Luka Doncic Scores 53 as Lakers Beat Trail Blazers 124-118 in NBA Cup

The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Portland Trail Blazers 124-118 on Friday, November 6, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Luka Doncic scored a season-high 53 points and led the Lakers to a fourth straight win in an Emirates NBA Cup group game. The victory improved Los Angeles to 8-2 on the season and gave the Lakers a measure of revenge after a loss at Portland the previous week. Portland fell to 6-2, and the loss ended a three-game winning streak for the visitors. Doncic also made a 62-foot buzzer-beater during the game, a shot that had already become one of the most talked about moments of the young season before the final result was even known.

Quick Facts

Doncic Delivers a Season-High 53 Points

Luka Doncic scored 53 points on 17-of-33 shooting, and the number alone does not tell the full story of how he got there. He made five three-pointers, he went 14-of-18 from the free throw line, and he added five rebounds and five assists in a complete performance that touched every part of the game. He scored inside, he scored from deep, and he kept finding ways to reach the line when Portland tried to slow him down with physical defense. Every time the Trail Blazers made a push, Doncic had an answer.

The 53-point night was a season high for Doncic, and it was his 11th career 50-point game. That total moved him into a tie for 10th place on the NBA all-time list for 50-point games, a mark that puts him in rare company for a player still in the early part of his prime. It also marked his fourth consecutive game with at least 40 points this season, a run that has turned his scoring into the defining story of the opening weeks of the campaign. He entered the game averaging 38.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 8 assists per game, and he somehow raised the standard again.

The most famous moment of the night came from 62 feet out, when Doncic hit a buzzer-beater that instantly became a highlight across the league. The shot is covered in detail in our earlier report on the 62-foot buzzer-beater against the Trail Blazers, and it deserves to be remembered on its own. In the context of the full game, though, it was one moment inside a much larger performance. Doncic was excellent before that shot and excellent after it, and the final result showed that the buzzer-beater was part of a winning night, not just a single play.

How the Lakers Turned the Game Around in the Third Quarter

The Lakers did not win this game easily. They trailed by seven points at halftime, and Portland looked comfortable and confident after a strong first half. The Trail Blazers had entered the game as the first seed in the West, and they played like a team that believed it belonged at the top of the standings. Their offense was moving, their defense was organized, and the Lakers needed a response after the break.

That response came in the third quarter. Los Angeles outscored Portland by 19 points in the period, behind a 19-5 run that flipped the game in a matter of minutes. The Lakers defended with more energy, they moved the ball with more purpose, and they turned stops into quick scoring chances. Doncic led the charge, but the run was a team effort, built on better spacing, sharper cuts, and a clear decision to attack rather than settle.

Austin Reaves Finds His Rhythm When It Matters Most

Austin Reaves added 25 points for the Lakers, and his night was a lesson in staying with the game even when the shots are not falling. He missed his first seven shots, a start that could have shaken the confidence of a lesser player. Instead, Reaves kept playing, kept defending, and kept looking for his chances. He scored 23 of his 25 points in the second and fourth quarters, and he saved his best work for the end.

The timing of his points mattered as much as the total. Portland used a 10-0 run to pull within six points with 7:20 left in the game, and the Lakers suddenly needed a steady hand. Back-to-back three-pointers by Jake LaRavia and Reaves pushed Los Angeles back in front by a comfortable margin with 5:25 left, and that sequence took the pressure off the home team at a crucial moment. Reaves did not just score in the fourth quarter. He scored when the game was in doubt, and that is what his teammates will remember.

His performance also continued a strong run of form for the Lakers guard. The night before, Doncic had scored 40 points in a win over the Kings, and Reaves had played a key role in that victory too. You can read more about that game in our recap of Doncic scoring 40 points as the Lakers beat the Kings. The back-to-back wins have shown that Los Angeles has more than one player who can step up, and Reaves is proving that he can be trusted in the biggest moments of a close game.

Portland Fights Back but Falls Short

Portland deserves credit for the way it fought back. The Trail Blazers did not fold after the Lakers took control in the third quarter, and they did not fold when Los Angeles built a lead in the fourth. They kept competing, they kept making plays, and they gave themselves a real chance to win the game in the final minute. Damian Lillard scored 22 points and led the late push, and his two free throws with 50.8 seconds left cut the gap to four points and set up a tense finish.

Deni Avdija was excellent for Portland, scoring 22 points with nine rebounds and 11 assists in a near triple-double performance. He did a little bit of everything for the Trail Blazers, scoring, passing, rebounding, and defending, and his all-around game kept Portland in touch even when the Lakers were rolling. Toumani Camara added 18 points, and his scoring gave the visitors another option when Lillard and Avdija were drawing most of the defensive attention.

What the Result Means for the Lakers and the NBA Cup

For the Lakers, this win meant far more than a single night in the standings. It improved their record to 8-2, it extended their winning streak to four games, and it avenged a loss at Portland the previous week. Revenge is a small part of the story, but it matters to players and fans alike. Losing to the same team twice in a short period would have been frustrating. Winning the rematch at home, in front of their own fans, and in an NBA Cup game, felt like a statement.

Other results around the league on the same night also added to the picture. The San Antonio Spurs earned a win over the Kings behind a strong night from Victor Wembanyama, and that result is covered in our report on the Spurs beating the Kings behind Wembanyama with 30 points. The West is crowded with talented teams, and every win matters in a race that looks likely to stay tight for months. The Lakers know they cannot afford to drop games at home, and this win helped them protect their court.

How many points did Luka Doncic score against the Trail Blazers?

Doncic scored 53 points, a season high. He shot 17-of-33 from the field, made five three-pointers, went 14-of-18 from the free throw line, and added five rebounds and five assists.

What was the final score between the Lakers and the Trail Blazers?

The final score was Los Angeles Lakers 124, Portland Trail Blazers 118, on Friday, November 6, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. It was an Emirates NBA Cup group game in West Group C.

What records did Doncic reach with his 53-point night?

It was his 11th career 50-point game, which moved him into a tie for 10th place on the NBA all-time list. It was also his fourth consecutive game with at least 40 points this season.

How did the Lakers win after trailing at halftime?

The Lakers trailed by seven points at halftime, then outscored Portland by 19 points in the third quarter behind a 19-5 run. Austin Reaves scored 15 points in the fourth quarter, and late three-pointers from Jake LaRavia and Reaves helped Los Angeles close out the win.

Sources

• Reuters: Luka Doncic pours in 53 as Lakers rally past Blazers
• Reuters: NBA roundup, Luka Doncic stays hot with 53 points in Lakers win

Final Thoughts

Luka Doncic scored 53 points, the Lakers beat the Trail Blazers 124-118, and Los Angeles walked away with a win that felt bigger than a regular November result. It was a night that had everything: a historic scoring performance, a 62-foot buzzer-beater, a third-quarter comeback, a fourth-quarter response from Austin Reaves, and a tense finish that kept the crowd on its feet until the end. For the Lakers, it was a fourth straight win, a step forward in NBA Cup group play, and a reminder of what this team can do when its star is at his best. The home crowd saw a complete team effort built around a historic night, and the Lakers will carry that belief into the games ahead.