Source: Tim Heitman / Getty / Luka Doncic
23-year-old Luka Doncic is building quite a legacy for himself, and he hasn’t even hit the prime of his NBA career. The Dallas Mavericks superstar has had to put the organization on his back and is stepping up to the challenge.
Tuesday, Dec.27, at American Airlines Arena, Doncic put on a performance for the ages, dropping a historic
60-21-10 triple-double against the Knicks.
His play kept the Mavericks in a game they mainly trailed until a miraculous comeback led by the Slovenian NBA superstar. Down nine points with only 33 seconds left, aided by an epic Knicks collapse and an incredible shot made off a planned missed free throw by Doncic, the game went into overtime.
After the game, Doncic revealed that he thought the game was over after his big shot. “I thought we won the game,” Doncic said. “Then I see it’s tied. I was like, ‘Oof.’ I didn’t know what to do.”
In overtime, the magic continued, and the Knicks couldn’t buy a basket. Luka sealed the deal capping his phenomenal night. When asked about his impressive 60-21-10 stat line that broke retired Mavericks hooper Dirk Nowitzki’s scoring record, Doncic jokingly added, “Two steals, one block. Jump ball too.”
Luka Doncic’s Night Broken Down By The Numbers
His primary defender for the night, Knicks guard Quentin Grimes, who also had a pretty good night, said about defending the Doncic, “I promise I was trying for sure.”
“I mean, I’m trying to get over every pick-and-roll. He’s in almost every action. It was a lot on me trying to get over every pick-and-roll with him. He’s crafty with the ball, without the ball. Have to know where he is at all times on the court. He’s one of the top three players in the league for a reason. I have to tip my hat,” he continued.
Doncic was 21 of 31 from the floor and 16 of 22 from the free throw line. He had 38 points after halftime leading his team to an improbable comeback over a Knicks team without Jalen Brunson, who hurt his hip in a previous game, and RJ Barrett, who suffered a finger laceration in the game.
NBA Twitter, as expected, reacted to the greatness they witnessed. You can see those reactions in the gallery below.
Photo: Tim Heitman / Getty
