start to win its fifth straight, beating Utah 119-97 to improve to 5-2. Victor Wembanyama, the Western Conference Player of the Week for Week 2, added 12 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and three blocks. The Spurs' young backcourt of Dylan Harper (17 points, seven rebounds, eight assists) and Stephon Castle (16 points, four assists) helped seven players reach double figures.
East Contenders Show Their Hand
Philadelphia moved to an East-best 7-1 with a 126-107 win over Chicago, its fourth straight. Tyrese Maxey scored 26 points with 11 assists, Jaylen Brown added 25 points and 11 rebounds, and VJ Edgecombe finished with 21. LeBron James and Joel Embiid each scored 15 as the starting five combined for 102 points. Maxey ranks third in the league in scoring at 29.1 points per game and leads the NBA with 88 fourth-quarter points. Rookie Caleb Wilson paced the Bulls with 24 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals.
Detroit also looked the part. Cade Cunningham had 33 points, five rebounds, seven assists and five steals in a 124-91 rout of Charlotte, and the Pistons improved to 6-1. In New York, the Knicks opened the fourth quarter on a 25-5 run to beat Brooklyn 103-90, with Landry Shamet scoring 22 and Karl-Anthony Towns grabbing 16 rebounds.
More Notable Results From Monday
Wizards 103, Magic 94: AJ Dybantsa scored 21 and Trae Young had 15 points and nine assists, moving Washington to 4-3.
Hawks 108, Pacers 104: Nickeil Alexander-Walker made nine threes on the way to 34 points.
Timberwolves 112, Bucks 100: LaMelo Ball scored 34 with six threes.
Raptors 125, Clippers 118: Toronto erased a 16-point deficit, led by Scottie Barnes (22 points, 15 rebounds, eight assists) and RJ Barrett (26 points).
Kings 115, Mavericks 100: Rookie Darius Acuff Jr. scored 25 as Sacramento earned its first win of the season.
What NBA Fans Should Watch Next
Basketball returns Wednesday with 14 games, headlined by an ESPN doubleheader: the 76ers visit the Pistons at 7 p.m. ET, followed by the Mavericks and Spurs at 9:30 p.m. ET. The Philadelphia-Detroit matchup pits two of the East's hottest teams against each other, while Wembanyama and the Spurs get a chance to extend their winning streak.
Keep an eye on whether Doncic can break the tie with Lillard, whether Houston can hold the top spot in the West with Portland and Memphis close behind, and whether Maxey keeps dominating the fourth quarter. Further down the calendar, the Thunder will retire Russell Westbrook's No. 0 on Feb. 7 against the defending champion Knicks.
Scores and statistics were sourced from NBA.com's Monday recap.
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