Badly used according to him in a role of shooter off, but also too often injured to really be a centerpiece of his team, Kristaps Porzingis will therefore not have succeeded in really forming the major duo of the Mavs alongside Luka Doncic. The Dallas board has therefore decided to turn the page on the Latvian unicorn.
The new white page was quick to inspire Luka Doncic who caught fire early in the game against the Clippers on Thursday night, with a completely crazy first quarter at 28 points! The Slovenian superstar will stay the course all evening to score his first career game with 50 points or more, offering his team a 4th straight victory (112-105), before another game against the Clippers this Saturday.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– Luka Doncic: 28 – Clippers: 28. From the first quarter, we felt that it was not a match like the others for Luka Doncic… Whether it was the departure of Kristaps Porzingis which left him completely free in Dallas or simply the great form of an evening, the Mavs’ “Wonderboy” started off on the floor, with 3-point bombs in all directions… and 28 points in the first quarter (at 10/13 on shots including 7/10 from 3-pointers)! Or as much as the Clippers.
– Luka Doncic on another planet. Once again the victim of a heatstroke from Doncic, the Clippers hunkered down and even thought they had passed the storm by returning to -5 in the last quarter. But after a 3-pointer from Frank Ntilikina who passed by, the Mavs and Doncic resumed their march forward. Untenable, Doncic even ended his evening with an unorthodox movement with a fake shot that he transformed into a dribble start for a ready-made layup, and his first career game above 50 points, at 51 units precisely . The Slovenian star will not play the last possession, however, leaving alone (for this time) the record of Dirk Nowitzki, at 53 points.
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ Luka Doncic. What more can be said about the stellar performance of Doncic… The former Madrid player was in the zone from the in-between with this completely insane first quarter: 28 points in 12 minutes including 7 on his first 9 3-pointers of the match! Taking malicious pleasure in torturing his compatriot from the Balkans, Ivica Zubac, on the changes of defenders, he put the Californian defense on fire and blood. Obviously, Luka Doncic celebrated the outcome of the “trade deadline” at his Mavs.
✅ Reggie Jackson. Coming out of two half-fig half-grape games, including an 8/26 on shots, Reggie Jackson wanted to bounce back last night against the Mavs. Thing done with a great individual performance with 18 points, 8 assists and 4 rebounds, and a nice acceleration concluded with a dunk in the first half. Offensive leader of his team without Leonard and George, Jackson assumed last night, but without the victory at the end.
⛔ Norman Powell. After a successful debut (28 points) in his new colors against Milwaukee, Norman Powell had a more difficult third evening, at 5/14 on shots. Always so aggressive towards the circle, the former Blazer has not had the usual success in his finishes, and he has still not experienced victory with his new team, on three defeats in a row.
⛔ Jalen Brunson. Behind the Doncic festival, it almost went incognito, but Jalen Brunson had a very complicated evening offensively yesterday. The complement of Doncic on the Texas back lines ended his evening at 11 points, but by attempting 12 shots (for only 3 successes, including 0/3 from afar). Perhaps he did not feel completely serene after the “trade deadline” which put Spencer Dinwiddie in his hands.
THE FOLLOWING
dallas (33-23): rebelote against the Clippers on the night of Saturday to Sunday.
Los Angeles (27-30): ditto against the Mavs on the night of Saturday to Sunday.
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