On 45-point night, Luka's defense steals show: 'This year I really took a step forward'

LOS ANGELES -- Luka Doncic scored 45 points Sunday in the Los Angeles Lakers' 131-125 win over the Toronto Raptors -- the third 40-plus-point night in the last four games for the NBA's leading scorer (37.7 PPG) -- but it was Doncic's defensive impact that earned him postgame praise. Doncic tormented Toronto to the tune of eight turnovers -- swiping five steals and drawing three charges -- becoming the first player to record those defensive marks in the same game since player tracking began in 2013-14, according to ESPN Research. "Obviously, I'm not the best defender in the NBA, but I think this year I really took a step forward," said Doncic, whose season-high 15 rebounds also came on the defensive end. "Obviously, people are going to talk what they want to talk [about] me ... But I know, and my team knows, that I'm better this year." Lakers center Walker Kessler, whom L.A. traded for in the offseason to ballast a defense that finished 20th in the league in 2025-26, marveled at Doncic's performance against the Raptors. "Five steals and three charges ... incredible," Kessler said. "You know, incredible. Luka doesn't get enough credit for his defense." Lakers coach JJ Redick credited the charges drawn by Doncic -- twice against Toronto's RJ Barrett and once versus Scottie Barnes -- as examples of the 27-year-old guard's leadership. "I think taking a charge in general is just a form of leadership, right? You're putting your body on the line for the team," Redick said. "He's just he's trying to win. ... You see the competitiveness come out so many times on the offensive end but he's competitive on the defensive end, too." Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic echoed the sentiments. "This year he came back in great shape," he said. "He looks healthy. When he's healthy and ready to go, he's just unstoppable. Tonight, he was outstanding." When a reporter shared with Kessler and Redick's praise for Doncic's defense during his postgame news conference, he smiled and said, "Finally." Doncic added that he didn't know why he has a poor defensive reputation, but admitted he took only a handful of charges in six and a half seasons with the Dallas Mavericks before committing more to the tactic in L.A. "It gets the whole team fired up," Doncic said. "I just wanted to get better at that. And three charges is not bad for one game." Sandro Mamukelashvili, who scored 11 points off the bench against his former team, pointed to Doncic's will as the reason for his defensive impact. "You can tell he has pride," Mamukelashvili said. "He has a pride, and he has a hunger. He has a will to not be labeled as that guy who you can just attack." As for Doncic's offensive impact, that is pure skill, according to Mamukelashvili. "You need three guys to guard him," he said. "I have a feeling that every time Luka plays, it's like 35-plus [points]." ESPN's Ben Golliver contributed to this report.