Out like a lion: Luka totals 600 factors in March; Lakers go 15-2

LOS ANGELES — After Luka Doncic scored 42 factors with 12 assists in the Lakers‘ 127-113 win over the Cavaliers on Tuesday, coach JJ Redick heaped main reward on his famous person for his efficiency in the month of March.

“I think Luka has had as good of a month as anybody that I can remember in the modern NBA, at least since I’ve been part of it,” Redick said.

It was Doncic’s third straight 40-point sport, lifting his March scoring whole to 600 factors — becoming a member of Michael Jordan in 1987 as the only gamers to attain the mark in March and one of only 10 gamers to rating 600 factors in any month.

As dominant as Doncic was, so too were the Lakers, ending the month with a 15-2 report.

“If you don’t win, it doesn’t really mean anything,” Doncic said when requested about his scoring spree. “So the run we’ve been on, it means a lot.”

For Doncic, who eclipsed 15,000 profession factors during the sport and completely outperformed Cleveland star Donovan Mitchell — who completed with 10 factors on 4-for-10 taking pictures and six assists — it was also another MVP-type efficiency.

But he once again refrained from being his own advocate for the award.

“I never did that [in the past],” Doncic said. “I’m not the one voting. … But I think I’ve been playing pretty good. We’ve been winning. So that’s it. That’s all I got to say.”

The win over the Cavaliers was notable for more than just Doncic.

It was the 1,229th win (common season and playoffs) of LeBron James‘ profession, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most wins by any participant in NBA historical past.

It was also the one centesimal win of Redick’s teaching profession as he grew to become the first Lakers coach since Phil Jackson to information the group to 50 wins in back-to-back seasons.

“Don’t deserve to be mentioned along with Phil or Pat [Riley] or any of those guys,” Redick said. “I’ve got a lot left to accomplish, for sure. … I’ve had the same [coaching] staff for the most part both years. I think just we are resilient and we’re resolved.”

And they are nearly at the end line to the common season, clinching a playoff berth Tuesday with six video games remaining. Two of those six video games are against the Oklahoma City Thunder, beginning Thursday on the street.

Just like Cleveland beat Los Angeles by 30 earlier in the season and this improved model of the Lakers exacted some revenge Tuesday, they will have a likelihood to make up for two losses to the Thunder this season — including one loss by 29 factors.

And as sizzling as Doncic and the Lakers were in March, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder went 14-1, with the reigning MVP averaging 30.7 factors on 56.8% taking pictures and 6.6 assists for the month.

“Very exciting [matchup],” Lakers guard Austin Reaves said. “Obviously they’re the defending champs. Playing at a high level, obviously one of the best teams in the league, if not the best team. And we have an opportunity to go into OKC and battle them.”