The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Sacramento Kings 116-103 on Wednesday night, winning their third straight and moving to 7-2 while the Kings fell to 1-7. Luka Dončić scored 40 points — his sixth consecutive game with at least 35 — adding nine rebounds and seven assists in a near triple-double.

He made six 3-pointers and went 12 of 13 from the free-throw line, and the Lakers led every quarter after a 28-28 opening period, pulling away 33-26 in the second and 26-20 in the third.

Here is the number that makes this start historic: Dončić has played in eight of the Lakers' nine games and has scored 308 points. According to ESPN, that makes him the first player to top 300 points in his first eight games of a season since Michael Jordan scored 303 in 1988-89.

The only player who ever scored more across his first eight games was Wilt Chamberlain, who did it three times, topping out with 418 points in 1962-63. A 37-year scoring wall has been crossed by a Laker in purple and gold.

Silver Screen and Roll graded Dončić an A+ for his 35-minute, 11-of-23 shooting night, writing that 'the level of shotmaking from Luka right now is up there with the best the league has ever seen.'

The caveat: six turnovers in a mostly lethargic first quarter before he exploded in the second quarter and, in the site's words, really pulled the Lakers along.

It also flagged a strange late-third-quarter moment when a spectator threw the ball aggressively at an official; Dončić pointed him out and security removed the fan.

The supporting cast is holding up its end. Austin Reaves scored 21 points on 7-of-15 shooting with zero turnovers — Silver Screen and Roll gave him an A and called it a quiet great game in the Robin role.

Walker Kessler flipped his duel with Domantas Sabonis in the fourth quarter, finishing with 15 points, three steals and four blocks.

For the Kings, rookie Darius Acuff Jr. had 22 points and 12 assists, Zach LaVine scored 21, and Sabonis posted 16 points and 17 rebounds — but Sacramento is now 0-3 at home.

ESPN and Silver Screen and Roll both note the offense is rolling while the defense rounds into form under JJ Redick — rebounding remains the weak spot. The Lakers host Portland on Friday night, and the Kings, after their first win Monday in Dallas, host San Antonio with a 1-7 record to dig out of.