{"id":267047,"date":"2025-11-06T18:14:23","date_gmt":"2025-11-06T18:14:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/267047\/"},"modified":"2025-11-06T18:14:23","modified_gmt":"2025-11-06T18:14:23","slug":"starting-5-luka-jokic-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/267047\/","title":{"rendered":"Starting 5: Luka. Joki\u0107. History."},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a><\/p>\n

When joining Wilt is just Wednesday.<\/p>\n

Luka is on another level, and the Lakers are on a heater.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

5 STORIES IN TODAY\u2019S EDITION \ud83c\udfc0<\/p>\n

History Makers: Luka & Joki\u0107 make the extraordinary routine \u2013 again<\/p>\n

Beast Streaks: Houston & Detroit stay sizzling, OKC\u2019s perfect campaign ends<\/p>\n

More Stars Shine: Spida silences a rare hater, JB goes off again, Russ takes over<\/p>\n

Roundup: Knicks top Wolves, Pels survive Coop\u2019s big night and Nets earn first dub<\/p>\n

Tonight on NBA TV: All eyes on the Clippers & Suns as they seek their fourth wins<\/p>\n

BUT FIRST \u2026 \u23f0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The Suns and Clippers\u00a0take center stage tonight in Phoenix for a standalone showdown on NBA TV (9 ET<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Tap to Watch<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Up Next:\u00a0The second Emirates NBA Cup Night of the season tips off tomorrow with an\u00a011-game slate<\/a>, including a star-studded doubleheader on Prime: Rockets-Spurs (7:30 ET), Warriors-Nuggets (10 ET).<\/p>\n

1. LUKA EXTENDS HISTORIC START, JOKI\u0106 RECORDS RARE ACE<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Two must-watch\u00a0megastars met on ESPN last night.<\/p>\n

Luka\u00a0Don\u010di\u0107\u00a0came in leading the Lakers in scoring, sharing the spotlight with fellow international superstar Victor Wembanyama.<\/p>\n

He finished the game\u00a0in the company of Lakers legend Wilt Chamberlain.<\/p>\n

Lakers 118, Spurs 116:\u00a0Luka (35 pts, 9 reb, 13 ast, 5 stl<\/a>) hit a stepback 3 with 2:31 to play, completing a 12-point Lakers comeback and putting them up for good on the way to their fifth win in a row. |\u00a0Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

200 In 5:\u00a0Don\u010di\u0107 joins Wilt Chamberlain as the only players to ever score 200+ points in the first five games of a season
\nAlone Atop L.A.:\u00a0His 35+ pts, 10+ ast, and 5+ stl are a first for any Laker since steals were first tracked in 1973-74
\nStunning Start:\u00a0Despite missing four games, Luka\u2019s had no trouble finding his rhythm to a historic tune:\u00a0three 40+ pt games, a triple-double and now a record night<\/p>\n

Winning Time:\u00a0After a 22-point 1st half, Don\u010di\u0107 added eight 4th-quarter points in the clutch to fuel the Lakers\u2019 21-10 closing run.<\/p>\n

Wild Finish: A Marcus Smart inbound violation gave the Spurs a chance with 1.2 seconds left. But San Antonio couldn\u2019t convert on key free throws or two tip-in attempts
\nStable of Spurs: Wemby finished with 19 pts and 8 reb in 33 minutes, leading seven Spurs in double-figure scoring<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been done\u00a0only 12 times in the last 35 years.<\/p>\n

Seven of those times,\u00a0it\u2019s been achieved by the same man.<\/p>\n

Nikola Joki\u0107.<\/p>\n

Nuggets 122, Heat 112:\u00a0Miami\u2019s high-powered offense had three players score 20+, but even that couldn\u2019t top the Joker, who delivered another\u00a0all-around masterclass<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 piling up 33 points, 15 boards, 16 dimes and 3 steals to power Denver to 5-2. |\u00a0Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Exclusive Company: It\u2019s just the 12th 30\/15\/15 game since 1990 and the seventh of Joki\u0107\u2019s career, trailing only Oscar Robertson for the most all-time (11)\u00a0
\nUnprecedented Territory: Add in his 3 steals, and you get a stat line achieved only five times in NBA history: once by Magic Johnson, and four other times by \u2013 guess who \u2013 Joki\u0107<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Golden Touch: The Joker tallied his fifth triple-double of the season with trademark efficiency, going 12-of-18 from the field \u2013 including two dunks \u2013 while dishing a slew of jaw-dropping dimes, leading to four other Nuggets finishing in double figure<\/p>\n

The Result: Joki\u0107 is averaging a career-high 12.0(!) assists and Denver ranks 2nd in the league with 124.6 ppg \u2013 currently on pace for its second-highest scoring season in franchise history
\n\u201cHe has a feel for space that I\u2019ve never seen before,\u201d said Nuggets coach David Adelman on Joki\u0107 postgame. \u201cHis comfort level with how he sees the floor is second to none\u2026
\n\u201cEnjoy it while it\u2019s here. As a fan or anybody that watches basketball in general, this is something that\u00a0you\u2019re never going to see again<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

2. BEAST STREAKS: OKC FALLS, HOUSTON & DETROIT STAY HOT<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

While multiple contenders are riding win streaks, the defending champs\u2019 perfect start came to an end.<\/p>\n

Blazers 121, Thunder 119: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was in his bag (35 pts, 9 reb, 4 ast), helping OKC build a 22-point lead in the 1st half. But the Blazers battled back and outscored the Thunder 40-33 in the 4th to hand them their first loss (8-1). |\u00a0Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Blazer Buckets: Deni Avdija powered Portland with a near triple-double (26 pts, 10 reb, 9 ast) while Jrue Holiday added 22 points, including the game-clinching free throws with 6.5 seconds left<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The Rockets are rolling \u2013 and their young stars are shining.<\/p>\n

Rockets 124, Grizzlies 109: Alperen Sengun (20 pts, 16 reb, 7 ast) and Amen Thompson (28 pts, 10 reb, 7 ast) put on a show of dimes, dunks and dominance, while Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason added 16 points apiece to power Houston to its fifth straight win. |\u00a0Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Two-Man Magic: Sengun found Thompson for multiple highlight buckets, including a\u00a0spinning dime<\/a>\u00a0and a no-look dish into a wildly bouncy finish (above)
\nAmen Elevation: Thompson didn\u2019t just finish plays \u2013 he created them, punctuating a season-high in points with this\u00a0soaring slam<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

For the first time since 2008,\u00a0the Detroit Pistons are 6-2.<\/p>\n

Pistons 114, Jazz 103:\u00a0Cade Cunningham dropped\u00a031 points and 10 dimes<\/a>, Jalen Duren added another monster double-double (22 pts, 22 reb) and Detroit held Utah to 14 points in the 3rd to take control, notching its fourth straight dub. |\u00a0Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Motown Momentum:\u00a0After more than tripling its win total last season (14 to 44), Detroit continues to rise \u2013 with Cunningham engineering the charge, as the only player this season with 180+ pts and 70+ ast
\nClosing Time:\u00a0That included 19 points in the 4th for the second straight game, pushing the Pistons to 2nd place in the East<\/p>\n

3. STARS SHINE: SPIDA & JB GET BUCKETS, RUSS TAKES OVER<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Wearing the same navy threads\u00a0once tied to LeBron\u2019s late-2000s Cavs, Cleveland\u2019s current superstar joined him in the record books.<\/p>\n

Cavaliers 132, 76ers 121:\u00a0After a season-high 37 points on Sunday, Donovan Mitchell turned it up a notch \u2013\u00a0dropping 46<\/a>\u00a0with six 3s and 8 dimes as Cleveland staved off Tyrese Maxey (27 pts, 7 reb, 9 ast) and Philly for a wire-to-wire win. |\u00a0Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Record Night:\u00a0Mitchell went 15-of-21 from the field and 6-of-11 from deep, surpassing James (12) for the most games of 40+ pts and 5+ 3s in franchise history
\nTakeover Time:\u00a0That included 15 points in the 3rd, as Cleveland outscored Philly 37-20 to put the game away, moving both teams to 5-3
\nSpida\u2019s Motivation?\u00a0An opponent talking trash earlier that day. A much younger one\u2026\u00a0on 2K<\/a>
\nCore Contributions:\u00a0Jarrett Allen (24 pts, 10 reb, 3 stl, 3 blk) and Evan Mobley (23 pts, 2 blk) patrolled the paint, while Darius Garland added 8 pts and 4 ast in his season debut<\/p>\n

Jaylen Brown is red-hot\u00a0\u2013 and the C\u2019s are hitting their stride.<\/p>\n

Celtics 136, Wizards 107:\u00a0Brown poured in 16 of his game-high 35 points in the 1st quarter, notching his fourth 30-piece in his last five outings as the Celtics beat Alex Sarr (31 pts, 8 reb) and the Wiz to improve to 4-2 in their last six. |\u00a0Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Rapid Fire:\u00a0Two days after a 36-point night, Brown needed just 25 minutes to post 35\/5\/5 \u2013 becoming the first ever Celtic to hit that mark in under 30 minutes of play<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

While Nikola Joki\u0107\u00a0posted a historic 30\/15\/15, the triple-double king added to his own legend.<\/p>\n

Kings 121, Warriors 116:\u00a0Getting his fourth start of the season, Russell Westbrook made his presence felt \u2013 and then some \u2013 notching his all-time-best 204th career triple-double (23 pts, 16 reb, 10 ast<\/a>) to lead the Kings past the Warriors in the NorCal Rivalry. |\u00a0Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Rebound Record:\u00a0With 16 boards, Russ passed Jason Kidd (8,725) for the most rebounds by any guard in NBA history
\nRuss:\u00a0\u201cHumbly speaking, I\u2019m the best rebounding guard ever.\u201d
\nBrodie Energy:\u00a0He capped the night with a key forced turnover in the final minute to seal Sacramento\u2019s second win in three games
\nRook Shines:\u00a0No. 56 pick Will Richard (career-high 30 pts, 5 3s) led the Warriors, who were without Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler III and Draymond Green<\/p>\n

4. ROUNDUP: KNICKS & PELS ADD ANOTHER DUB, NETS GET FIRST WIN<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Knicks 137, Timberwolves 114:\u00a0Julius Randle (32) and Donte DiVincenzo (21) combined for 53 points against their former team, while Anthony Edwards added 15 and 5 assists in his return from a hamstring injury.<\/p>\n

But New York\u00a0secured its third straight win thanks to six double-digit scorers, including double-doubles from Jalen Brunson (23 pts, 10 ast) and Karl-Anthony Towns (15 pts, 10 reb). |\u00a0Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

2nd-Half Barrage:\u00a0New York shot 60.7% in a 40-point 3rd quarter, and went even further in the 4th, putting Minnesota away 43-28
\nOG Eats:\u00a0OG Anunoby added a team-high 25 points for the Knicks, who improved to 5-0 at home for the first time since 2012-13<\/p>\n

Pelicans 101, Mavericks 99:\u00a0Cooper Flagg shined with 20 pts, 9 reb, 3 stl, 2 blk and 1\u00a0must-see alley-oop poster<\/a>, but his potential game-tying shot in the final seconds rimmed out, as NOLA secured its second clutch win in two days after an 0-6 start.\u00a0|\u00a0Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Nets 112, Pacers 103:\u00a0Brooklyn secured its first win of the season, with Michael Porter Jr. matching a season-high 32 pts in relief of leading scorer Cam Thomas, who left in the 1st quarter with hamstring tightness. |\u00a0Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

5. TONIGHT ON NBA TV: CLIPPERS & SUNS IN SPOTLIGHT<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Tonight presents a schedule rarity:\u00a0The single-game NBA night.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll only see nights\u00a0like these on Emirates NBA Cup Championship night (Tuesday, Dec. 16), and then deep into the Playoffs.<\/p>\n

And in tonight\u2019s solo affair,\u00a0we\u2019ll get a look at two West rivals who\u2019ve split their last 10 showdowns, 5-5 \u2014 with the Suns playing host in Phoenix, where they\u2019re 3-1 this year.<\/p>\n

Clippers at Suns (9 ET, NBA TV):\u00a0LA will call on its team defense to try to tame desert-hot Devin Booker, one of seven players averaging 30+ ppg, as both teams seek their fourth win.<\/p>\n

In The 30s:\u00a029-year-old Booker (31.0 ppg) has been on a points spree this season, scoring under 30 only twice. He\u2019s getting there with 51.6 FG% and 43.1% shooting from deep
\nRising Sun:\u00a0Booker\u2019s been even better in Phoenix\u2019s recent 2-1 stretch, averaging 34 ppg and 8.7 apg, including a season-high 38 against Golden State on Tuesday
\nOne Key?\u00a0Book is getting to his spots, hitting the second-most pull-ups (91 pts) behind only SGA. His 10.3 FGM per game ranks 5th overall
\nThe Wait Is Over:\u00a0Booker & co get their first chance to play with Jalen Green, as the valuable return asset from the KD deal is ready to debut (hamstring)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Booker\u00a0will likely see plenty of his former teammate, Derrick Jones Jr., as LA\u2019s best option to slow the surging scorer.<\/p>\n

Show Stopper:\u00a0Jones Jr.\u2019s defense stands out with the league\u2019s 6th-best DFG% (35.0%, among players with at least 60 DFGA). Booker shoots 16.6% above that mark
\nSteal Their Fuel:\u00a0The Clippers rank 3rd in the league in steals per game with 10.3, resulting in 18.7 pts off TOs
\nClips Committee:\u00a0With Kawhi Leonard (ankle) and James Harden (personal) out, LA looks to bigs Ivica Zubac (13.1 pts, 9.7 reb) and John Collins (12.6 pts, 56.7 FG%, 37.5 3P%), for some offensive punch
\nHead-to-Head:\u00a0The Clips took their first matchup versus the Suns on Oct. 24. Both teams aim to return to the win column tonight<\/p>\n

Want to receive the Starting 5 in your inbox? Click here!<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When joining Wilt is just Wednesday. Luka is on another level, and the Lakers are on a heater.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":267048,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[574],"tags":[64,63,726,85,155919],"class_list":{"0":"post-267047","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-basketball","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-basketball","11":"tag-sports","12":"tag-starting-5-nov-7-2025"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/267047","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=267047"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/267047\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/267048"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=267047"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=267047"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=267047"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}