With 0:27 seconds left, and the Mavs(19-16) trailing the Knicks(18-17) by nine, the thought process was that Dallas’ three-game winning streak was going to be over.
However, the fantastic and unthinkable happened. Dallas closed the fourth quarter on a 9-1 run, including an amazing shot by Luka Doncic after he intentionally missed a free throw to send the game to OT.
In the extra session, Doncic scored seven of the Mavs’ 11 points, and Dallas would defeat the Knicks 126-121.
Now, here’s the bigger story. Doncic finished the game with 60 points, 21 rebounds, 10 assists, two steals, and a block; this is the first 60-point, 20-rebound, 10-assist game in the history of the NBA. Doncic joined James Harden as the only players in history with a 60-point triple-double.
Mavs head coach Jason Kidd says Doncic is always doing something new.
“I know, everybody is still in shock,” Kidd said. “He always does [something new]. He’s special. The history of the game is written by the players, and it was written again tonight for a player – Luka – doing something that’s never been done before. It’s hard to do – there’ve been some great players before him. As we were walking in, Elgin Baylor, I think Wilt [Chamberlain] – he was in that class, and then he separated himself and made his own class, which is pretty cool.”
Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau added on Doncic: “He is a monster player. There are some plays I thought he made good plays and was aggressive. But you can’t keep fouling a guy and give 22 free throws up. We keep talking about verticality and staying restricted, but we keep whacking down all the time. Until we fix that, it is going to costs us.”
According to Doncic, there might have been some luck involved with this performance.
“I don’t know,” Doncic said. “I was just kind of a little bit lucky there. [I had] two steals, one block, five offensive rebounds, and a jump ball, too. I don’t know, man. I’m just enjoying the sport.”
Doncic became the seventh player in the history of the NBA to record a 50-point triple-double (5, James Harden; 3, Russell Westbrook; 2, Elgin Baylor; 2, Wilt Chamberlain; Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; Richie Guerin).
Being compared to those stars amazes him.
“We just saw it on the screen right now,” Doncic said. “We were watching NBA TV. I mean, it’s just incredible to be in those comparisons and just to be with those guys, at any stage. It’s amazing for me.”
Back to Doncic’s shot that sent the game to OT, he actually thought it was the game-winner.
“Well, it was celebrating,” Doncic said. “But, honestly, a lot of people asked me about this back in the locker room. I thought we won it. So, when I went to the crowd like this, I thought we had won the game. But when I saw the score, I was like, “Oh.” I didn’t know what to do.”
This was an exceptional performance by Doncic, and at this point, the things he does will stop being a surprise. He’s just that good!
Notes:
In Tuesday’s game, Doncic did the following:
Set a new career-high of 60 points (51 vs. LAC, 2/10/22)
Set a new career-high of 21 rebounds (20 at SAC, 8/4/20)
Set a new Dallas Mavericks scoring record (53, Dirk Nowitzki vs. HOU, 12/2/04 in OT)
Tied the Dallas Mavericks FGM record (21-33, Mark Aguirre vs. DEN, 3/24/84)
Set a new American Airlines Center scoring record (57, Steph Curry, 2/6/21)
Recorded the second 60-point triple-double in NBA history (James Harden vs. ORL, 60p-10r-11a, 1/30/18)
Set a new Dallas Mavericks record for 50-point games (3rd of career)
Became the first Maverick with 50+ points twice in 3-game span (50 at HOU, 12/23)
-For the Knicks, Quentin Grimes scored a career-high 33 points (12-25 FG) to go with 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Dallas native Julius Randle added 29 points and a season-best 18 rebounds.
Former Mavs guard Jalen Brunson, who missed Tuesday’s game with a hip injury, received a standing ovation after a video tribute between the first and second quarters.
For Dallas, Spencer Dinwiddie added 25 points (9-15 FG), 6 rebounds and 5 assists. This was Dinwiddie’s fourth game of the season with 25+ points and he has scored 15+ points in 22 of his 34 appearances this season.
Christian Wood contributed 19 points, 9 rebounds and 2 assists. Over his last four home games (since 12/14), Wood is averaging 25.3 points (.587 FG%) and 9.0 rebounds per game.
