Luka Doncic scores 45 as Lakers defeat Raptors 131-125

Luka Doncic delivered a dominant performance for the Los Angeles Lakers, scoring 45 points on 8-of-12 three-point shooting, adding 15 rebounds, six assists and five steals in a 131-125 victory over the Toronto Raptors. The win moved the Lakers to a 4-2 start to the season after the departure of LeBron James left Doncian as the team's primary scorer.

Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic praised Doncian's shooting, noting that "every three he took tonight was off the dribble and at one point he was 7-of-8 from the three-point line. That's hard to do. There's not a lot of people on this planet that can do that, and he's one of those guys. Plus his decision making and understanding of the game and court vision? Outstanding, outstanding player."

Toronto's Scottie Barnes attempted to contain the Slovenian star, but Doncian responded with a contested 30-footer and later a three-pointer that banked off the backboard while falling out of bounds. Despite Barnes' 29 points, six rebounds and five assists, the Raptors could not match the Lakers' offensive output.

The Lakers' roster, which includes recent acquisition Sandro Mamukelashvili, benefited from his 11 points and three assists in limited minutes. Mamukelashvili, a former Raptor, described his transition to Los Angeles as a positive experience, saying he was "grateful" for the opportunity.

The game featured several lead changes, with the Lakers holding a 13-point advantage at halftime. The Raptors, missing Kawhi Leonard and center Jakob Poeltl due to injuries, narrowed the gap in the second half but could not overcome the deficit. RJ Barrett highlighted the difficulty of stopping Doncian, noting his ability to hit tough step-back threes.

Lakers coach JJ Reddick managed the final minutes by re-entering his starters, including Doncian, who sealed the win with a long pass for a dunk and four free throws in the closing seconds.