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Lakers Announce L.A. 'First' Since Kobe Bryant's Last Game

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Angelo Guinhawa | Last updated Mar 20, 2026 7:11 AM ET

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Miami Heat, 134-126, on Thursday. Luka Doncic led the way with a monster performance, as he finished with 60 points on 18-of-30 shooting.

Doncic shot 9-of-17 from behind the 3-point line as well, helping the Lakers erase the 15-point lead that Miami built in the first half. The Slovenian guard also tallied seven rebounds, three assists and five steals in an all-around effort.

LeBron James, meanwhile, recorded a triple-double with 19 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists. James was 8-of-12 from the field and didn't miss a shot until the fourth quarter.

Doncic and James made history as the "first teammates with a 60-point game and a triple-double" since Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor in 1969.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) looks on during a game.Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

That's not the only milestone Doncic reached with his scoring explosion, though. According to the Lakers, Doncic's showing was the "first 60-point game by a Laker since Kobe's last game."

To recall, Kobe Bryant dropped 60 points on 22-of-50 shooting during the Lakers' final game of the 2015-16 campaign against the Utah Jazz. It was also Bryant's last NBA game, as he retired after that season.

Unfortunately for the Lakers, no other player scored 60 or more for them in the past 10 seasons until Doncic did it on Thursday night. The closest a Laker came to that number was James, who dropped 56 points during a March 5 game against the Golden State Warriors back in 2022.

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Doncic's performance had another Bryant connection. As the NBA noted on social media, which the 27-year-old scorer also shared on his Instagram Stories, both players scored their 60th points with similar time remaining on the clock.

"March 19th, 2026. Luka Dončić 60 points off a free throw with 14.8 seconds left on the clock," the NBA wrote. "April 16th, 2016. Kobe Bryant 60 points off a free throw with 14.8 seconds left on the clock."

Doncic's career high in the NBA is 73 points, which he accomplished in 2024 when he was still a member of the Dallas Mavericks. Prior to his 60-point explosion, his best scoring display for the Purple and Gold was 51 points against the Chicago Bulls last week.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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