Lakers Beat Heat 138-117 as Doncic Scores 42 in Los Angeles
Luka Doncic scored 42 points with 13 assists as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Miami Heat 138-117 on Monday night at Crypto.com Arena. Doncic had 24 points by halftime, Austin Reaves added 27, and the Lakers broke the game open with a 32-21 third quarter to improve to 6-2.
Key points
- The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Miami Heat 138-117 on Monday night, November 2, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
- The Lakers led 37-30 after the first quarter and 79-72 at halftime.
- Doncic scored 16 points in the first quarter and 24 by halftime.
The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Miami Heat 138-117 on Monday night, November 2, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Luka Doncic scored 42 points and passed for 13 assists, and the Lakers pulled away in the third quarter to win the second night of a back-to-back.
The Lakers led 37-30 after the first quarter and 79-72 at halftime. Miami kept pace in a 42-42 second quarter, but the game turned after the break. Los Angeles won the third quarter 32-21, led 111-93 going into the fourth, and closed with a 27-24 final quarter.
Doncic takes over early
Doncic scored 16 points in the first quarter and 24 by halftime. He finished with 42 points on 14-of-24 shooting, with 6-of-15 from three point range and 8-of-10 at the free throw line.
The rest of his line filled the box score. He grabbed 7 rebounds, passed for 13 assists and made 2 steals in 35 minutes 38 seconds.
It was his fourth 40-point game in his last five outings. He entered the night averaging 37.7 points per game, the best mark in the league.
The third quarter ends it
The Lakers broke the game open with that 32-21 third quarter. They took a 111-93 lead into the fourth, with Doncic either scoring or creating open looks throughout the run.
Austin Reaves gave the Lakers a second scorer all night. Reaves scored 27 points on 10-of-15 shooting, made 4-of-5 from three point range and passed for 5 assists.
With Reaves shooting that well next to him, Doncic could pick his moments. Miami had to guard both men on the perimeter, and the Lakers scored 37 points or more in two of the four quarters, with 42 in the second.
A mark last set by Kobe Bryant
Doncic's 24-point first half put him in Lakers history. His 24 points made him the first Lakers player to score at least 20 points in the first half in five straight games since Kobe Bryant in 2007.
That run of first halves matches the scoring pace he has set all season. A league best 37.7 points per game before this game, four 40-point games in five outings, and now a 42-point night with 13 assists on top.
The win improved the Lakers to 6-2. It came on the second night of a back-to-back, which makes the size of the win stand out: 138 points scored, a 21-point margin, and the game settled by the start of the fourth quarter.
The Lakers travel to Sacramento on Wednesday. They return home to host Portland on Friday.
Timeline
- 2007Kobe Bryant scores at least 20 points in the first half in five straight games for the Lakers, the last Laker to do it before Doncic.
- Nov 2, 2026Doncic scores 16 points in the first quarter and 24 by halftime at Crypto.com Arena. The Lakers lead Miami 79-72 at the break.
- Nov 2, 2026The Lakers win the third quarter 32-21 to lead 111-93 and beat the Heat 138-117. Doncic finishes with 42 points, 7 rebounds and 13 assists.