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NBA: Doncic returns with 44 points and 12 rebounds to power Lakers

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Clock Icon3 daysBasketball

Luka Doncic had 44 points, 12 rebounds and six assists in his return after a three-game absence and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Memphis Grizzlies 117-112 on Friday night in the opening game of the NBA Cup for each team.

Austin Reaves added 21 points for the Lakers and Jake LaRavia scored 13. It was Doncic's 11th straight game of scoring at least 25 against the Grizzlies.

Jock Landale and Jaylen Wells scored 16 points each to lead Memphis and Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with 15 points. Ja Morant was held to eight points – going 3 of 14 from the field – and seven assists.

The Lakers continued to play without LeBron James, who is dealing with right sciatica. But Doncic, who missed the last three games with a left finger sprain and a lower left leg contusion, more than made up for his absence.

Bulls keep perfect record intact

Josh Giddey scored a career-high 32 points with 10 rebounds and nine assists, Nikola Vucevic added 26 points, and the Chicago Bulls beat the New York Knicks 135-125 to stay undefeated for their best start in nearly three decades.

Ayo Dosunmu came off the bench to score 22 points with nine assists for the Bulls, who improved to 5-0 and are off to their best start since the 1996-97 season when they opened 12-0 and went on to win the NBA Championship.

Billy Donovan earned his 200th coaching win with Chicago.

Jalen Brunson scored 29 points and OG Anunoby had 26 to help power New York’s second-half comeback attempt. The Knicks cut Chicago's lead to two points midway through the fourth quarter after trailing by 22 late in the second quarter.

Karl-Anthony Towns added 22 points and 10 rebounds despite playing with a right quad strain and landing hard on his hip in the third quarter. Mikal Bridges scored 23 points in the NBA Cup group play opener for both teams.

Jokic falls assist shy of history in loss 

Nikola Jokic came up an assist shy of his fifth straight triple-double to open the season and Jerami Grant made a pair of free throws with 1.4 seconds left to lift the Portland Trail Blazers to a 109-107 victory over the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Cup opener for both teams.

Jokic had 21 points and 14 rebounds but fell just short of becoming the first player to begin a season with five consecutive triple-doubles. He entered the game tied with Oscar Robertson (1961-62) and Russell Westbrook (2020-21) for most consecutive triple-doubles to start the season.

Grant had 16 points off the bench for the Blazers, who won their third straight. Deni Avdija led Portland with 23 points and Shaedon Sharpe had 19.

Jamal Murray scored 22 points for the Nuggets, who had a three-game winning streak snapped.