Luka Doncic shined in the Los Angeles Lakers’ victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 2 of the NBA playoffs, tying a record held by Shaquille O’Neal.
After an unexpected 117–95 loss in the first game of the NBA playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Los Angeles Lakers responded on Tuesday night with a crucial 94–85 win to even the series. Luka Doncic played a key role in the result, while also matching a record set by Shaquille O’Neal.
Doncic delivered an outstanding performance Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena, posting 31 points, 12 rebounds, and 9 assists, leading the Lakers in all three categories. Three days earlier, even in a losing effort, he had been the team’s standout performer with 37 points and 8 rebounds.
Those numbers made Luka just the third player in Lakers history to score 30 or more points in his first two postseason games with the franchise. Before the Slovenian guard, the only others to accomplish the feat were George Mikan in 1949 (then with the Minneapolis Lakers) and Shaq O’Neal in 1997
The two centers had different fates in those seasons. Mikan captured the BAA (Basketball Association of America) title in 1949, while O’Neal wasn’t as fortunate: the Lakers in 1997 advanced past the first round after defeating the Portland Trail Blazers 3–1, but then fell to the Utah Jazz 4–1 in the Western Conference semifinals.
