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Luka Doncic delivered another standout performance Sunday night as the Los Angeles Lakers dismantled the NBA-leading Oklahoma City Thunder 126-99. While his 30-point outing led the team on the scoreboard, it was a no-look, behind-the-head assist to Gabe Vincent that stole the spotlight — and even caught Doncic by surprise.
Speaking postgame to The Athletic’s Jovan Buha, Doncic admitted the pass was purely instinctual.
“I mean, I don’t think you can practice that pass, honestly,” Doncic said. “It’s just sometimes I decide some stuff, then I don’t know how I make it. I mean, I was just glad he made it because that’s a tough shot to make.”
The sequence came during the Lakers’ dominant first half, in which they built a lead as large as 29 points and tied a franchise record with 15 made three-pointers in a single half. Doncic’s pass, executed while facing away from the basket and under defensive pressure, landed perfectly in Vincent’s shooting pocket, setting up a clean look from the corner. Vincent converted the opportunity, one of four three-pointers he made on the night.
THIS LUKA PASS HAD US FOOLED TOO 😳 pic.twitter.com/YWbkhCDFkl
— NBA (@NBA) April 6, 2025
Vincent finished with 12 points, three rebounds, and three assists while shooting four-for-seven from beyond the arc. The Lakers as a team knocked down 22 threes on 55% shooting from deep and 54.8% from the field overall. Their sharp perimeter shooting proved too much for an Oklahoma City squad that entered the night with the league’s top-ranked defense.
Luka Doncic shines again as Lakers surge past Thunder, climb West standings
Doncic added seven rebounds, six assists, and two steals to his stat line, shooting 11-of-20 from the field and five-of-11 from three-point range. His latest performance also marked a significant personal milestone. With the outing, Doncic became the only guard in franchise history other than Kobe Bryant to log as many 30-plus point games in a season since 2013.
The Thunder, who fell to 64-14 with the loss, struggled to find answers defensively against Los Angeles' ball movement and floor spacing. The Lakers’ combination of quick decisions, off-ball movement, and shot-making efficiency overwhelmed Oklahoma City from the outset.
The win improved the Lakers to 48-30 on the season, securing the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference standings. They moved 1.5 games ahead of the Denver Nuggets (47-32), who have now lost four consecutive games, and two full games ahead of the Golden State Warriors (46-32), who also suffered a loss Sunday.
The Lakers and Thunder will meet again Tuesday night in the second leg of their two-game series in Oklahoma City. Following that contest, Los Angeles will travel to Dallas to face the Mavericks (38-41) on Friday. The game will mark Doncic’s first appearance back in Dallas since being traded to the Lakers in a February 2 blockbuster deal that sent Anthony Davis to the Mavericks.
With another dominant showing and a highlight-reel pass added to his growing resume, Doncic continues to play at a high level as the Lakers push toward the postseason.
