Getty Image / Tim Heitman
It’s common knowledge that Luka Dončić, the guard for the Dallas Mavericks, possesses extraordinary talent on the basketball court. In his first five years in the NBA, he has earned a spot on the All-NBA first team four times consecutively, a feat achieved by only a handful of players.
However, the 24-year-old Slovenian is currently on an unprecedented hot streak, with his 73-point performance against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday being a standout moment in what has been an exceptional season.
Continuing his impressive form, Dončić delivered another remarkable display on Monday. He scored 45 points, dished out 15 assists, and grabbed 9 rebounds, leading the Mavericks to a thrilling 131-129 comeback victory over the Orlando Magic on their home court.
Doncic and Tim Hardaway Jr. combined for an impressive 81 POINTS in the Mavericks’ triumph against the Magic!
Doncic: 45 PTS, 15 AST, 9 REB
Hardaway Jr.: 36 PTS, 5 3PM, 8 REB pic.twitter.com/6WRGFHOB03
— NBA (@NBA) January 30, 2024
His performances have been so outstanding that even those within the league are simply shrugging their shoulders at his 45-point outburst, which was almost a triple-double as well.
Just how exceptional has he been recently? The only other player to go on such a scorching streak was Wilt Chamberlain during his record-setting 100-point game.
Luka Dončić of the @dallasmavs has either scored or assisted on 239 points in his last three games.
The only other player in NBA history to account for that many points over a three-game span is Wilt Chamberlain in February/March 1962 (246 & 243 in two overlapping spans, including his 100-point game). pic.twitter.com/JNcrsp1ffw
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) January 30, 2024
The third game included in this tally was a 26-point, 17-assist performance in the Mavericks’ loss to the Kings on Saturday. It’s quite remarkable that a 26-point and 17-assist game is considered the worst game Dončić has had in a three-game stretch.
For the season, he is currently averaging 34.4 points, 9.4 assists, and 8.6 rebounds on highly efficient shooting percentages. His statistical performance this season ranks among the best ever by a guard, yet he finds himself trailing behind a few players such as Nikola Jokić, Joel Embiid, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the MVP race.
With a record of 26-21, the Mavericks are currently tied for seventh place in the Western Conference standings alongside the New Orleans Pelicans.
According to the Source brobible.com