For the first time in NBA history, two different players score 70 points or more in the same week. After Joel Embiid and his 70 points against the Spurs, it is therefore Luka Doncichis runner-up in the ranking of the best scorers, which caught fire.
In the victory against the Hawks, who had initially drafted him before trading him for Trae Young, the Slovenian compiled 73 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists in 45 minutes, at 25/33 on the shoot (including 8/13 on 3-points) and 15/16 on free throws! “Magic Luka” is involved in… 100 points for the Mavericks!
This is obviously a career record, a franchise record, and a record for a player under 25 years old. But it is also the fourth biggest performance in historysince only Wilt Chamberlain twice, and Kobe Bryant have done better.
“These names are unique. It's incredible “ reacts Luka Doncic about finding himself behind these two legends. “ But tonight, my mindset was focused on winning. » He also took the franchise record for a half since his 41 points in the first half erased Dirk Nowitzki.
If Harden is “a system,” Doncic is “a game plan”
There were still three minutes left when he reached the 70 point mark, and we thought he would reach the 80 point mark. On the anniversary of Kobe Bryant's death… He stopped at 73 points, after a final 3-pointer, and the most important thing was the victory since the Mavericks remained on three straight defeats.
“Luka is a game plan” laughs Jason Kidd when we ask him if he changed his strategy when he saw that his leader was hot. “Some say they are a system, he is the game plan. He has this ability to make shots, create shots and find open players. I repeat, we take nothing for granted. Every evening is special, and he always does something. Sometimes we are a little hard on him, because there are victories and defeats… But what he does on the pitch is different from the others. This evening, he signed his most beautiful painting.”
Speaking of game plan, it's Quin Snyder who perhaps talks about it best.
“Given the type of player he is, he forces you to change your game plan to the point of forcing you to make concessions. Then it's a matter of how you can execute to make things difficult for him. Whether it's not biting on shot fakes, not making fouls, keeping one hand up, contesting, not letting him get to his favorite spots, being ready to help, but don't help too much. There is so much to do when you focus on him…”
| Luka Doncic | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2018-19 | DAL | 72 | 32 | 42.7 | 32.7 | 71.3 | 1.2 | 6.6 | 7.8 | 6.0 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 3.4 | 0.4 | 21.2 |
| 2019-20 | DAL | 61 | 34 | 46.3 | 31.6 | 75.8 | 1.3 | 8.1 | 9.4 | 8.8 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 4.3 | 0.2 | 28.8 |
| 2020-21 | DAL | 66 | 34 | 47.9 | 35.0 | 73.0 | 0.8 | 7.2 | 8.0 | 8.6 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 4.3 | 0.6 | 27.7 |
| 2021-22 | DAL | 65 | 35 | 45.7 | 35.3 | 74.4 | 0.9 | 8.3 | 9.1 | 8.7 | 2.2 | 1.2 | 4.5 | 0.6 | 28.4 |
| 2022-23 | DAL | 66 | 36 | 49.6 | 34.2 | 74.2 | 0.8 | 7.8 | 8.6 | 8.0 | 2.5 | 1.4 | 3.6 | 0.5 | 32.4 |
| 2023-24 | DAL | 37 | 37 | 48.2 | 37.3 | 76.9 | 0.8 | 7.7 | 8.5 | 9.3 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 4.0 | 0.6 | 33.6 |
| Total | 367 | 35 | 46.8 | 34.2 | 74.2 | 1.0 | 7.6 | 8.6 | 8.1 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 4.0 | 0.5 | 28.2 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
